LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 




chap. 

Shelf 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




THE ALPINE GUIDE. 

PART h 



Iwpoemation respecting any portion of the region described in the 
Alpine Guide, with a view to the correction of errors or omissions, will 
he thankfully received by the Editor. It is requested that notes maj 
he authenticated by the name and address of the writer, and directed to 
the care of Messrs. Longmans & Co., 39 Paternoster Row, London, E.C. 



A GUIDE 

TO 

THE WESTERN ALPS 



BY 



JOHN BALL, F.E.S., M.E.I.A., &c. 



UATB PRESIDENT OF THE ALPINE CLUE. 



¥,6 



NEW EDITION. 



LONDON : 

LONGMANS, GREEK AND CO. 
1873, 



LONDON: PKTNTKD BY 
SPOT1KHYOODE AND CO.. HEW-STniSET SQUAXS 
AND PAHT.tAMENT RTHKKT 




THE 



PEEF ACE 

TO 

THIED EDITION. 



If it be a task of no slight difficulty to provide the traveller 
with a tolerably correct and complete guide-book through any 
part of the Alps, experience soon proves to the writer that his 
labour is very far from ceasing when he has at leDgth given 
his work to the public. The large and constantly increasing 
number of active travellers who visit the less known and less 
frequented districts, the extension of new roads, and the open- 
ing of new inns, are amongst the prominent causes that neces- 
sitate constant revision and correction. On going carefully 
through the sheets of the present volume, the writer has found 
with surprise that, since the appearance of the first edition, in 
1 863, and even since the last edition was given to the public, 
such extensive changes have occurred that it has become 
necessary to rewrite many routes, and to introduce elsewhere 
extensive corrections and additions. 

Having endeavoured to bring the work as nearly as possible 
up to the required mark at the present time, he is aware that a 
similar process of correction will be required after another 
interval of two or three years ; and he trusts that the kind 
assistance of travellers who, by communicating information, 
have hitherto materially aided him in the performance of his 
work, will not be withheld from him in the future. 

In case he should, through inadvertence, have failed directly 
to convey his acknowledgments to any of those who have 
favoured him with information, he takes this occasion to apolo- 
gise for the omission. 

J. BALL. 

London, 1870. 



YL 



AUTHORITIES QUOTED. 

The quotations introduced in the present volume are dis- 
tinguished by the initials corresponding to the subjoined list 
of authorities, and are chiefly taken from the MSS. notes 
communicated to the Editor. 



T. G. B. Rev. T. G. Bonney. 

E. N. B. Edward N. Buxton, Esq. 

G. C. M. le Chanoine G. Carrel. 
J. J. C. J. J. Cowell, Esq. 

J. F. Mrs. Freshfield, authoress of ' Alpine Byways/ &c. 

H. B. G. Rev. H. B. George. 

F. G. Cavaliere Francesco Giordano. 
W. E. H. W. E. Hall, Esq. 

F. V. H. F. Vaughan Hawkins, Esq. 

J. J. H. Rev. J. J. Hornby. 

F. J. H. Rev. F. J. A. Hort. 

F. W. J. F. W. Jacomb, Esq. 

J. R. K. Rev. J. R. King. 

M. Murray 's ' Handbook for Switzerland,Savoy f and Piedmont .* 

W. M. William Mathews, jun., Esq. 

F. M. F. Mills, Esq. 

A. M. Arthur Milman, Esq. 

A. W. M. A. W. Moore, Esq. 

R. C. N. R. C Nichols, Esq. 

A. A. R. A. Adams Reilly, Esq. 

J. S. Rev. John Sowerby. 

L. S. Leslie Stephen, Esq. 

F. F. T. F. Fox Tuckett, Esq. 

R. S. W. R. Spence Watson, Esq. 

A. W. Arthur P. Whately, Esq. 

C. L. W. Rev. C. L. Wingfield. 

S. W. Stephen Winkworth, Esq., 



CONTENTS. 



PAGK 

Pkeface - v 

Authorities quoted yi 

Abbreviations and Explanations xx *y 



PRELIMINARY NOTES TO THE WESTERN ALPS, 



CHAPTER I. 
MARITIME ALPS. 
Section 1. 
TENDA DISTRICT. 



Kte. A. Turin to Nice — Col di Tenda 3 

„ B. Cuneo to the Baths of Valdieri . . . . . . .6 

„ C. Baths of Valdieri to Nice, Col delle Cerese 8 

„ D. Cuneo to Nice, by Entracque and Col delle Finestre . . . 10 

Section 2. 
ARGENTIERE DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Cuneo to Barcelonette — Col d'Argentiere 11 

„ B. Cuneo to Barcelonette, by Val Maira 13 

„ C. Cuneo to Prazzo, by Val Grana 15 

,, D. Saluzzo to Barcelonette — Val Vraita . . . . . .15 

Section 3. 
BASSES ALPES. 

Rte. A. Nice to Barcelonette — Valley of the Tinea 17 

„ B. Nice to Colmar — Valley of the Var 18 

„ C. Colmar to Barcelonette 19 

„ D. Barcelonette to Erabrun — Valley of the Ubaye . . . .19 



Till 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER II. 
COTTIAN ALPS. 



Section 4. 
VISO DISTRICT. 

PAGE 

Rte. A. Saluzzo to Mont Dauphin — Col de la Traversette .... 22 

„ 13. Ascent of Monte Viso — Tour of Monte Viso 27 

„ C. Barcelonette to Guilestre — Col de Vars 30 

„ D. Barcelonette to Queyras, by St. Veran 30 

„ E. Castel Delfino to Guilestre, by Col de Longet and Col de Cristillan . 32 

„ F. Castel Delfino to Queyras— Col dell' Agnello 33 

Section o. 

WALDENSIAN DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Pignerol to Mont Dauphin — Val di Luserna 34 

„ B. Pignerol to Cesanne — Valley of the Chisone — Col de Sestrieres . 36 
„ C. La Tour de Luserne to Perouse — Val Angrogna . . . .37 

„ D. Perouse to Abries, by the Val Germanasca 38 

„ £. Perouse to Pragelas — Val de Massel 38 

„ F. Perouse to Cesanne, by Rodoret 89 

Section 6. 

GENEVRE DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Turin to Briancon, by the Mont Genevre 39 

„ B. Queyras to Briancon — Col dTzouard 41 

„ C. Abries to Cesanne 41 

„ D. Briancon to St. Michel — Col de Galibier 42 

„ E. Briancon to Modane — Mont Tabor 43 

„ F. Chambery to Turin — Tunnel through the Alps . . . .45 

„ G. Modane to Cesanne . . 46 

Section 7. 

CENIS DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Chambery to Turin —Pass of Mont Cenis 47 

„ B. Susa to Bessans — Roche Melon . . . . . . .53 

„ C. Bramans to Susa, by the Col du Clapier — Petit Mont Cenis . . 54 
„ D. Bramans to Exilles — Col d'Ambin — Mont d'Ambin . . .59 

„ E. Bramans to Bardonneche, by Rochemolle 59 



CHAPTER III. 

DAUPHINE ALPS. 

Section 8. 
OISANS DISTRICT. 



Rte. A. Briancon to Grenoble — Col du Lautaret . . . . . .64 

„ B. St. Michel to La Grave en Oisans • .68 

„ C. La Grave en Oisans to St. Jean de Maurienne 69 

„ D. Bourg d'Oisans to St. Jean de Maurienne 70 

„ E. Bourg d'Oisans to La Cliambre. The Grandes Rousses . . . 72 

„ F. Bourg d'Oisans to Allevard — Les Sept Laux . . . .74 

„ G. Allevard to La Chambre — Pic du Frene 76 



CONTENTS. 



ix 



Section 9. 
PELVOUX DISTRICT. 

PAGK 

Rte. A. Bourg d'Oisans to La Berarde — Valley of the Veneon . . .78 
„ B. Guilestre to Vallouise — Ascent of the Mont Pelvoux . . .80 
„ C. La Berarde to Vallouise, by the Col des Ecrins. Pointe des ficrins. 83 
„ D. La Berarde to Vallouise. by the Col de la Tempe . . . .85 
„ E. La Berarde to Vallouise, by the Col du Sele,or the Col de la Pilatte 86 
„ F. La Berarde to Vallouise, by the Val Godemar — Col de Sais — Col 

du Celar 87 

„ G. Vallouise to La Grave en Oisans — Col du Glacier Blanc . . 88 

„ H. Vallouise to Monestier — Col de l'Echauda 89 

„ I. La Grave en Oisans to the Valley of the Veneon . . . .89 
„ K. Vallouise to Embrun, by the Valleys of the Hautes Alpes . . 93 

„ L. Bourj? d'Oisans to Grenoble, by La Mure 94 

„ M. La Mure to La Chappelle in Val Godemar .... [93] 
„ N. St. Christophe to La Chapelle, by the Col de la Muande . . [94 j 



CHAPTER IV. 



SOUTH SAYOY ALPS. 
Section 10. 
CHAMBERY DISTRICT. 



Rte. A. Paris to Chambery — Lake of Bourget • 97 

„ B. Grenoble to Chambery, by the right bank of the Isere — Mont Granier 99 
„ C. Grenoble to Chambery, bv Montmelian and the left bank of the 

Isere . . 101 

„ D. Chambery to the Baths of Allevard — Excursions from Allevard . 102 
„ E. Chambery to linage — Ascent of the Belledonne .... 104 
„ F. Chambe'ry to Grenoble, by the Grande Chartreuse .... 106 
„ G. Chambery to Pont de Beauvoisin, by Aiguebellette . . . . 109 
„ H. Aix les Bains to Chatelard — Beauges Mountains .... Ill 

„ L Chatelard to Chambe'rv 112 

„ K. Chatelard to Albertville 114 

„ L. Chatelard to Annecy 114 



Section 11. 
TARENTAISE DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Chambery to Bourg St. Maurice 116 

„ B. Bourg St. Maurice to Lanslebourg, by the Col d'lseran . . . 119 
„ C. Tignes to Moutiers Tarentaise, or Bourg St. Maurice, by the Col du 

Palet — Ascent of the Mont Pourri 123 

„ D. Tignes to Lanslebourg, by the Col de la Leisse .... 126 
„ E. Moutiers Tarentaise to Lanslebourg, by the Col de la Vanoise . 126 
„ F. Pralognan to Modane, bv the Col de Ciiaviere, or the Col d'Aussois . 130 

„ G. St. Michel to Moutiers tarentaise 132 

„ H. St. Jean de Maurienne to Moutiers Tarentaise, by the Col de la 

Platiere 133 

„ I. La Chambre to Moutiers Tarentaise or Albertville, by the Col de la 

Madeleine 134 



X 



CONTENTS. 



Section 12. 



ALBERT VI LLE DISTRICT. 

PAGE 

Rte. A. Albertville to Sallanches — Mont Joli 135 

„ B. Albertville to Annecy . . . 136 

„ C. Annecy to Bonneville 138 

„ D. Annecy to Sallanches or Cluses 139 

„ E. Albertville to St. Gervais, by the Valley of Beaufort . . .140 

„ F. Albertville to Bourg St. Maurice, by Beaufort 141 

„ G. St. Maxime de Beaufort to Moutiers Tarentaise . . . .142 



CHAPTER V. 
GEAIAN ALPS. 

Section 13. 
LEVANNA DISTRICT. 



Rte. A. Turin to Lanslebourg, by Lanzo and Groscavallo .... 145 

„ B. Bonneval to Ceresole — Ascent of the Levanna .... 148 

„ C. Ceresole to Lanzo and Turin, by the Col della Crocetta . . . 150 

„ D. Lanzo to Lanslebourg, by Ala and the Col du Collarin . . . 150 

„ E. Lanzo to Lanslebourg, by Viu . 152 

„ F. Passes to and from the Val di Viu 154 

Section 14. 

PARADIS DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Turin to Aosta, by the Val Soana and Val de Cogne — Ascent of the 

Grivola 155 

„ B. Aosta to Cogne, by the Becca di Nona and Col de Garin . . . 160 
„ C. Aosta to Cogne, by the Mont Emilius and the Val de Grauson . 163 

„ D. Cogne to Hard, by the Fenetre de Cogne 164 

„ E. Ponte to Tignes, by the Col de Galese 165 

„ F. Ceresole to Villeneuve, in Val d'Aosta — Ascent of the Grand Paradis 166 
„ G. Cogne to Ceresole — Col de Grancrou — Col de Monei ^ . . 170 

Section 15. 

RUITOR DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Bourg St. Maurice to Aosta — Pass of the Little St. Bernard . . 171 

„ B. La Thuile to Sainte Foi — Ascent of the Ruitor .... 174 

„ C. Ivrogne to Sainte Foi, by the Val Grisanche 177 

„ D. Val Grisanche to Tignes 180 



„ E. Tignes to Aosta, by the Col de Gailletta and the Val de Rhemes [179] 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER VI. 
PENNINE ALPS. 
Section 16. 
* MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 

PAGE 

Rte. A. Paris to Chamouni, by Geneva — Excursion from Chamouni . 185 
„ B. Chamouni to Courmayeur, by the Col du Bonhomme . . . 203 
„ C. Sallanches to Contamines and Courmayeur, by St. Gervais . .210 
,-, D. Courmayeur to Contamines, by the Col du Mont Tondu, or the Col 

de Trelatete 211 

„ E. Chamouni to Courmayeur, by the Glacier de Miage . . . 213 
„ F. Chamouni to Courmayeur, by the Col du Geant, or the Col de Talefre 215 

„ G. Ascent of Mont Blanc * 218 

„ H. Chamouni to Martigny 22G 

„ I. Chamouni to Orsieres, by the Col de Champey .... 229 
„ K. Orsieres to Courmayeur, by the Col de Ferrex .... 230 
L. Chamouni to Orsieres, by the Glacier d'Argentiere . . . .231 
„ M. Chamouni to Orsieres, by the Glacier du Tour 235 

Section 17. 
SIXT DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Geneva to Sixt, by Tanninges [235] 

„ B. Geneva to Sixt, by Cluses or St. Martin 238 

„ C. Sixt to Chamouni, by Servoz 239 

„ D. Sixt to Chamouni — Ascent of the Buet 240 

„ E. Sixt to Martigny, by Salvan . . . . . . . . 242 

., F. Samoens to Champery and Monthey 244 

„ G. Sixt to Champery 245 

„ H. Champery to Martigny — Ascent of the Dent du Midi . . . 246 

„ I. Geneva to St. Maurice, by Thonon 247 

„ K. Bonneville to Thonon 249 

„ L. Thonon to Samoens . . . .251 

„ M. Thonon to Champery, or to Monthey 252 

Section 18. 

GREAT ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Geneva to Aosta, by Martigny and the Great St. Bernard . . 254 
„ B. Hospice of the Great St. Bernard to Courmayeur .... 264 
„ C. St. Pierre to Courmayeur, by the Col des Planards .... 266 
„ D. St. Pierre to Aosta, by the' Col de Menouve — Ascent of the Mont 

Ve'lan 2fi6 

„ E. Martigny to Aosta, by the Val de Bagnes and the Col de Fenetre . 268 
„ F. Chables to St. Pierre, by the Col de la Maison Blanche — Ascent of 

the Grand Combin 271 

„ G. St. Pierre to Chermontane, by the Col de Sonadon . . . .274 
„ H. Aosta to Zermatt, by the Val Pellina and the Col de la Val Pellina — 

Dentd'Herens 276 

„ I. St. Barthelemi to the Val Pellina 279 

„ K. Prarayen to Val Tournanche, or Breuil, by the Col de Vacornere — 

Ascent of the Chateau des Dames 280 

„ L. Chermontane to Prarayen, by the Glacier d'Otemma — Ascent of 

the Mont Gele' . 281 

„ M. Chermontane to Evolena, by the Col de Chermontane, or the Col 

de Breney 284 

„ N. Chermontane to Evolena, or to Heremence, by the Col du Mont Rouge 286 



Xll 



CONTENTS. 



Section 19. 



EVOLENA DISTRICT. 

PAGE - 

Rte. A. Sion to Aosta, by the Val d'Herens and Col de Colon . . . 288 
„ B. Evolena to Prarayen, by the Col des Bouquetins . . . .291 
„ C. Sion to the Val de Bagnes, by the Val d'Heremence . . . 292 
„ D. Evolena to Zermatt, by the Col d'He'rens— Ascent of the Dent Blanche 293 

„ E. Sierre to Zermatt, by the Val d'Anniviers 295 

„ F. Evolena to Vissoie, by the Val de Torrent 301 

„ G. Zinal to Evolena, by'the Col du Grand Cornier .... 302 

„ H. Evolena to Zinal, by the Val de Torrent 303 

„ I. Vissoie to Turtman,"or to Griiben, in the Turtman Thai . . 303 
,, K. Griiben to St. Niklaus, or to Randa 306 

Section 20. 

MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Visp to Zermatt — Excursions from Zermatt 310 

„ B. Zermatt to Ivrea, by the Val Tournanche — Col de St. Theodule — 

Breithorn — Matterhorn 323 

„ C. Zermatt to Verrex, by the Schwarz Thor and the Val d'Ayas . 328 
„ D. Zermatt to Pont St. Martin, by the Lvs Joch, or Felik Joch, 

and the Val de Lys . 329 

„ E t Zermatt to Varallo, by the Sesia Joch and the Val Sesia . . 333 
„ F. Zermatt to Vogogna, by the Weiss Thor and the Val Anzasca . 337 
„ G. Tour of Monte^Rosa, by the High Glacier Passes .... 341 
„ H. Val Tournanche to Macugnaga, by the Middle Passes . . . 344 

„ I. Aosta to Ponte Grande, by the Lower Passes 346 

„ K. Ivrea to Orta, bv Biella 350 

„ L. Orta to Ponte Grande, by the Val Mastalone .... 352 

„ M. Orta to Ponte Grande, by the Val Strona 353 

„ N. Visp to Macugnaga, by "the Monte Moro 354 

„ O. Saas to Zermatt, bv the Saas Grat ....... 357 

„ P. Saas to St. Niklaus", by the Ried Pass 360 

Section 21. 

SIMPLON DISTRICT. 

Rte. A. Martigny to Arona — Pass of the Simplon 362 

„ B. Domo d'Ossola to Brieg, by the Val Cherasca .... 370 

„ C. Domo d'Ossola to Arona, by Orta 371 

„ D. Simpeln to Saas — Ascent of the Fletschhorn 373 

„ E. Saas to Isella, by the Zwischbergen Pass— Ascent of the Weissmies 375 

„ F. Simpeln to Domo d'Ossola, by the Val Bugnanco .... 376 

„ G. Saas to Domo d'Ossola, by the Val Antrona 377 



Index of Peaks or Mountains, with their Height above the Sea . 381 
Index to the Alpine Passes, with their Height above the Sea 385 
General Index 389 



LIST OF MAPS. 



J Key Map To be pasted inside the cover at the beginning 

The Western Alps — General Map . . . . .To face title-page 

The Dauphine Alps To face page 61 

The Graian Alps ,,143 

The Mountains of Cogne from Mont Emilius . . ) 

} „ 163 
The Pennine Alps from the Becca di Nona . . ) 

Mont Blanc „ 181 

Monte Rosa . „ 308 

The Western Alps— Geological ....... at end 



PRELIMINARY NOTES TO THE WESTERN ALPS. 



Tours in the Western Alps. 

The following tours may be of service to those who are but slightly 
acquainted with the country, and wish to be directed to the places whence 
the finest scenery is most conveniently accessible. It is taken for granted 
that some days (the more the better) will be given to halts at the more 
interesting spots included in each tour. 



I. Carriage Tour in the Western Alps — 30 days' easy travelling, exclusive 
of halts, railways, and boats being occasionally used. 



IT. 



AIX LES BAINS. 

Excursion by boat to Haute Combe 
Rail to Chambery. Carriage to Grande 
Chartreuse 
Carriage to Voiron. Rail to Grenoble 
Carriage to Allevard 

Char to Chamousset. Rail to St. Jean de 

Maurienne, or St. Michel 
Carriage to Lanslebourg, and Susa 
Excursion to Bardomieche. Rail to Turin 
Rail to Cuneo. Carriage to Baths of Val- 

dieri 

Return to Cuneo. Carriage or rail to 
Saluzzo 

Char to Faesana, Barge, and La Tour de 
Luserne 

Turin by rail from Pignerol. Carriage by 

Lanzo to Ceres and Viu 
Return to Lanzo,thence by Courgne tolvrea 
Carriage to Aosta. Char to Courmayeur 
Return to Aosta and Ivrea 
Char to Biella. Excursion to Oropa 
Char to Varallo, by Romagnano 
Excursion to Val Mastalone, returning to 

Varallo 



18. Orta by new road to Pella, or by Roma- 
gnano and Borgo Manero 
Carriage to Arona, and thence to Stresa or 
Baveno 

Carriage to Ponte Grande or Vanzone 
Carriage to Domo d'OssoIa 
Carriage to village of Simpeln 
Carriage to Susten. Char to Baths o f 
Leuk 

Carriage to Sierre. Rail to Bex 
Excursion to Champery 
Return to Bex. Rail to Villeneuve, thence 
to Geneva by steamer, or by road as far as 
Vevey 
Carriage to Samoens 
Excursion to Sixt and Fer-a-Cheval 
Carriage to Chamouni by Tanninges 
Carriage to Geneva. 
Those who have seen the Pass of Mont Cenis 
may vary the above route by returning from 
Allevard to Grenoble, and travelling to Turin 
by Bourg d'Oisans, Col du Lautaret, Briancon, 
Mont Gengvre, and Susa ; or, avoiding Susa, 
they may reach Turin by Fenestrelle and Pigne- 
rol. 



30, 



Tour of three months in the Western Alps, for moderate pedestrians or 
ladies able to ride. Alternative routes given in italics are practicable 
only on foot. 



AIX LES BAINS. 

j fGrande Chartreuse as above, or by Mont 
2 < du Chat, St. Genix, and Pont de Beau- 
' t voisin 

3. Grenoble by Sappey 

4. Carriage to Bourg d'Oisans. Mule-path 

to Venos 

ft. Excursion to La Berarde, returning to 
Venos 



Path to Bourg d'Oisans. Carriage to La 
Grave 

Monestier by Col du Lautaret 

Mule-path to Ville Vallouise by Col de 

l'Echauda 
Carriage to Embrun 

Barcelonette by Valley of the Ubaye.orbj 

Col de CEyssalette 
Bersesio by Col d'Argentidre 



XVI 



INTRODUCTION. 



Mule-path to Vinadio. Char to Borgo 
San Dalmazzo. Carriage to Baths ~of 
Valdieri 

Carriage to Cuneo 

Carriage or rail to Saluzzo. Carriage to 



Excursion to Crissolo and Piano del Re, 

returning to Paesana 
Char by Barge to La Tour de Luserne 
Muie-path by YaJ Angrogna to Perouse. 

Carriage to Fenestrelle. Mule-path to 

Susa 

Rail to Turin. Carriage to Lanzo and 
Ceres 

Ceresole by Col delta Crocetta or by Locara 
Mule-path to Val Savaranche by Col de la 

Croix de Nivolet 
Mule-path to Villeneuve. Char to Cour- 

mayeur 

Ascent of Mont de la Saxe or Cramont 
Mule-path to Chapiu 
Mule-path to St. Gervais 
Char to Sallanches, Cluses, Tanninges, and 
Samoens 

Char to Fer-3-Cheval, returning to Sixt 
Mule-path to Brevent, descending to Cha- 
mouni 

Excursion to Col de Voza 

Mule-path to Montanvers, returning to 

Chamouni by Chapeau 
Mule-path to Tete Noire or Col de Balme 
Mule-path to Orsidres by Col de Champey 
Char to St. Pierre. Mule-path to Grand 

St. Bernard 



Muie-path to St. Remy. Char to Aosta 
Carriage to Chatillon. Mule-path to Brus- 

sone and Gressonay 
Mule-path to Alagna by Col d'Ollen or 

Col di Val Dobbia 
Mule-path and char to Varallo 
' Ponte Grande by Pella and Orta, thence by 

Monte Motterone, Baveno, and carriage 

to Vogogna— orby Fobello, and Barranca 

Pass 

Mule-path to Macugnaga. Excursion to 
Belvedere 

f Return to Ponte Grande, Char to Domo 
d'Ossola. Carriage to Brieg; same to 
I Visp, and mule-path to St. Niklaus— or 
I by Pass of Monte Moro from Macugnaga 
to Mattmark See. Visit to Fee, and sleep* 
I at Saas ; thence to St. Niklaus 

Mule-path to Zermatt 

Excursion to Gorner Grat 

Excursion to Schwarz See and Zmutt 

Return to St. Niklaus 

Mule-path to Visp. Carriage to Sierre 

Mule-path to Zinal 

! Mule-path to Evolena by Col de Sorebolt 
and Col de Torrent ; Evolena to Sion-!- 
or mule-path to St. Luc, and ascent of 
Bella Tola, descending next day to 
Sierre : Railwav thence to Sion 
Rail to Bex. Mule-path to Plan des Isletf 
Mule-path to Chateau d'Oex 
Vevey by Montreux and Plan de Jaman 
Steamer to Geneva 



III. Pedestrian Tour of two months in the Alps of Dauphine, South Savoy* 
and Western Piedmont, occasionally putting up with very bad 
accommodation. 



1. Lyons to Grande Chartreuse. Ascend 

Grand Som 

2. By Col de Manival to Bernin. Thence to 

Domene and Baths of Uriage 

3. Visit Cascade del'Oursiere. Sleep at Revel 

4. Ascend Belledonne, descending to Sables 

and Bourg d'Oisans 

(To Venos ; next day to La Berarde ; and 
on the following day, by one or other of 
the glacier passes, to Ville Vallouise— or 
by La Grave, Monestier and the Col de 
l'Echauda 

8. Ville Vallouise to Queyraz, or Villevielle, 

partly by char 

9. Sleep at chalets of La Ruine under Monte 

Viso 

10. Pass of the Traversette to the Piano del 

Re, thence by Col delle Sagnette and Val 
della Forciolline to Castel Delfino 

11. By Col della Bicocca to Stroppo, and thence 

to Acceglio 

12. To Barcelonette by Col de Sautron 

13. To Alios, with excursion to the Lac d'Allos 

1 4. To San Stefano in the Valley of the Tinea 

15. To Baths of Valdieri by the Col di Frema 

Morta 

1*5. Ascend Monte Matto 

17. To S. Martino di Lantesca by the Col delle 

Cerese 

18. To Cuneo by the Col delle Finestre and 

Entracque 
Railway to Saluzzo ; thence to Crissolo 
20. La Tour de Luserne 



To Susa, by Val Angrogna and Col de la 
Fenetre 

To Bardonneche. Visit tunnel through the 
Alps 

Ascend Mont Tabor, descending to Modane 
To Pralognan by the Col de Chavidre 
To Lanslebourg by Col de la Vanoise ; 

thence to AnciennePoste on Mont Cenis 

by the evening diligence 
Make circuit by Petit Mont Cenis and Col du 

Clapier, returning to the Ancienne Poste 
By Bessans to Bonneval 
To Ceres in Val Grande, by Col de Girard 
To Viu by Col di Cialmetta, or by Monte 

Solera 
Sleep at Malciaussia 

Ascend Rochemelon ; descend to Bessans, 
or to the Ancienne Poste on Mont Cenis 
To Bonneval 

To Ceresole by Col de Carro, or Col de 

Galese 
Descend Valley to Ponte 
To Cogne by Col della Nouva, or by Col 

de Bardonney 
Excursion to Le Poucet 
To Val Savaranche by Col de Lauzon 
To Aosta. Sleep at Chalets de Comboe 
Ascend Beccadi Nona, and reach Cogne by 

Coi d'Arbole 
By Viiieneuve and St. Didier to La Thuile 
Ascend Ruitor, descending to Ste Foi. The 
traveller may then reach Chambery by the 
valley of the Isere^ or Geneva by Albert- 
ville and the Lake of Annecy. 



BOOKS ON THE WESTERN ALPS. 



XVII 



IV. Pedestrian Tour of two months in the Pennine Alps. 



Macon to Chambery and Chamousset by 
railway. Thence by diligence to Albert- 
ville ; then walk, or by char, to Ugine 

Megeve 

Ascend Mont Joli. Descend to St. Ger- 
vais 

To Sixt by La Portette 

Visit Fer-a-Cheval. Sleep at Les Fonds 

Ascend the Buet. Descend to Chamouni 

by the Brevent, or by Pierre a" Berard 
Visit Cascade du Dard and Glacier des 

Bossons 

Tour of the Aiguilles by the Pierre a 

1'Echelle. Sleep at Montanvert 
Visit Jardin. Return to Chamouni 
To Contamines by the Col de Voza 
Excursion to Glacier de Trelatete. Sleep 

at the Pavilion 
Courmayeur by Col de Trelatete 
Ascend Cramont 

Ascend Grande Rossere, and sleep at Hos- 
pice of Great St. Bernard 

Visit neighbourhood of the Hospice 

Ascend Mont Velan. Descend by Col de 
Menouve to Etroubles 

By Col de Fenetre to Chalets de Chermon- 
tane 

Ascend Mont Avril 

Chermontane to Prarayen by Col de la 

Reuse de l'Arolla 
Zermatt by Col de la Val Pellina 
Visit Schwarz See and Hb'rnli 
Ascend Mettelhorn 



Visit Corner Grat. Sleep at Riffel Hotel 
To Breuil by Col de St, Theodule 
To Ayas by Cimes Blanches, or by Col de 
Portola ' 

To Gressonay by Col de Pinta. Ascend 

Grauhaunt 
Visit Lys Glacier. Sleep at Cour de Lys 
To Alagna by Col delle Piscie, or by Col 

d'OUen 

To Ponte Grande by Col de Moud, Ri- 
masco, and Carcoforo, or by Varallo, 
Fobello. and the Barranca Pass 

Macugna»a 

Tour of Macugnaga Glacier 
Ascend Pizzo Bianco 
To Mattmark See by Monte Moro 
To Saas, visiting Fee Glacier, and Gletscher 
Alp; next day to St. Niklaus ; follow, 
ing day to Griiben in Turtman Thai— or 
by Zwischbergen Pass to Isella : next 
j day to Btieg by Simplon Pass ; follow - 
L ing day to Griiben by Turtman 
Zinal by Pas de Forcletta, and Arpitetta 
Alp 

Evolena by Col de Sorebois and Col de 
Torrent 

Ascent of Couronne de Breona, or Aiguille 
de la Za 

Sion. Thence by railway to Bex 
Champery 

Ascent or Dent du Midi 
' To Geneva by Samoens, or by Thonon 
I and lake steamer. 



The portion of the above tour comprised between Chamouni and Zermatt 
should not be undertaken otherwise than in company with a trustworthy 
guide, well acquainted with the country. It is not likely that in a single 
expedition a traveller should be so favoured by the weather as to be able 
to make all the ascents here set down. 



Books and Maps connected with the Western Alps. 

It has been thought convenient to give in this place as complete a list of 
the books and maps specially connected with the Western Alps as could be 
prepared, excepting, however, geological works and memoirs, of which a list 
is given in the Introduction (Art. XIV'.). Besides the works enumerated 
below, several of those of a more general character, enumerated in Art. XV., 
are chiefly designed to describe or illustrate the scenery of the Western 
Alps. Of the former the classical works of Saussure and Professor Forbes 
deserve especial mention. Abridgments of both works in a portable form 
have been published, containing most of the matter interesting to the un- 
scientific reader. Of the illustrative works there is none equal, in accuracy 
and beauty of execution, to Mr. Coleman's 4 Scenes from the Snow Fields.' 
The ehromo-lithographic illustrations; all taken from drawings sketched or 
coloured on Mont Blanc, surpass any similar attempts to convey the effeofc 
of the colouring of the upper region of the Alps. 

PART I. a 



XV111 



INTRODUCTION. 



Albert (Aristide) Essai descriptif. L'Oisans, 1 vol. Maisonville, Grenoble, 1854. 
Anderson (E.) Chamouni and Mont Blanc, 8vo. London, 1856. 
Atkins (H.M.) Ascent of Mont Blanc, 8vo. London, 1838 (not published). 
Aubert (E.) La Vallee d'Aoste, 4to. Paris, 1860. 

Auldjo (J.) Narrative of an Ascent to the Summit of Mont Blanc on the 8th 

and 9th August, 1827, 1 vol. Longman & Co. 1828. 
3rd edition, 1 vol. (Traveller's Library). Longman & Co. 1856. 

Baines (E.) A Visit to the Vaudois of Piedmont, 1 vol. (Traveller's Library). 
Longman & Co. 1855. 

Bakewell (R.) Travels in the Tarentaise, &c, in the Years 1820, 1821, 1822. 
2 vols. Longman & Co. 1823. 

Barry (M.) Ascent of Mont Blanc, 8vo. Edinburgh, 1836. 

Beattie — The Waldenses, or Protestant Valleys of Piedmont, Dauphine, &c, illus- 
trated by Brockedon, Bartlett, Stanfield, and Harding, 1 vol. Virtue & Co. 
London, 1838. 

Beaumont (Jean Franyois Albanis de) Travels through the Maritime Alps. 

London, 1795. 

Voyage pittoresque aux Alpes Pennines, fol. col.pl. 

Geneve, 1787. 

Description des Alpes grecques et cottiennes, Ire 

partie, 2 vols. Paris, 1802. 

■ 2me partie, 2 vols. Paris, 1806. 

Berthout van Berchem — Itineraire de la Vallee de Chamouny, etc., 8vo. Lausanne. 
1790. 

Bonney (Rev. T. G.) Outline Sketches in the High Alps of Dauphine. London, 
1865. 

Bourrit (M. H.) Description des Glacieres et Amas de Glace du duche de Savoye, 

12mo. Geneve, 1773. 
(English translation) A Relation of a Journey to the Glaciers 

in the Dutchy of Savoy, 2nd edition, 1 vol. G. Robinson, 

London, 1 776. 

Nouvelle Description des Glacieres, etc., nouvelle edition, 3 vols. 

12mo. Geneve, 1785. 
Bravais (A.) Le Mont Blanc, ou Description de la Vue et des Phenomenes du 
Sommet. Bertrand, Paris. 

Description des Aspects du Mont Blanc, etc., 12mo. 

Lausanne, 1776. 

Browne (J. D. H ) Ten Scenes in the Ascent of Mont Blanc. London, 1853. 

Carrel (Le Chanoine G.) Les Alpes Pennines dans un Jour ; soit Panorama boreal 
de la Becca di Nona. Lyboz, Aoste, 1855, 1 vol. 

Alpes Graies, Chaine de la Grivola vue de la Becca di 

Nona. 2me edition, 1 vol. Aoste, I860. 

Clissold (F.) Narrative of an Ascent to the Summit of Mont Blanc. London, 
1823. 

Club Alpino — Bollettino del, Torino. Of the fifteen parts issued nearly all relate 

ext-lusively to the Western Alps. 
Cole (Mrs.) A Lady's Tour round Monte Rosa, &c. 1 vol. Longman & Co., 1859. 
Coleman (E. T.) Scenes from the Snow Fields, being illustrations from the Upper 

Jee- world of Mont Blanc, fol. London, Longman, 1859. 
Cowell (J. J.) The Graian Alps and Mont Iseran, in Galton's ' Vacation Tourists ' 

of I860. Macmillan, 1861. 



BOOKS ON THE WESTERN ALPS. 



Excursion au Mont Blanc, 1 vol. 2me edition. Geneve et Bale, Georg, I860. 

Fellowes (Charles) Ascent of Mont Blanc, 4to. London, 1827. 

Forbes (Sir J.) A Physician's Holiday, or a Month in Switzerland in the Summer 

of 1848. 1 vol. 3rd edition. Orr & Co., London, 1852. 
Francesetti (L. Comte de Mezzenile) Lettres sur les Vallees de Lanzo, 1 vol. 

Chirio & Mina, Turin, 1823. 
Frobel (Julius) Reise in die weniger bekannten Thaler auf der Nordseite der 

Penninischen Alpen, 1 vol. Reimer, Berlin, 1840. 

Gnifetti (Parroco d'Alagna) Nozioni Topografiche del Monte Rosa e Ascensioni 
su di esso, 1 vol. secouda edizione. Crotti, Novara, 1858.» 

Hamel (J. von) Beschreibung zweier Reisen auf den Mont Blanc, unternommen 

in August 1820, 8vo. Wien, 1821. 
Hawkins (F. V.) Partial Ascent of the Matterhorn, in Galton's 'Vacation 

Tourists' of 1860. Macmillan, 1861. 
Hudson (Rev. C.) & Kennedy (E. S.) — Where there 's a Will there 's a Way ; an 

Ascent of Mont Blanc without Guides, 1st 
edition, 1 vol. Longman & Co., 1856. 

- Do. ; with two Ascents of Monte Rosa, 

2nd edition. Longman & Co., 1856. 

Joanne (Adolphe) Itineraire descriptif ethistorique de la Savoie, 1 vol. Hachette, 
Paris. 

Do. du Dauphine, Ire partie (Tsere). Hachette, Paris, 1862. 

Do. do. 2me partie (Drome et Hautes Alpes). 

Hachette, Paris, 1863. 

King (Rev. S. W.) The Italian Valleys of the Pennine Alps, 1 vol. Murray, 1858. 

Lory (Prof. Ch.) Tableau des Positions geographiques et Hauteurs ahsolues des 
Points principaux du Departement de lTsere et des Localites environnantes, 
1 vol. Maisonville, Grenoble. 

Mace (A.) Le Pic de Belledonne, 1 vol. Maisonville, Grenoble, 1858. 

Les Montagnes de St -Nizier, 1 vol. Maisonville, Grenoble, 1858. 

Manget (J. L.) La Vallee de Sixt et le Petit St.- Bernard, 1 vol. Gruez, Geneva, 1851. 

Meuta et Riva, La Vallee d'Aoste monumentale, photographiee et annotee his- 
toriquement. lvree, 1869. 

Monson (Lord) Views in the Department of the Isere and the High Alps, chiefly 
designed to illustrate the Memoirs of Felix Neff, by Dr. Gilly, 1 vol. Lon- 
don, 1840. 

Mortillet (G. de) Guide de l'Etranger en Savoie, 1 vol. Perrin, Chambery, 1855. 
Muston (A.) Histoire complete des Vaudois, du Piemont, et de leurs Colonies, 
4 vols. Meyruels, Paris. 

Parrot (Friedrich) Ueber die Schneegrenze auf der mittaglichen Seite des 
Rosagebirges und barometrische Messungen. 4 Schweigger's Journal fur 
Chemie und Physik,' Band xix. Niirnberg, 1817. 

Payot (Venauce) Guide itineraire du Mont Blanc. Geneve, 1869. 

Raoul -Roehette — Voyage pittoresque dans la Vallee de Chamouni et autour du 

Mont Blanc. 40 col. pi. 4to. Paris, 1826. 
Raverat (Le Baron A.) A travers le Dauphine ; voyage pittoresque et artistique, 

1 vol. Maisonville, Grenoble, 1861. 

a 2 



XX 



INTRODUCTION. 



Revue des Alpes. Maisonville, Grenoble. 

Roussillon (J. H.) Guide du voyageur en l'Oisans, 1 vol. Maisonville, Grenoble, 
1845. 

Scbott (A.) Die deutschen Kolonien in Piemont; ihr Land, ihre Mundart und 

Herkunft. Stuttgart, 1842. 
Sberwill (M.) Ascent of Mont Blanc. 1826. 

Historical Sketch of the Valley of Chamouni. Paris, 1832. 

Smith (Albert) The Story of Mont Blanc. London, 1853. 

Stephen (Leslie) The Allalein Horn, in Gabon's ' Vacation Tourists ' of 1860. 
Macmillan, 1861. 

Taulier (Jules) Excursion aux Sept-Laux, 1 vol. Maisonville, Grenoble, 1859. 

Guide du Voyageur a la Grande Chartreuse, 1 vol. Maisonville, 

Grenoble. 

Taylor et Nodier — Voyages pittoresques dans l'ancienne France. Dauphine, fob 
Didot, Paris, 1854. 

Ulrich (Prof. M.) Die Seitenthaler des Wallis und der Monte Rosa topographisch 
geschildert, 1 vol. Orell Fiissli & Co., Zurich, 1850. 

Voyage pittoresque de Geneve a Milan par le Simplon, fob col. pi. Didot, Paris, 
1811. 

Welden (Ludwig Freiherr von) Der Monte Rosa, eine topographische undnatur- 
historische Skizze ; nebst emem Anhange der von Herrn Zunistein gemachten 
Reisen zur Ersteigung seiner Gipfel, 1 vol. Gerold, Wien, 1824. 

AVey (Francis) La Haute Savoie. Paris, 1865. 

Wills (Alfred) ' The Eagle's Nest ' in the Valley of Sixt, with Excursions among 
the great Glaciers, 1 vol. Longman, I860. 

The principal writings connected with Hannibal's passage of the Alps 
are referred to at page 56, where a summary is given of the latest dis- 
cussions on the subject. 

3Iaps. — Reference is frequently made in this volume to. the map of 
Piedmont, Savoy, and the County of Nice, published by the Etat Major in 
Turin, before the recent political changes which have merged Piedmont in 
the new kingdom of Italy, and united Savoy and Nice to France. The map 
is believed to be generally correct in the lower part of the country, and in 
the inhabited portions of the valleys, but entirely fails to give a true repre- 
sentation of the Alpine region, and especially of the higher peaks and 
glaciers. A reduction in 6 sheets has been published, and has from time to 
time received some corrections. The smaller map answers the purpose of a 
pedestrian quite as well as the larger one, neither being trustworthy. The 
French Alps, i.e. those of Dauphine and Provence, are at present in a still 
more deplorable condition than those of Piedmont. The only map having the 
least pretence to accuracy is that of General Bourcet, now more than a cen- 
tury old. For the period at which it was executed this is a very remarkable 
work, and bears evidence of having been in great part founded on actual ob- 
servation, if not on a scientific survey ; but it is needless to say that it falls 
greatly short of the requirements of modern chartography. There is now 
a prospect that within a reasonable time this extraordinary deficiency will 
be supplied, and that a map worthy of the scientific reputation of the French 
Etat Major will be given to the public. 

Switzerland has long possessed maps which might be called good by com- 



LIST OF ALPINE MAPS. 



xxi 



parison with those of the neighbouring countries, but this year has seen the 
completion of a work which is a just subject of national pride. The Federal 
Map of Switzerland, published under the direction of General Dufour, is a 
work which is almost faultless, both as to accuracy and as to technical execu- 
tion, and, considering the difficulties encountered and overcome, must be 
admitted to be the finest work of the kind ever executed. The entire 
territory of the Confederation is included in 25 sheets, of which the following 
contain portions of the districts included in the Western Alps : — 17, the 
lower Valais — E. end of the Lake of Geneva — 18, the upper Valais with a 
portion of the Monte Rosa district, and the Simplon — 21, the valley of the 
Arve — 22, the 1ST. side of the Pennine Alps from Mont Blanc to the Matter- 
horn — 23, Monte Rosa and a portion of the Saas district, with a portion 
of the Italian valleys. 

Of special maps of particular districts there are not many requiring 
notice. Those of the Chain of Mont Blanc by the French Etat Major, and 
by Mr. Adams Reilly, and the map of the Valpelline, Valtournanche, and 
the Southern valleys of Monte Rosa by the last-named gentleman, are works 
of real excellence. M. Gottlieb Studer's map of the district lying between 
the Val de Bagnes and the Simplon has been superseded by the Federal 
Map. Professor Alphonse Favre, of Geneva, has recently published a geo- 
logical Map of a part of the north of Savoy from the valley of the Iseretothe 
Lake of Geneva, including the range of Mont Blanc. To the geologist this 
is a very valuable work, and it is the best existing map of the district N. of 
Mont Blanc. 

The writer believes that the maps accompanying this volume will be 
found to be superior in many respects to those that have preceded them, and 
in several of the more important districts the smaller maps will, it is hoped, 
supply tolerably well the wants of the pedestrian traveller. 

The following list includes most of the maps of any importance, connected 
with the Western Alps, hitherto published. 

Raymond (J. B. S.) Carte topographique militaire des Alpes, comprenant le 
Piemont, la Savoye, le comte de Nice, le Valais, le duche de Genes et le 

Milanais, et partie des Etats limitrophes, go^oo- Paris, 1820. 
Etat Major piemontais et Etat Major autrichien — Carte chorographique d'une 
partie du Piemont et de la Savoie, comprenant le reseau trigonometrique fait 
pour joindre la grande triangulation de France avec celle de l'ltalie, 20 o OQO 
(attached to the ' Operations pour la Mesure d'un Arc du Parallele moy en '). 
Milan, 1825. 

Etat Major piemontais— Carta degli Stati di Sua Maesta Sard a in Terra ferma 
(6 sheet Sardinian map), g gMoo - Turin, 1841. 

. Do. (91 sheet do. ), soko- Turin. 

Do., 1 g 0 1 o6o (not published. Turin). 

Chorografia delle Alpi dall' Mediterraneo all' Adriatico, go^oo 

(attached to 'Le Alpi che cingono 1' Italia'). Turin, 1845. 
Bourcet — Carte geometrique du HautDauphine etdela Frontiere ulterieure, levee 

par ordre du roi pendant les annees 1749 jusqu'en 1754 (about S5 ] 00 ). Paris. 
Etat Major francais — Carte de France, 80 q 00 , Feuille Grenoble. The other 

sheets of the Drome, Isere, Hautes Alpes, &c, are not yet published. 
Lory (C.) Carte geologique du Dauphine. Merie et Cie., Grenoble, 1858. 



xxii 



INTRODUCTION. 



Delacroix — Carte de la Drome, dressee par M. Morel, et publiee dans la Sta- 
tistique de M. Delacroix. 

Perrin — Atlas de Savoie, 15^0, 7 cartes. Chambery. 

Chaix (Paul) Carte du duche de Savoie et des vallees qui Pavoisinent. Geneve, 
1846. 

Societe geologique de Paris, Carte geologique de la Savoie. Bulletin de la Societe 

geologique de Paris, 1855. 
Etat Major francais— Massif du Mont Blanc. 1865. 
Adams Reilly — Map of the Chain of Mont Blanc. London, 1865. 
Favre (A.) Carte des parties de la Savoie, du Piemont, et de la Suisse voisines du 
Mont Blanc, 75^00- Wurster et Cie., Winterthur, 1861. 

Do., coloured geologically. Do., 1862. 

Derrien — Carte du Mont Cenis. 

Pay en (J. F.) Carte topographique et routiere de la Vallee de Montjoie et des 
Environs des Bains de St.-Gervais. A. Goujon & P. Jannet, Paris, 1857. 

Briquet — Rives du Lac de Geneve, Chamouni, Mont Blanc, et Vallees interme- 
diaires. Briquet et Fils, Geneve, 1860. 

Dufour, General — Topographischer Atlas der Schweiz, 100^00' 2 ^ Blatter. 
Keller (H.) Zweyte Reisekarte der Schweiz. Zurich. 
Leuthold (H. F.) — Reisekarte der Schweiz. Zurich. 

Ziegler — Neue Zieglersche Karte der Schweiz. Wurster & Cie., Winterthur, 1857. 
Studer (B.) u. Escher von der Linth — Carte geologique de la Suisse. Wurster & 

Cie., Winterthur, 1853. 
Weiss (J. H.) Atlas Suisse, etc., 115 1 200 , 16 Blatter. Aarau, 1786-1802. 
Dufour — Carte topographique du Canton de Geneve, 25 q 0 q , 4 Bl. Geneve, 

1 837-38. 

Studer (Gottlieb) Karte der siidlichen Wallisthaler, 100 1 Qgo . 

Schlagintweit (A. H.) Karte der Monte Rosa und seinen Umgebungen im Jahre 

1851 entworfen. Weigel, Leipzig, 1854. 
Reilly (A. Adams) The Valpelline, the Valtournanche, and the Southern Valleys 

of the Chain of Monte Rosa. From an actual survey made in 1865-6. 



INTRODUCTION 



TO THE 

ALPINE GUIDE. 



Information respecting any portion of the region described in the 
Alpine Guide, with a view to the correction of errors or omissions, will 
be thankfully received by the Editor. It is requested that notes may 
be authenticated by the name and address of the writer, and directed to 
the care of Messrs. Longmans & Co. o9 Paternoster Row, London, E.C. 



LONDON : PRINTED BY 
6POTT1SW0ODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE 
AND PARLIAMENT STREET 



INTRODUCTION 

TO 

'THE ALPINE GUIDE.' 



BY 

JOHN BALL, F.E.S., M.E.I. A., F.L.S., &c. 



LATE PRESIDENT OP THE ALPINE CU>B. 



NEW EDITION. 



LONDON: 

LONGMANS, GllEEN, AND CO. 
1875. 

m 



BALL'S ALPINE GUIDES, 

LATEST EDITIONS. 



Tile Alpine Guide. By John Ball, M.R.I.A. late Presi- 
dent of the Alpine Club. Post 8vo. with Maps and other 
Illustrations, in Three Volumes, as follows : — 

The Guide to the Eastern Alps, price ids. 6d. 

The Guide to the Western Alps, including Mont Blanc, 

Monte Rosa, Zermatt, &e. price 65. 6d. 

Guide to the Central Alps, including all the Oberland 

District, price 7s. 6d. 

Introduction on Alpine Travelling in general, and on the 
Geology of the Alps, price Is. Either of the Three Volumes 
or Parts of the Alpine Guide may be had with this Intbo- 
duction prefixed, price Is. extra. 



To be had also, for the convenience of Travellers visiting particular Districts, in Ten 
Sections as follows, each complete in itself, with General and Special Maps: — 

THE BERNESE OBERLAND, price 2s. 6d. 
MONT BLANC and MONTE ROSA, price 2s. 6d. 

DAUPHINE and PIEDMONT, from Nice to the Little St. 

Bernard, price 2s. 6d. 

NORTH SWITZERLAND, including the Eighi, Zurich, and 
Lucerne, price 2s. 6d. 

The ST. GOTHARD PASS and the ITALIAN LAKES, 

price 2s. 6d. 

EAST SWITZERLAND, including the Engadine and the 
Lombard Valleys, price 2s. 6d. 

NORTH TYROL, the Bavarian and Salzburg Alps, price 2s. 6d. 

CENTRAL TYROL, including the Gross Glockner, price 2s. 6a 7 . 

SOUTH TYROL and VENETIAN or DOLOMITE ALPS, 

price 2s. 6d. 

The STYRIAN, CARNIC, and JULIAN ALPS, price 2s. 6a 7 . 



London, LONGMANS and CO. 



PEEF ACE. 



A just distinction has been drawn between travellers who 
visit foreign countries with the object of gaining and com- 
municating knowledge, and tourists who go from place to 
place seeking amusement and change of scene, but without 
any more definite scope than to gratify a superficial cu- 
riosity. The line of distinction between these two classes, 
which was easily drawn twenty or thirty years ago, is nowa- 
days less definitely marked. The all but universal taste for 
travelling has spread at a time when increased knowledge and 
a more lively interest in physical science have become diffused 
throughout the educated classes in our own and other countries. 
Most men of cultivated minds occasionally seek relaxation in 
travelling, and a large proportion of tourists have sufficient 
knowledge to take an intelligent interest in some, or it may 
be in several, departments of science or art naturally con- 
nected with the country through which they pass. 

These remarks especially apply to travellers in the Alps. 
The day is past when it could be thought necessary to apo- 
logise for or explain the prevalence of a love for mountain 
travelling. It is a simple fact that, especially in our own 
country, thousands of persons have learned to regard this as 
a sovereign medicine for mind and body, and to feel that the 
weeks or months devoted to it are the periods of life most 
full of true enjoyment, and those that leave the most abiding 
impressions. The fact that the scenery of the Alps is unsur- 
passed elsewhere in the world for the union of grandeur, 
beauty, and variety, and that it is accessible with a trilling 
expenditure of time and money, naturally accounts for the 
constantly increasing influx of strangers. 

As high mountain countries, and the Alps in particular, 
abound with phenomena new and striking to the intel- 



vi 



PREFACE. 



ligent observer, there is a constant increase in the number 
of those who, without undertaking systematic research, are 
led to desire further information respecting the structure of 
the earth's surface, and the causes that have uplifted the 
mountain ranges, or the laws that regulate the circulation of 
heat and moisture, which maintain what may be called the 
inanimate life of our planet, or the animal and vegetable forms 
that exhibit in apparently inhospitable regions so rich a 
variety. 

In addition to these objects of interest, there is a simpler 
branch of enquiry which especially recommends itself to many 
of our active and energetic countrymen. Many parts of the 
Alps are very difficult of access, and but a few years ago there 
were many considerable districts whose highest peaks had 
never been attained, which were not known to be traversed 
by practicable passes, and of which none but slight and im- 
perfect information was anywhere accessible. To explore 
these little-known districts, to scale the higher summits, and 
to discover passes that should connect valleys that are sepa- 
rated by lofty ranges, have been the pursuits of the members 
of the Alpine Club. 

Without exaggerating the importance of the work achieved, 
it is impossible to deny that a remarkable degree of enterprise 
and energy has been exhibited by many of the members of 
that association in accomplishing work which, if not actually 
scientific, is certainly conducive to the progress of science. 
They cannot indeed rival the men who, following the illus- 
trious example of Saussure, have explored the Alps with the 
definite object of enlarging the bounds of science ; but, in 
achieving the preparatory task of opening the way through 
many of the least accessible parts of the Alpine chain, they 
have undoubtedly surpassed the performances of all their pre- 
decessors. Their example has not been without influence in 
other countries, and the formation of kindred associations in 
Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and France has given additional 
impulse to the spirit of Alpine exploration and enquiry. 

It has for some time been felt that the time had come for 
attempting to supply to Alpine travellers a guide-book dif- 
fering in many respects from those hitherto in use, and the 



PREFACE. 



Vll 



writer has been urged, by some of those most capable of con- 
tributing to such a work, to undertake the task. He has no 
claim to a brilliant share in the adventurous performances of 
his friends and fellow-members of the Alpine Club ; his qua- 
lifications, such as they are, arise rather from a somewhat pro- 
longed and extensive acquaintance with the greater portion 
of the Alps, in the course of which he has crossed the main 
chain more than sixty times by forty different passes, besides 
traversing more than one hundred and seventy of the lateral 
passes. 

This work differs from most, if not all, of its predecessors 
in its plan, which is designed to include the entire re- 
gion of the Alps. In regard to certain districts the avail- 
able information is incomplete, but the arrangement is such, 
that the omissions may be easily supplied hereafter. Besides 
the preliminary matter contained in the Introduction, a variety 
of notes and indications connected with geology and botany 
are scattered through the body of the work, with a view to 
direct and guide those who feel an interest in those subjects. 
Detailed notices of the vegetation would occupy too much 
space, and the botanical indications have for the most part 
been confined to pointing out localities for the rarest species, 
chiefly from the writer's personal observation. The article 
in the Introduction on the Geology of the Alps, which, it is 
believed, will interest a numerous class of readers, is from the 
pen of M. Desor, the distinguished Swiss geologist. In trans- 
lating this essay, the writer has sought to render faithfully the 
views of M. Desor, which in the main coincide with those of 
M. Studer and other leading Swiss geologists ; but he may 
be permitted here to say, that on some points of theory his 
own opinions are not in accordance with those of the author. 
What is certain is, that an extensive field for investigation still 
remains for future enquiry, and it may be hoped that an essay 
whicli for the first time brings together in a connected way 
the results of past work, will tend to progress, by directing: 
attention to the points still requiring examination. 

In the arrangement of this work it soon became clear that 
it would not conduce to the convenience of travellers, nor to a 
clear understanding of the topography of the Alpine chain, 



viii 



PREFACE. 



that the writer should be guided by political boundaries. 
These, as very recent experience has shown, are subject to 
change, and they rarely follow the natural divisions suggested 
by the physical features of the country. Of the three main 
divisions of the work, that which appears under the title 
* Western Alps ' includes the entire range that encircles the 
plain of Piedmont, from the Maritime Alps north of Nice 
to the Pass of the Simplon, along with the Dauphine and 
Savoy Alps, and the portions of Switzerland connected with 
the Pennine range. This is the portion of the Alps in which 
the amount of new matter available through the activity of 
the members of the Alpine Club is most considerable, mainly 
because it includes the portions most difficult of access, and 
where, owing to the comparative neglect of their predecessors, 
most remained to be done. The volume devoted to the Cen- 
tral Alps comprehends the greater part of Switzerland, with 
the portions of the Tyrol lying west of the Adige, along with 
the Lombard valleys to their natural boundary — the Lake of 
Garda. The third volume is devoted to the Eastern Alps, 
extending from the Adige nearly to Vienna, and from the 
plains of Venetia to the neighbourhood of Munich. 

Although the activity of Swiss and German naturalists and 
mountaineers has left less scope for new explorations in the 
two latter volumes, the writer trusts that they will be found 
to contain a large amount of information, either new, or not 
easily accessible, derived from his own observations or those of 
his correspondents. 

It may be a satisfaction to future travellers if the writer 
here expresses his conviction that, in spite of all that has yet 
been done, no portion of the Alps can, in a topographical, and 
still less in a scientific sense, be said to be thoroughly explored. 
In districts supposed to be well known, an active mountaineer 
will constantly find scope for new expeditions; and if he has 
cultivated the habit of observation, he may, at the same time, 
make these subservient to the increase of knowledge. 

It has been a matter of great difficulty to reconcile the 
necessity for compression with the abundance of materials at 
hand, and the writer cannot expect to escape criticism from 
readers who may find one or other subject imperfectly treated 



PREFACE. 



ix 



Though it is hoped that the work will be found useful for 
reference, as containing a large body of topographical and 
other information, it is primarily intended for Alpine travellers, 
and the object kept in view has been to select the matter most 
likely to be of use and interest to that class. Had it been 
designed as a history of Alpine adventure, it would be open to 
the reproach that it does not adequately notice the labours of 
earlier explorers, such as Saussure, Hiigi, Zumstein, and many 
other surviving travellers, nor often refer to the earlier autho- 
rities. The writer has perhaps more reason to fear that tra- 
vellers may reproach him for having admitted too much matter, 
than for undue brevity. 

In respect to expeditions which have been made but once, 
or very rarely, the writer has usually given the account in an 
abridged form, but in the actual words of the traveller whose 
initials are subscribed, and whose name is given in full in the 
annexed list. 

To the authors of these and numerous other useful notes 
which have been communicated in MSS. to the writer, he begs 
hereby to express his cordial acknowledgments, and his hope 
that they will continue to furnish further information towards 
future editions of the work. At the risk of appearing to fail in 
more special acknowledgment to others who have contributed 
valuable matter, he feels bound to offer his especial thanks to 
Messrs. W. Mathews, jun., and F. F. Tuckett, and to Colonel 
Karl v. Sonklar, of Innsbruck. The two former gentlemen, in 
particular, have afforded invaluable assistance by the corrections 
and hints which they are each so well able to afford, and which 
were the more necessary as the work has been for the most 
part executed at a distance from England, and with but 
limited opportunities for consulting works of reference. 

Several words, not generally admitted in the sense here 
intended have been employed, along with foreign words 
having no exact English equivalents. Thus : ' pedestrian,' 
' mountaineering,' ( glissade,' 'bergfall,' and several others have 
no other excuse than convenience to justify their introduction. 



J. Ball. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Preface . . . . v 

INTRODUCTION. 

Art. I. Preliminary Information : Passports — Money— Custom-House 

Regulations — Measures — Electric Telegraph — Post-Offices . xiii 

„ II. Routes for approaching the Alps .... . . xvii 

„ III. Plan of a Tour xxi 

„ IV. Modes of Travelling in the Alps ...... xxii 

„ V Guides and Porters xxvi 

„ VI. Inns xxxi 

„ VII. General Advice to Travellers in the Alps xxxiv 

„ VIII. Advice to Pedestrians xxxviii 

„ IX. On Mountaineering . xliii 

„ X. Climate and Vegetation of the Alps : Chalet Life in the Alps . 1 

„ XL Alpine Zoology lvi 

„ XII. Meteorology and Hypsometry of the Alps: Instruments used 

by Travellers lix 

„ XIII. The Snow Region of the Alps : Glaciers— Avalanches . . 3xi 

„ XIV. Geology of the Alps Ixix 

„ XV. Books connected with the Alps: Alpine Maps . . . cxix 



INTBODUCTION. 



Art. X. — Preliminary Information. 

Passports. — Money. — Custom-House Regulations. — Measures. — 
Electric Telegraph. — Post-Offices. 

Passports. — English travellers are riot now required to produce passports 
in Germany, Italy, or Switzerland, and in the Austrian States they are rarely 
called for, except on passing the frontier. Notwithstanding these changes, 
it is very unwise to travel without a document which, throughout the Conti- 
nent, is the legal mode of establishing the identity of the bearer. At Post- 
offices and other public establishments it is convenient, if not indispensable ; 
and at a time when political refugees, and persons charged with graver 
offences, are objects of suspicion, or it may be of arrest, those who may 
suffer by mistakes as to identity have no reason to complain if they neglect 
the best means for securing themselves against such accidents. 

Passports are procured at the Foreign Office, Downing Street, by leaving 
or sending a recommendation from a member of Parliament, or banker, or a 
certificate of identity signed and sealed by a magistrate, clergyman, solicitor, 
or surgeon. The passport is delivered on the following day upon applica- 
tion, either personally or by message, and the payment of a fee of 2s. The 
application must state the name in full of each male member of the family, 
and that of each man-servant ; but where there is any probability of mem- 
bers of the same party separating, it is better that they should be provided 
with separate passports. The passport should always be carried on the 
person, as the few occasions when it may be required can rarely be foreseen. 
The visa of a minister of each foreign State in which the bearer intended to 
travel was formerly indispensable, but this is no longer required, even in 
the Austrian dominions. There are several Passport Agency Offices in 
London where the whole business of obtaining the passport, and any need- 
ful visas, is transacted for a small fee. This is especially convenient for 
persons residing in the country. 

Money. — The coinage of Switzerland and Italy has now been assimilated 
to that of France, and accounts are kept in francs and centimes. The 
consequence is, that the best coin for travellers to carry in those countries is 
the French gold Napoleon of 20 francs. It is often convenient to procure 



xiv 



INTRODUCTION. 



Napoleons in London before starting for a journey, and the exchange is 
usually rather more favourable than on the Continent, varying from 25 fr. 
10 c. to 25 fr. 25 c. for the pound sterling. Exchange offices, at which the 
fair rate of Exchange is given, are — for the west end of London, Messrs. 
Smart, 61 Princes Street, Coventry Street; for the east end, Messrs. Spiel- 
mann & Co., 79 Lombard Street. 

English sovereigns and Bank of England notes can be exchanged in most 
towns on the Continent, and are generally taken by the principal hotel- 
keepers, but in many parts of Italy and Germany they are little known, and 
are not readily taken at their true value. 

In Italy inconvertible bank notes have taken the place of the gold and 
silver coinage since 1866. For the last four years the depreciation has rarely 
exceeded 5 per cent. ; but the prudent traveller will take the first opportunity 
to exchange gold for paper. 

In the Austrian States the coinage has undergone many changes during 
the last 20 years. The present coinage consists of silver florins, closely 
agreeing in value and appearance with the English two-shilling piece, and 
of quarter florins, corresponding in value to the English sixpence, but of 
larger size. The florin is divided into 100 Kreutzers, and pieces in alloyed 
metal of 10 and 5 Kreutzers supply the intermediate steps between the 
Kreutzer and the quarter florin. It mny be remarked that the Kreutzer 
and ]0 Kreutzer pieces correspond exactly with the mill and cent of the 
proposed decimal division of the pound sterling. 

Austrian silver money circulates throughout Germany at the rate of 
3 florins to 2 thalers, and is also current in the Venetian provinces of Italy, 
at the rate of 1 florin to 2|- francs. Throughout the Austrian empire the place 
of the silver florin is taken by paper money, The Government notes which 
usually represent the value of 1 florin, 5 florins, or 10 florins, being incon- 
vertible, are depreciated to an extent that has varied of late years from 10 to 
14 per cent. Strangers, arriving with a supply of silver money, are liable to 
lose the advantage of the difference of value between this and paper money 
if they omit to exchange their silver for whatever amount of bank notes they 
are likely to require. 

Accounts in the Tyrol are still sometimes kept in gulden schein, a 
description of depreciated money which has long ceased to have legal exist- 
ence, but which survives in the reckoning of the country people. In this 
system the florin was gradually reduced in value till worth about 10c?. 
English, and the Kreutzer the 6th part of a penny. When a demand is 
made that seems unreasonable, the best plan is to assume that it is made in 
schein, and to enquire how much the sum named will make in bank notes. 

A little experience teaches travellers the importance of being always pro- 
vided with small coins of the country, and when it is possible to procure a 
supply before arriving at the frontier, it is generally both convenient and 
economical to do so. 

It is remarkable that in Switzerland, in Austria, and in most parts of 
Italy, the coinage has been changed within the last few years without any 
appearance of the inconvenience and dissatisfaction that have been appre- 
hended in this country by the opponents of change. 

Circular Notes for sums of £10 and upwards are issued by many of the 
London Joint Stock and Private Banks, and may be cashed in most of the 



PRELIMINARY INFORMATION. 



XV 



chief towns on the Continent. By taking the precaution of keeping the 
notes separate from the letter which accompanies them, the holder is secure' 
from ultimate loss, though not from inconvenience in the event of losing the 
one or the other. The correspondents of the English bankers to whom 
these letters are addressed in France, Italy, or Switzerland, usually give 
pretty nearly the current rate of exchange, clear of any charge for com- 
mission. According to the writer's experience, the same cannot be said in 
South Germany, and he has found it a far more economical plan to travel in v' 
that country with French gold, which can be changed in every town at the 
current rate of exchange, and to avoid dealings with bankers, 

Custom-House Regulations. — The regulations affecting travellers are not 
usually very strict; the examination of luggage at most foreign Custom- 
houses is now little more than a formality, and is often confined to one or 
two out of a large number of packages. Of the articles generally carried by 
travellers, cigars and dresses of cotton or woollen material, not made up, are 
those usually liable to duty. As a general rule, it is much better to declare 
such articles. A small number of cigars may usually be taken free. In 
sending heavy luggage from one place to another, it should not be forgotten 
that whenever it passes from one State to another it is liable to examination 
at the frontier. The keys should be attached in such a way as to be acces- 
sible to the Custom-house officers. 

As a general rule, official persons on the Continent are civil and obliging 
when treated with the courtesy to which they are accustomed. Both in 
Italy and Austria this holds almost universally. In Prussia, and at times in 
France, the case is otherwise ; and the temper of the traveller is tried by the 
rudeness of underlings. But unless the case be serious enough, and the 
facts sufficiently plain, to call for a complaint to the official superior, a wise 
traveller will disregard misconduct which he cannot resent effectually, and 
which it is undignified to-meet by an unavailing show of anger. These sub- 
ordinate officials often have it in their power to cause great annoyance to a 
stranger, while he is powerless as regards them, and he will do best to avoid 
an unequal encounter. 

Measures. — To the traveller, and even to the readers of books of travel or 
scientific works, the want of an uniform system of measures among civilised 
nations is a constant source of inconvenience. The gradual extensTon on the 
Continent of the French metrical system, which, though not free from defects, 
is the best yet adopted by any government, has mitigated without removing 
this source of annoyance. In the territory included in this work several 
systems are adopted by government authority, and several old measures are 
in use among the country people, 

The measures most needed by a traveller are here given with their equi- 
valents in English standard measure : a complete list would be beyond the 
scope of the present work. 



Xvi INTRODUCTION. 

French Measures. 

1 Metre = 3-2809 Eng. feet = 3 ft. 3| in. very nearly. 

1 Decimetre ... = 3937 Eng. in. = 3 in. 1 1 lines nearly. 

1 Millimetre ... = "03937 Eng. in. = ^ line nearly. 

1 Kilometre ... = 3280-9 Eng. feet = 5 furlongs, less by 6^- yards. 

1 Myriametre ... = lOkilometres ... = 6 miles 1 furlong 156 "yards. 

1 Hectare = 10,000 sq.metres = 2 acres 1 rood 35 perches very nearly. 

1 Old Paris Foot = 1*066 Eng. foot = 1 ft. 9| lines, or li ft. nea rly. 

1 Lieue de Poste = 4 kilometres ... = 2^ miles, less by 25 yards. 

1 Kilogramme... = 2-204 lbs. avdps. = 2 lbs. 3|- ozs. nearly. 



The Paris foot, though it has long ceased to have legal currency in France, 
is still used in works printed elsewhere, and the heights of mountains, &c. 
on the older maps of Switzerland are given in this measure. 

Swiss Measures. 

1 Swiss foot = 3 decimetres ... = 11 inches 10 lines nearly. 

1 New Swiss Stunde = 16.001) Swiss feet = 3 miles, less by 92 feet. 

1 Swiss Post = 3 Stunden = 9 miles, less by 92 yards. 

1 Old Swiss Stunde = 5375'5 metres ... = 3 miles 2 furlongs 153 yards. 
1 Swiss pound = ^ kilogramme ... = 1 lb. l£ oz. nearly. 

The old Swiss Stunde, still used by the country people in many parts of 
the country, represents more nearly than the new measure the average dis- 
tance travelled in an hour by a man on foot over an ordinary country road. 



Italian Measures. 
1 Piedmontese mile = 2466-08 metres ... = 1 J miles 57 yards. 

1 Italian mile = 1851*85 metres ... = 1 mile 1 furlong 45 yards. 

1 Italian post = 8 Italian miles ... =9 miles 1 furlong 142 yards. 



The metrical system has been introduced within the hist few years, but a 
variety of local measures are still used. The Piedmontese mile is confined 
to the west and north of Piedmont ; throughout the rest of the north of 
Italy the Italian or geographical mile is in general use. 



Austrian Measures. 
1 Vienna foot ... = '3161 metre ... = 1 foot 5| lines or 1^ feet nearly. 

1 Klafter = 1-8966 metre ... = 6 feet 2 'inches 8 lines. 

1 Austrian mile = 4,000 Klafter ... = 4 miles 5 furlongs 157 yards. 
1 Austrian post = 2 Austrian miles = 9 miles 3 furlongs 93 yards. 
1 Vienna pound = '56 kilogramme = 1 lb. 3j oz. nearly. 



Electric Telegraph. — Travellers are not so fully aware of the convenience 
afforded by the electric telegraph as they probably will be hereafter. In no 
country is the telegraph so extensively in use as in Switzerland. All the 
towns, and many smaller places, are now connected together, and for one 
franc a short message may be sent by which rooms are secured, or any other 
requisite provision made in anticipation of the traveller's arrival. During 
the crowded season, when ladies aie of the party, it is always expedient to 
write or telegraph for rooms. 

The telegraph is also available in many parts of the N. of Italy, along the 
main roads in Austria, and in the French Alps. 



ROUTES FOR APPROACHING THE ALPS.. 



xvii 



Post Offices. — Serious inconvenience and anxiety is sometimes caused by 
the non-receipt of letters addressed to travellers on the Continent. The 
cases of failure of letters sent from the Continent to England are much less 
common, and rarely happen to persons who take the trouble of carrying their 
own letters to the post-office, and not trusting them to waiters and messen- 
gers. The French post-office rules are needlessly strict, and the clerks often 
disobliging and rude, after the fashion of French officials ; but letters very 
rarely go astray. The Italian practice is, on the contrary, too lax. Letters 
are often given to any stranger who chooses to apply, without a passport or 
other evidence of identity ; and, in the case of foreigners, a parcel of letters 
is sometimes handed to the applicant, who may take from it such as he thinks 
proper to claim. The German post-offices do not often give cause for com- 
plaint when letters are very clearly addressed, except that delay sometimes 
occurs which is attributed to the curiosity of the police. The worst 
managed post-offices in Europe, unless a great reform has been very recently 
effected, are those of Switzerland. Instances of scandalous carelessness and 
neglect have been so common as to be a serious drawback on the pleasure of 
travelling in that country. 

As a general rule, the safest plan is to have letters addressed to the care 
of a banker in any city where the traveller intends to receive money ; or else 
to some well-known hotel, where the traveller is already known, or to which 
he writes, announcing his arrival, and requesting that his letters may be 
taken in and kept until he shall claim them. Unless this precaution be taken, 
it is better to have letters addressed Poste Restante. In remote places in the 
Alps it sometimes happens that the village where the traveller puts up is a 
dependency of some more important place in the same valley, and that letters 
addressed Paste Restante are retained at the chief office. 

The facility for forwarding luggage safely from one place to another, 
addressed to the Poste Restante, is of great convenience to Alpine travellers. 
The charge is generally very moderate ; but not so in Switzerland, where 30 
or 40 francs are sometimes payable for a. single portmanteau sent from one 
town to another. 

It is now generally known that it is better to avoid the addition ' Esquire,' 
in addressing persons on the Continent, and that to avoid confusion it is 
advisable always to add the Christian name, with the French prefix 'Monsieur' 
or 4 Madame: ' e.g., ' Monsieur Robert Smith' — ' Madame Sarah Brown.' 



Art. II. — Soutes for approaching the Alps. 

It is true that a person travelling by railway sees less of the country 
through which he goes than those who travel with post horses along a road, 
yet it may be safely asserted that no class has profited more by the extension 
of railways than tourists in the Alps. To that large majority who are limited 
either as to time or money, the means of crossing half Europe with an out- 
lay of but 24 hours in time, and a trifling expenditure of money, very often 
makes a tour possible which otherwise would never have been undertaken. 
The extension of railways on both sides of the Alps has not merely enabled 
strangers to approach the Alps with little loss of time, but has greatly increased 
the facilities for passing from one part of the chain to another; so that a 



xviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



traveller may now combine in a single tour visits to several different and 
distant districts, allotting to each of them a fair share of time, and expending 
but very little upon the intermediate space. Attention is here directed to 
the chief lines of railway by which various parts of the chain of the Alps 
may conveniently be approached, but every traveller should obtain the latest 
and most reliable information. Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, 
once very defective, has been much improved. On the Continent Chaix's 
' Guide du Voyageur ' is the best, but it is safer to get the local railway 
guide for each country. 

The most direct route from London to most parts of the Alps is by Paris. 
To reach Savoy or the south of Switzerland the shortest way from Paris is 
by the Lyons railway as far as Macon, and thence by Amberieu to the Culoz 
Junction station. Here the original line is carried on to Geneva, while the 
main line leading to Italy passes southward to Chambery, and thence to 
Turin, traversing the great tunnel through the Alps, near Modane, where 
travellers change carriages. There is but one fast train daily from Paris for 
Geneva or Chambery. This is the night express, starting at 8.40 p.m., and 
carrying none but first-class passengers. Geneva is reached in 14 hrs., 
Chambery in 13f hrs,, and Turin in 2l£ hrs. Those who dislike night 
travelling may leave Paris at 1 1 a.m. on the preceding day, sleep at Macon, 
and take the train there at 6 a.m. next morning. A slow train, carrying 
second and third-class passengers, leaves Paris at 3.5 p.m., and takes nearly 
21 hrs. to reach Geneva and about 30 hrs. to reach Turin. 

By one or other of the two lines here mentioned the traveller may within 
24 hrs. from Paris reach almost any point in the main valleys of the Alps of 
Savoy or South Switzerland. From St. Michel or Modane any place in the 
valley of the Arc mny be reached on the same day (see § 7). The junction 
of the valley of the Arc with that of the Isere is close to the Chamousset 
station, and the traveller finds there a diligence or omnibus by which he may 
at once proceed to Albertville, Moutiers, or Bourg St. Maurice (§ 11). 

Arriving at Geneva at 10.35 a.m., the traveller anxious to proceed at 
once on his way, may easily reach Sallenches, St. Gervais, or Samoens, on 
the same evening, and, if in hot haste, may even arrive at Chamouni before 
the night is far advanced. Taking the train by the Ouest Suisse railway, 
he may not only establish himself in some of the tempting spots to be found 
on the Lake of Geneva, but may reach before night many of the chief 
places in the valley of the Phone and its lateral valleys. Thus Champery 
is accessible from Bex (§17), and Orsieres from Martigny (§18), or by 
sleeping at Sion, or at Sierre, the present terminus of the railway, or 
Turtman, which may be reached by road, the traveller may, on the following- 
day, find himself in the very heart of the Pennine chain at Evolena, Zinal, 
or Zermatt, unless his aim be the range of the Bernese Alps, in which case 
he will, with equal ease, reach Kandersteg or An der Lenk. 

If the Dauphine Alps be the first object of the tour, the most direct 
course will be from Paris to Lyons, and thence to Grenoble, in 15| hrs. from 
Paris by the 8 p.m. night express. There is no difficulty in at once 
continuing the journey to Bourg d'Oisans (§ 8), or La Mure (§ 9). Uriage 
is also most easily reached from Grenoble ; but Allevard (§ 10) is more con- 
veniently accessible from the Francin station on the railway connecting 
Grenoble with Chambery. 



ROUTES FOR APPROACHING THE ALPS. 



xix. 



A line of railway which should be more useful than it is to Alpine 
travellers is that which connects Paris with Neuchatel by Dijon, Dole, and 
Pontarlier. The night express leaving Paris at 8 p.m. takes nearly 15 hrs. 
This is the most direct route for English travellers bound for the Bernese 
Alps or most parts of Western Switzerland. 

At present the shortest route from Paris to most parts of Switzerland is 
by Basle. Formerly it was necessary to make a long detour by Strasburg, 
but a more direct line by Troyes, Langres, and Mulhouse has been open for 
the last few years. There are two express trains, one leaving Paris in the 
morning, the other at night, by which Basle is reached in about 13^ hrs., 
and there is time to reach almost all the easily accessible points in the Alps 
of central and northern Switzerland in the course of the following day, 
by the branches of the Central Swiss railway diverging from Olten and 
leading to Thun, Lucerne, or Zurich. 

Although the shortest way from London is by Paris, since Basle is reached 
in 25 hrs., a majority of travellers prefer the far more interesting route by 
Belgium and the Rhine. Those who are not much pressed for time allow at 
least three days between London and Switzerland. Leaving London at 
8.30 p.m., and taking the steamer from Dover to Ostend, they reach Cologne 
at 4 p.m., and can spend the evening there, visiting the cathedral, or go on 
to Bonn. The next day is spent in the Rhine steamer, sleeping at Mayence, 
Frankfort, or Heidelberg. After a morning given to the Castle of Heidel- 
berg, Basle may be reached at 7 p.m., or by taking the early train the tra- 
veller may get on to Berne, Thun, Lucerne or Zurich. The hurried 
traveller can make the journey much more expeditiously. Starting from 
London at 7.40 a.m., and taking the Ostend steamer, he may reach Cologne 
at 11.25 p.m., and continuing the journey by Mayence and Darmstadt arrives 
at Heidelberg at 8.40 a.m. After a delay of 25 min. he may go on to Basle, 
reaching that place at 5.10 p.m., in good time for the evening trains to Bern, 
&c. An alternative way is to leave London at 8.35 p.m., reaching Cologne 
at 4 p.m.; going on by the Mayence train at 5 p.m., Heidelberg is reached, 
via Darmstadt, at 11.20 p.m., and Basle at 6 next morning, in 33^ hrs. 
trom London. 

Eastward of Basle the next main line of approach to the Alps is by the 
Lake of Constance. Two lines of railway reach the shore of the lake. The 
Wurtemberg railway, whose terminus is at Friedrichshafen, carries passengers 
from the north and north-west ; the Bavarian Railway, ending at Lindau, 
is the route for those coming from the centre and east of Germany. For 
travellers from England the route through Paris has no advantage in point of 
time ; the difference, indeed, is trifling, but the expense is greater. Leaving 
Paris by the night express, travellers reach the Carlsruhe station at 1.10 
p.m., German time. The so-called express train (very slow) from Carlsruhe, 
by Miihlacker, to Stuttgart, reaches that city at 3.48 p.m., and gets to 
Friedrichshafen at 10.25 p.m., in about 39 hrs. from London. 

By the Cologne route a traveller who has left London at 8.45 p.m., may 
reach Mayence at 8.56 p.m. the next night; and if he go on to Bruchsai, and 
there take the night train to Friedrichshafen, he will arrive at 8.35 a.m. in 
36 hrs. from London. Stopping to sleep at Mayence or Heidelberg, he 
reaches Friedrichshafen next day by the evening train at 10.25 p.m7; at 



XX 



INTRODUCTION. 



the same time as if he had started from London 11 hrs. later and had tra- 
velled without stopping by Paris and Strasburg. 

Passengers from the north or east of Germany, taking the early express 
train from Augsburg, reach Lindau in 5 hrs., and proceeding by steamer to 
Rorschach, may arrive at Coire at 7 p.m. 

The steamers on the Lake of Constance, plying four or five times a day 
between the towns on its banks, and connected with the German and Swiss 
railways, offer great facilities for travellers bound for any part of the Alp3. 
Besides the direct line to Coire, there is easy communication with Zurich 
and the west of Switzerland, while by landing at the Austrian port of Bregenz 
they may enter the Tyrol by the road of the Voralberg. 

The most direct route to the Tyrol or Venetian Alps, is, however, by 
Munich and the railway over the Brenner. The way is the same as that 
just mentioned to Friedrichshafen as far as Ulm, and the time taken by the 
night and day direct trains is about the same. Corresponding with these 
are trains for Innsbruck and the Brenner. That starting at 11.10 p.m. is 
the more expeditious. It reaches Innsbruck at 3.32 a.m., Botzen at 9 a.m., 
Trent at 10.29 a.m., and Verona at 1 20 p.m. on the following day. The 
train which leaves Munich at 10 45 a.m. consumes 19 hrs. on the way to 
Verona. It is characteristic of the tardigrade German mind that whereas, 
even at the present rate of travelling, a traveller might easily be conveyed 
from London to Verona in 48 hrs., he cannot perform the journey in less 
than 57 hrs., and the Mont Cenis line (by Paris and Turin) is able to 
compete with that of the Brenner for the traffic to Verona and Venice. 

The so-called Rudolphsbahn railway, connecting Styria with Carinthia, 
has been opened as far as Villach. It will facilitate the progress of tourists 
in Styria, but is not likely to be one of the main lines of communication 
from England. 

The railway from Vienna to Trieste may be said throughout the greater 
part of its course to skirt the eastern extremity of the chain of the Alps, and 
therefore serves as the most convenient route for travellers proceeding 
to the Styrian or Carinthian Alps. For some reason not intelligible to ordi- 
nary understandings, the management of railways being nowhere regulated 
by simple motives of public convenience, the direct line from England and 
iSTW. Germany to Vienna, by Nuremburg. Ratisbon, and Passau, has but 
very lately been made available for travellers. Passengers from England, 
via Cologne, now find one slow but direct train corresponding to that 
which leaves Cologne at 5 p.m. by which Vienna is reached in 28f hrs. from 
that city. Gratz is reached in 6 hrs. from Vienna by express train, and 
Marburg on the Drave in U hr. more. 

The same line of railway from Vienna to Trieste, with the branch con- 
necting it with Venice, Milan, and Turin, by Goritz, Udine, and Treviso, 
offers a convenient means for connecting a tour in the Eastern Alps with a 
visit to the lakes and valleys of Lombardy and Piedmont- 
It is on the southern side of the main chain of the Alps that the mountain 
traveller derives "the greatest advantage from railway communication. All 
the principal valleys open into the main valley of the Po. For the western 
half of the chain Turin forms a natural centre of communication, which is 
now connected with seven towns at the opening of as many different valleys, 
namely, Cuneo, Saluzzo, Pinerolo, Susa, Ivrea, Bieila, and Arona. It is 



PLAN OF A TOUR. 



xxi 



thus easy to pass in a few hours from any one of these places to the other, 
thus avoiding the delay and inconvenience of a hot journey by road across 
the plain. Other lines, connecting the plains with the southern valleys of 
the Alps, are in progress. At present there are opened the lines from 
Milan to Como by Monza, and to Lecco, by Bergamo, and the important 
line from Verona to Innsbruck, by which the traveller, starting in the morn- 
ing from the plain of Italy, may reach before night the heart of the Tyrol 
Alps. 

Railways on the Continent differ much in respect to the relative comfort, 
or discomfort, of the second-class carriages. In Italy and Germany they 
are usually well fitted up, and are often used by travellers of the higher 
class, and sometimes, though less commonly, by ladies. In Belgium they 
are less comfortable, and the same is true in France, where, as a general 
rule, express trains take first-class passengers only. On a long journey it 
is always best to travel in first-class carriages. 



Art. III.— Plan of a Tour. 

The tastes of travellers in the Alps are too different, and the objects which 
they propose to themselves too various, to make it easy to offer useful advice 
respecting the plan of a tour. The desire to see as many remarkable places 
as possible within a given time is so natural in beginners, that it is useless 
to contend against it. Nothing but experience suffices to prove that to 
derive the fullest and most permanent satisfaction from natural scenery, even 
more than from other sources of aesthetic enjoyment, time is an essential 
element. When the impressions retained after a visit to some chosen district — 
where the same grand objects have been viewed repeatedly and in varied 
combination, under those changeful conditions of sky and colouring that 
constantly succeed each other in mountain countries — are compared with the 
imperfect recollections that remain after a hurried tour, most persons 
discover that they do not in truth make the most of their time when they 
arrange an expedition to the Alps, with a view to do as much as possible 
within a given number of days and weeks. It is gradually ascertained that 
the true plan of a tour in the Alps is to select a succession of places com- 
bining the requisite attractions as head-quarters, and to arrange the journey 
so that as much time as possible shall be devoted to these, while as little as 
possible shall be given to travelling from one to the other. It is true that 
the advantages of such a plan are far more evident to those who are 
fortunate enough to have some pursuit, scientific or artistic, which connects 
itself naturally with their journey. The weather in mountain countries is 
subject to frequent change, and there are days when the scenery is hidden 
behind a veil of cloud, rain, or snow. To the unemployed tourist inaction 
is so irksome that he prefers to trudge doggedly along an Alpine track, 
seeing nothing of the country, rather than await fair weather in a mountain 
inn ; while to the naturalist or geologist, or other traveller with an occupation, 
such days, if not too frequent, are acceptable as giving time to digest 
and put in order the materials accumulated during preceding mountain 
expeditions. 

This work is designedly arranged so as to direct travellers to the most 



xxii 



INTRODUCTION. 



convenient centres in each district of the Alps, and those especially fitted to 
serve as head-quarters are pointed out in the remarks prefixed to each 
section. To these indications, and to the body of the work, travellers of 
some experience are referred. The outline tours prefixed to each division of 
this work are intended mainly for those who wish within a short time to visit 
the most remarkable scenes accessible to persons of moderate strength and 
enterprise. Although arranged so as to correspond with the three main 
divisions of the Alpine chain, it is easy to combine portions of one with the 
other, so as to suit individual wants. 



Art. IV. — Modes of Travelling in the Alps. 

Railways.—- -In a preceding portion of this Introduction (Art. II.) most 
of the railways that approach, or partially penetrate, the chain of the Alps 
have been referred to. Apart from the facilities they afford for travellers 
arriving from a distance, the Swiss and Italian railway systems are of great 
service to mountain travellers by enabling them with the least possible ex- 
penditure of time and trouble to transfer themselves from one centre of 
interest to another. Few persons will suppose that passing through a 
mountain country in a railway carriage can enable them to form any correct 
idea of its attractions, yet there are a few lines, especially those from Culoz 
to St. Michel, from Geneva to Martigny, and from Botzen to Verona, where 
a succession of beautiful pictures is unrolled before the traveller's eyes. 
When going from one place to the other in the order mentioned above, he 
should endeavour to secure a seat on the rt. hand side of the carriage. 
Travelling in the opposite direction he should of course prefer the 1. hand 
seat. 

Steamers. — All the principal lakes of the Alps are now traversed by 
steamers. Wherever they exist they offer an easy, speedy, and economical 
mode of travelling of which tourists are not slow to avail themselves. 

Posting. — Since the general extension of railways and steamers has made 
a private carriage a positive incumbrance to the traveller, posting has 
become unusual except on certain lines, such as the passes of the Spliigen 
and Mont Cenis, where, by mutual arrangement between the postmasters, the 
same carriage may be taken throughout. Those who dislike the slow pace of 
voituriers, and do not object to the trouble of changing the carriage at each 
relay, may sometimes with advantage resort elsewhere to posting. In Switz- 
erland, Italy, and the Eastern Alps, especially Bavaria, the carriages found 
at the post stations are generally convenient, and in many large towns a 
carriage may be hired for a tour, and consigned at the end of the time to 
some correspondent of the owner. In Switzerland and the German Alps 
one or two travellers, with a moderate amount of luggage, may post in a one- 
horse char, at a rate little exceeding the hire of a country vehicle of the 
same description. In Italy there is scarcely a village reached by a road 
where a vehicle of some description may not be easily hired, but it requires 
some experience to resist overcharges. Details respecting the separate 
tariffs are found in the notes prefixed to each division of this work. 

Voiturier (Ital. Vetturino ; Germ. LoJinkutscher).— By these names a class 



MODES OF TRAVELLING IN THE ALPS. 



XX111 



of persons entirely unknown in England, but very widely spread over the 
Continent, is designated in France, Italy, and Germany. The profession 
attained its highest development in Italy, and in spite of the interference of 
railways it still flourishes throughout the peninsula. The vetturino, in that 
country, is a man who keeps for hire a carriage and horses, with which he is 
prepared at all times to undertake a journey of any extent, and in any 
required direction. The wealthier men of this class often have a large 
number of vehicles which usually ply along a particular line of road, and in 
that case they are often able to arrange so as to change horses on the way when 
the traveller is pressed for time. As a general rule, however, the vetturino 
makes the entire journey with the same horses, undertaking to supply others 
if his own be disabled, and he should be bound to pay all charges for tolls, 
bridges, extra-cattle attached to the carriage in long ascents, and all other 
incidental charges. The Swiss voituriers found at Geneva, Berne, Lucerne, 
Coire, &c, are as a class similar to those of Italy, and in both countries 
there is no great difficulty in finding tolerably comfortable carriages and good 
horses. The average distance travelled is from 35 to 45 miles a day, and 
while on the road they travel nearly or quite as fast as post horses, but a 
r^st of at least two hours is required in each day's journey. To a party of 
friends travelling through a fine country, and not pressed for time, this is 
often an agreeable mode of travelling, and those who are unable to ride or 
walk may, sometimes with advantage, take the same vehicle for the whole, or 
a considerable portion, of their tour. In this case it becomes important to 
select a trustworthy man, and to secure his good conduct by a proper 
agreement. For this purpose, as a general rule, it is expedient to obtain the 
advice of the hotel-keeper, or other respectable inhabitant of the town where 
the carriage is hired. 

As a general rule, the Italian vetturino, after the fashion of his country, 
demands considerably more than he means to take, and will have but a mean 
opinion of his employer if the latter does not beat down considerably the sum 
first named. With the exception of this point, which is disagreeable to 
Englishmen, the writer has had little cause of complaint against Italian 
vetturini. When once they have ascertained that extortion will be resisted, 
they usually forbear further attempts in that direction, and are remarkably 
civil and good-humoured, doing their best to deserve the gratuity which 
the traveller willingly gives to them at parting. The Swiss voiturier, or 
German lohnkutscher, is usually, though not always, more direct in his deal- 
ings, but is often slow, and obstinate, sometimes sulky and perverse, always 
a much less pleasant fellow than his Italian comrade, The Savoyard is at 
least as anxious to overreach as the Italian, and is besides often disagreeable. 
In the French Alps generally, except on the road between Geneva and 
Chamouni, the facilities for travelling are in all respects inferior to those 
found in the other countries here named. 

The usual charge for a carriage and pair of horses for a short journey of 
one or two days is from 1 franc to 1 shilling per English mile, including 
all extras. _ For a long journey the fair price is from 25 to 30 fr. per day ; but 
if the carriage be discharged at a distance from home, a demand is made for 
back fare at the same rate. When the road is one much frequented this 
should be resisted, but some extra payment on this account is usually made. 
It is often possible to arrange a tour so as to return to the town whence the 



xxiv 



INTRODUCTION. 



traveller started, or to its neighbourhood, and this is both economical and 
otherwise convenient, as heavy luggage may be left in the charge of the 
hotel-keeper. For a short journey a written agreement is not necessary, but 
it is well to make the verbal agreement in the presence of the hotel-keeper, 
and to take care that it shall be specific on the point of excluding extra 
charges on whatever pretext. When it is intended to take the same carriage 
for a longer time, it is prudent to have a written agreement. This should 
reserve to the traveller the choice of route and inns, and specify the rate of 
payment per day when travelling, with a reduced charge, usually one-half, 
for days of rest. It should always be provided that the traveller shall be at 
liberty to discharge the carriage whenever he pleases, on payment according 
to the time it has been employed, and it is well to add that the carriage shall 
be reserved exclusively for the use of the hirer, as attempts are sometimes 
made by the driver to take a passenger with him on the driving seat. 

It should be noted that the rate of payment above mentioned is always 
exceeded on the great passes of the Alps, where the voiturier incurs extra 
expense for cattle hired to assist in drawing a heavy carriage in the ascent ; 
and that at times when the traffic is very great, increased rates are often 
successfully demanded elsewhere. A traveller who is able to secure good 
horses and a comfortable carriage for a tour of some length, at the rate of 
40 fr. a day while travelling, and 20 fr. for days of rest, may consider that 
he has made a good bargain. It is often necessary to pay 5 fr. a day 
more than those rates. Although it is well to stipulate that the driver shall 
have no right to demand any gratuity under the head of bonnemain, buona- 
mano, or trinkgeld, it is always well to let him know that if pleased with his 
services the traveller will, at his own option, make him some moderate extra 
payment at the close. About 2 fr. a day is a reasonable gratuity. 

One of the chief inconveniences of travelling by voiturier arises from the 
various forms of speculation to which it gives rise. Each voiturier is in some 
way connected with numerous innkeepers and other persons, who hope, by 
his aid, to make a profit out of the traveller, and various devices are used to 
induce or compel the traveller to put up at certain inns in preference to 
others. In towns it is always possible to obtain reliable information, and the 
traveller should make his selection for himself ; but at smaller places, where 
the choice is limited, it often happens that the inn patronised by the voiturier 
is in reality the best. It is also not uncommon for voituriers to make private 
arrangements for the transfer of a traveller and his party from one to the 
other. An Englishman is often disposed to object to a bargain of which he is 
himself the object, but the writer has found that unless there be obvious 
reason for objection, it is better not to resist. The traveller should assure 
himself that the new carriage and horses are not inferior to the first, and 
take the same precautions in making his arrangements with the new man 
that were necessary at first starting. Many complaints have been made as 
to the voituriers on the road of the St. Gothard between Fluelen and Bellin- 
zona, and rather more caution is needed on that line than is requisite else- 
where. In the Canton of Berne the local authorities have fixed a tariff of 
charges for hired carriages which must not be exceeded. It may be found 
at the principal hotels. This interference with free-trade does not seem to 
have been imitated elsewhere. 

Chars. — One-horse vehicles fit to travel on rough country roads impass- 



MODES OF TRAVELLING IN THE ALPS. 



XXV 



able for larger carriages, are to be found in most parts of the Alps. In the 
districts frequented by strangers, small light caleches have taken the place 
of the rougher vehicles used by the country people, which are found else- 
where. These vary in form, and are generally uncomfortable, though con- 
venient for the purpose intended. The einspdnniger Wagen of the German 
Alps, and the carettino of some parts of Italy, are light narrow carts, with 
seats hung across, quite unprotected against rain. In other parts of Italy 
the calessina, or light caleche, protected when necessary against rain and 
sun, is the common mode of conveyance. In Savoy and South Switzerland 
the char-a-banc, an inconvenient vehicle containing three seats, laid side- 
ways on a pole, and surrounded by a leather curtain, is happily becoming 
less common. The charge for these vehicles varies from half a franc to 
80 cent, per English mile, with a bonnemain or tiinkgeld, of from 10 cent, to 
15 cent, per mile. More is often asked, but it should be recollected that in 
Switzerland and the German Alps the rate for posting little exceeds that 
amount. 

Diligences. — All the great lines of road in and about the Alps that have 
not been supplanted by railways, are traversed by diligences, and Switzer- 
land is particularly well supplied in this respect. The carriages are tolerably 
comfortable, and the service generally well conducted, but those who travel 
to see the country are not likely often to use these conveyances. From the 
coupe and the banquette, some limited view is gained ; from the interieur and 
the rotonde, next to nothing. The fares in Switzerland vary according as 
the road traversed lies in the low country or over a mountain pass. In the 
first case the rate is 80 cent, per Swiss league of 3 miles, in the coupe; 
60 cent, in the interieur and the banquette. On mountain roads the rate is 
Lfn 15 cent, for the coupe; 1 fr. for interieur and banquette. The French 
diligences cost rather more, those of Italy and Germany rather less, than the 
above rates. 

On the south side of the Alps omnibuses are found plying between all 
the towns and large villages and the nearest railway stations. They are 
extremely cheap, but usually very disagreeable conveyances. They may, 
however, often be used for sending travellers' spare luggage from one place 
to another. 

Riding. — Horses or mules well used to Alpine paths, and with side-saddles 
for ladies, are found for hire at most of the places frequented by tourists. 
As this is the mode of conveyance commonly adopted by ladies, and by 
tourists unable to walk, it is important to remark that it is only in such places 
that reliable animals are to be found. Those accustomed to transport mer- 
chandise, or to carry wood or forage from the mountains, may be used to 
rough tracks, and therefore surefooted, but are unaccustomed to the saddle, 
and liable to become restive in dangerous places. Several narrow escapes 
from fatal accidents have, within the writers knowledge, arisen from this 
cause, usually from a side-saddle carried by some enterprising English lady, 
and laid for the first time on the back of the animal. Ladies who design 
exploring the less-frequented valleys of the Alps will consult their own 
comfort and security, and much reduce their expenses, by arranging their 
journey so as either to make one longer circuit, returning near to the point 
whence they start, or a succession of shorter tours, each beginning at and 
returning to some central place. At each starting-point the animals required 



xxvi 



INTRODUCTION. 



for the party, with one or more men to take charge of them, should be 
carefully selected. With ladies, it is prudent to take a guide for each 
horse or mule, and on difficult ground the guide should always go before or 
beside, never behind the animal. It is a rule of the first importance to 
abstain from interfering with the animal in difficult and dangerous places. 
Accidents very seldom occur from a fall when the animal is left to his own 
sagacity, but commonly in cases where the rider has attempted to interfere 
with him. To this cause is attributed the unfortunate fate of a French 
lady, dashed to pieces in 1861 when riding down the Gemmi Pass. In the 
writer's opinion, it is never wise for a lady to descend along ledges of rock 
overhanging a precipice otherwise than on foot, or in a chaise-a-porteur. A 
slight slip in such a situation may endanger the rider. 

The usual charge for a horse or mule per day is 10 fr., besides 1 or 2 fr. 
for the boy who takes care of it. At Chamouni the daily charge is 6 fr., but 
the same sum is payable to the guide who accompanies it. On the south side 
of the Alps there are not many places where mules used to carry a rider are 
kept for hire. The charge for mules engaged in unfrequented places should 
not exceed 8 or 9 fr., including the pay of a boy. Return fare at the 
same rates is always demanded. 

Chaise- d-Porteur (Ital. Portantina; Germ. Tragsessel) is an arm-chair 
supported by two poles, and carried by bearers. In Savoy and the Yalais 
fnur bearers are usually considered necessary, and even six where the person 
to be carried is at all heavy ; but in the Bernese Oberland, and in North 
Switzerland, two men will often undertake to carry a lady of light weight 
for several successive days. This mode of conveyance is well suited for 
ladies who are able to walk a little, but fear the fatigue of a long day's ride. 
Some persons soon accustom themselves to the motion, but to others it is 
always disagreeable. There is, however, a great difference between men 
who are used to the occupation, and beginners who jolt and shake the seat 
in an uncomfortable fashion. The ordinary pay of each bearer is 6 fr. 
a day, with the same daily pay for the time required to return to the place 
of departure. 

It may safely be asserted that none of the various modes of conveyance 
here enumerated are more than imperfect substitutes for the only means of 
travelling completely satisfactory to the lover and student of nature. 
Walking is so peculiarly the suitable way of visiting the Alps that it is most 
conveniently discussed separately, in a future part of the Introduction. See 
Art. VIII. 

Art. V. — Guides and Porters. 

In the same proportion as the number of strangers annually resorting to 
the Alps, the inducements to the natives to adopt the profession of guide 
have constantly increased during the last half-century. The large majority 
of tourists do no more than follow a frequented path, where one native of 
the district is as well able to lead him as another. The increased desire to 
explore the less accessible parts of the Alps, and to undertake difficult and 
dangerous expeditions, has led to a demand for the services of a superior 
class of men, who possess in a high degree the special qualities of the 
mountaineer. Although there is no recognised distinction between the two 



GUIDES AND PORTERS. 



XXV 11 



classes, and the best guide, when not otherwise engaged, is ready to carry a 
lady's shawl over the easiest Alpine pass, while there are few ordinary guides 
who acknowledge themselves to be unfit for a difficult ascent, there is in 
fact as wide difference between them as between the most eminent and 
the inferior men in any other profession. The practice of taking the same 
guide throughout an entire tour, which has become very common among 
Alpine travellers, has led to another distinction better denned than the last 
between general and local guides. While the latter have no pretension to 
go beyond the bounds of their own immediate district, the others are men 
who have acquired a tolerably wide acquaintance with the more frequented 
parts of the Alps, who speak French or German, and sometimes a little 
English, and have a sufficient knowledge of the dialects used in different 
parts of the chain to serve as interpreters, and as useful travelling servants. 
The men who unite the qualities of the mountaineer with a wide range of 
local knowledge are naturally the most valuable to the Alpine traveller, and 
their number is limited, though annually increasing to meet the extensive 
demand. The best men are usually engaged weeks, or months, beforehand 
by members of the Alpine Club. An ordinary tourist has no occasion to 
seek for men of this class, but he may find it an excellent plan to secure the 
services of a steady respectable man who will accompany him throughout his 
tour. 

In the cantons Berne and Valais, and at Chamouni, the local authorities 
deliver to each person authorised to act as guide a small book, containing a 
certificate of good character and general fitness, wherein his employers enter 
their names, and add such remarks as they think proper. Before engaging 
an unknown guide it is always expedient to inspect his book, and it is often 
well to consult the innkeeper before making a choice. In the event of a 
guide making what appears an unjust demand at the close of his engage- 
ment, the traveller is advised to require him to state in writing the par- 
ticulars, and to add his name and address. This statement, with any 
needful explanation on the part of the traveller, should be forwarded to the 
juge de paix of the place where the guide resides. 

The duty of a guide is not merely to point out the way, but further to 
make himself generally useful to his employer. He is expected to carry a 
knapsack of about 20 lbs. weight, and to find himself in the articles requisite 
for his profession, such as rope and ice-axe. In strictness he is bound to 
feed himself out of his pay, but whenever it is necessary to carry food to eat 
on the way, or to pass the night at some mountain chalet where provisions 
are not forthcoming, it is a matter of course for the traveller to take a 
supply sufficient for his guide. When a guide is taken for an extended tour, 
he is expected to feed himself, but it is only reasonable that the traveller 
should make allowance for any extraordinary and unforeseen charges in- 
curred by the guide. The ordinary pay of a guide for an ordinary day's 
work is 6 francs, and the same daily rate is considered fair for a tour of some 
length when days of rest alternate with days of severer exertion, save that, 
as a general rule, a traveller who parts with a guide after several days or 
weeks of companionship, and who is content with his service, adds a gratuity 
proportioned to the work done. Those who engage a first-rate guide, with 
a view to difficult expeditions, usually agree to pay at least 8 fr. a day ; but 
if several such expeditions be made during a tour of some weeks, it is but 



xxviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



just to remember that a guide engaged specially in such cases is entitled by 
tariff or by custom to a rate much exceeding the ordinary pay, and that 
the permanent guide has an additional claim to a gratuity at the close of 
his engagement. The right to pay at the rate of 6 fr. a day for the return 
journey from the place where a guide is discharged to that from which he 
started, unless his services be transferred to another traveller, is universally 
recognised, and this is one of the reasons which often make it positively 
economical to retain the same guide for a considerable tour, where he may 
be discharged at no great distance from his home. 

Guides of the ordinary class are usually found wherever a regular demand 
exists for their services. In selecting them more caution is advisable on the 
south side of the Alps than in Switzerland or the Tyrol, but as a general 
rule they are well-conducted and obliging. The only defect common among 
the Swiss guides is a fondness for liquor, a failing that has been injurious to 
some of the best Oberland men. The higher class of guide, possessing the 
strength and activity, combined with courage, coolness, and skill, that make 
the accomplished mountaineer, is formed only by the union of training and 
experience with the requisite natural faculties. The raw material may be 
said to exist wherever chamois-hunting is a favourite pursuit of the young 
and active men. But this of itself does not suffice. The most skilful 
Pyrenean chasseur placed on the summit of the Strahleck pass would 
probably be overpowered with terror, and if unaided would be little likely 
to reach Grindelwald or the Grimsel ; while many good Oberland guides 
would hesitate before trusting themselves on the face of a dizzy limestone 
precipice, that is traversed with ease by the Aragonese cragsman with his 
apargatas. 

Active men and bold climbers may be found here and there in most parts 
of the Alps, but it is mainly at Chamouni, in the Bernese Oberland, and in 
the Valais, that the degree of experience and skill requisite for contending 
with the difficulties of the snow and ice region of the Alps is to be acquired. 

In opposition to the popular belief as to the characteristics of the 
French and German races, the Chamouni men are marked by steadiness and 
perseverance, rather than by daring and dash. In the latter qualities . the 
Oberland guides take the first place, but as companions in a tour they are 
seldom so attentive and agreeable, and are usually rather inferior in education. 
The love of wine and strong drink is much less common among the 
Chamouni men than in Switzerland. With two or three brilliant exceptions, 
the Valais guides are decidedly inferior to their rivals, being wanting in 
energy and scarcely reliable in situations of real difficulty. At the risk of 
doing injustice by involuntarily omitting deserving men, a list of the best 
known guides, and some information as to their special qualities, and the 
districts with which they are acquainted, is appended to this section. 

On the south side of the Alps, and in Tyrol, guides scarcely exist as a class. 
It is usually easy to find a trustworthy man who is fit to show the way over a 
well-known pass, and to carry the traveller's knapsack, at the rate of 4 or 5 
francs daily. It is better to apply to the innkeeper, or in remote places to 
the cure, rather than take without enquiry persons who come to offer their 
services. A traveller planning an excursion of any difficulty in these less 
frequented districts should enquire for the best known chamois-hunters, for 
it is amongst these only that he is likely to find assistance ; but as men 



GUIDES AND PORTERS. 



xxix 



of unsteady character sometimes take to that pursuit, he will do well to 
ascertain from competent authority that he is in safe hands. In cases of 
reference to an innkeeper or parish priest, a reserved answer, wherein the 
referee declares that he knows little of the man in question, is to be taken 
as an unfavourable reply. The reference should of course be made before 
the traveller has committed himself, or declared positively his intention to 
make the expedition. 

Porters. — In the districts where guides exist as an organised body, possess- 
ing an exclusive right to exercise that calling, a subaltern class of porters has 
grown up, and in some places has been equally subjected to regulation. 
The porter's business is to carry luggage over beaten tracks where there is 
no need of a guide, or in longer and more difficult expeditions to assist the 
guides by carrying the heavier articles required for a part of the way; 
Porters generally are content to receive 5 francs a day, usually increased to 
10 fr. for a long and difficult day's work ; but in the southern valleys of the 
Alps a traveller undertaking to provide food, may often procure a useful 
man of this class for about 3 fr. a day. In the Bernese Oberland, porters 
(Germ. Trager) demand 6 fr. a day, but they carry a much heavier weight 
than is usual elsewhere. Some of these men make no objection to carry 
40 or 50 lbs. of luggage a distance of seven or ei<>"ht leagues. 

Much useful information as to guides and tariffs is contained in the 
'Kalender und Notizbuch fiir Alpen-Reisende,' published by Liebeskind, 
of Leipzig. 

List of the best known Guides, with their Addresses 
alphabetically arranged. 

Christian Aimer (of Grindelwald). First-rate, uniting daring, steadiness, and 

intelligence. Knows well the Oberland, and all the Western Alps. 
Ulrich Aimer. Son to the last; a very rising young man. 

Melchior Anderegg (of Meyringen). First-rate in all respects. He has most ex- 
tensive knowledge of the entire chain of the Alps. 

Jacob Anderegg (of Meyringen). Cousin to the last; first-rate; enterprising to 
the verge of rashness. 

Franz Andermatten (of Saas). Excellent, strong, and cheerful. Probably the 
best man in the Valley of Saas. 

Daniel Ballay (of Bourg St. Pierre). A very good guide, knoM-s the Pennine 
and Graian Alps well. His brother Emmanuel makes a good second. 

Peter Baumann (of Grindelwald). Very good in the second rank. 

Hans Baumann (of Grindelwald). First-rate, has had much experience. 

Franz Biener (of Zermatt). Known as Weisshorn Biener, to distinguish him 
from a very inferior man of the same name. He is a good steady man, and 
has gained much experience. 

Caspar Blatter (of Meyringen). Very good, bold and steady ; knows the Ober- 
land well. 

Peter Bohren (of Grindelwald). Good ; cot strong enough to be first-rate, and 

rather past his prime ; knows the Oberland and Pennine Alps welL 
Alexander Burgener (of Saas). Highly spoken of. 

Jean Antoine Carrel (of Val f ournanche). First-rate cragsman. Best guide 
for the Matterhorn, and with wider experience may go anywhere. 



XXX 



INTRODUCTION. 



Jean Pierre Cachat (of Chamouni). Good, not quite first-rate. 
Edouard Cupelin. One of the best men at Chamouni. 
Jean Charlet, dit Crettat (of Chamouni). Good second-rate man, 
Francois Devouassoud (of Chamouni). A very good guide, but past his prime. 
Michel Ducroz (of Chamouni). Very good ; has made several difficult ascents. 
Peter Egger (of Grindelwald). Excellent guide. 

Julien Grange (of Courmayeur). The best guide of that place. Not quite 
first-rate. 

Ferdinand Imseng (of Saas, lives in summer at Macugnaga). Excellent 

guide : has not yet travelled much. 
Peter Inabnit (of Grindelwald). A very rising man ; he has not travelled 

much, and will improve with experience. 
Andreas Jaun (of Meyringen). A powerful but rather heavy man. Makes a 

good second in a difficult expedition, but not quite in the first rank. 
Johann Jaun (of Meyringen). An excellent man. Knows the Oberland and 

Pennine Alps well. 

Ulrich Kaufmann (of Miihlebach, Grindelwald). Very good and experienced 
man. 

Christian Lauener (of Sandweidli, Lauterbrunnen). A first-rate guide, good- 
tempered and obliging. Has great knowledge of the Alps. 

Ulrich Lauener (of Lauterbrunnen). A most powerful man, who has been 
a first-rate guide. 

Peter Lauener. Cousin of the last two ; very good, nearly in the first rank. 
Franz Lochmatter (of Macugnaga). A very pleasant, good-tempered man, 

who knows his own district well. Not quite first-class. His brother 

Alexander deserves the same remarks. Both are somewhat exacting. 
Jean Joseph and Jean Pierre Maquignaz (of Valtournanche). Good men for 

the Matterhorn and difficult expeditions in the same district. The first 

is the better man. 

Jean Martin (of Sierre). A very good and experienced man, scarcely first- 
rate. 

Christian Michel, Peter Michel (both of Grindelwald). Brothers, and both 
men of high repute. The health of Christian (the better man) has suffered 
much. Peter is a sure but rather slow man ; he knows the Oberland well. 

Peter Kubi (of Grindelwald). A very good man, not quite first-rate. 

Benoit Simon (of Chamouni). Said to be one of the best men of that place. 

Joseph Basil Simond (of Argentiere). Has travelled extensively through 
the Dauphine, Cottian, and Graian Alps. 

Santo Siorpaes (of Cortina d'Ampezzo). The best guide in S. Tyrol, an ex- 
cellent cragsman. Has travelled with Mr. Tuckett. 

Gabriel Spechtenhauser (of Fend). Very good man ; has travelled in the 
Pennine and Dauphine Alps. 

Simon Michel Tairraz (of Chamouni). Good second-rate man ; knows 
Pennine Alps well. 

Tobie Tairraz (of Les Pras, Chamouni). Has travelled much ; is an excellent 
steady man, recommended as a guide to ladies. 

Johann Tannler (of Wyler, near Meyringen). A good steady man. 

Anton Walther (of Laax, Valais). Very strong and daring. Was long em- 
ployed at the iEggischhorn, but has had some experience in other 
districts. 



INNS. 



xxxi 



Ulrich Wenger. A good guide for moderate expeditions in the Oberland, but 
has neither strength nor judgment enough for difficult ascents. He speaks 
French well, and a little English. 



Art. VZ„— Inns, 

So much does the comfort of travellers depend upon the goodness or 
badness of the accommodation found at inns, that it is not surprising if they 
exact a degree of accuracy on this point from a guide-book that, from the 
nature of the case, it is impossible fully to attain. Assuming that the 
information at the Editor's disposal were always very recent, there is a great 
degree of uncertainty about the impression left upon a passing traveller by 
an inn where he remains for one or two nights. One traveller happens to 
arrive when the house is crowded, the larder ill-provided, the servants and 
the master tired. He is ill-lodged, ill-fed, and ill-attended, and as a natural 
consequence his report is highly unfavourable. A few days later another 
traveller is lodged in the best rooms, finds abundant supplies, and is treated 
with attention. The second report is, as it ought to be, entirely different 
from the first. There are but a few hotels of the best class so well arranged, 
and under such skilful and active management, as not to be liable to such 
vicissitudes. In truth, however, the information obtainable often dates back 
two or three years, and in that time very many changes occur. The manage- 
ment of an inn, especially a large one, requires constant activity and 
watchfulness on the part of some one directly interested in its success ; and 
it constantly happens that a change of management, or a mere relaxation of 
the innkeeper's activity, caused by over-prosperity or by engaging in other 
pursuits, reduces a hotel from the first to an inferior rank, kt the same 
time new houses are every year opened in the frequented parts of the Alps ; 
so that between the falling off of old, and the rise of new inns, it is impos- 
sible to achieve invariable accuracy. Yet it will probably be found that the 
indications given here are, as a general rule, more correct than the interested 
recommendations of voituriers, boatmen, guides, and the like. Those who 
use this book will confer a favour on the Editor, and on future travellers, if 
they will note down the inns at which they stop in the course of their tour, 
with such observations as they consider due, and communicate the same to 
the publisher for use in a future edition. Such information is useful even 
in respect to the most frequented places, whether the traveller's judgment 
agree with that here expressed or not. 

It is generally known that no country in Europe is so well provided with 
inns as Switzerland. The hotels in the more frequented places leave very 
little to be desired by the most fastidious, and in country places they are 
generally much superior to similar establishments in our own country. The 
beautiful valleys of the Italian Alps are far from being equally well supplied, 
but the increased influx of strangers has led to considerable improvement. 
Though less frequented by strangers, the Lombard and Venetian Alps are 
decidedly in advance of Piedmont. The writer has been in the habit of 
stopping in remote villages and hamlets wherever convenience dictated, 
without caring to make previous enquiry as to the accommodation to be 
found there, and he has rarely failed to obtain tolerable food and a clean 



XXX11 



INTRODUCTION. 



bed. Higher praise than this is due to the country inns in the Austrian 
Alps. In the Tyrol, Salzburg, and part of Styria, but especially in 
Carinthia and Carniola, it is a rare exception when a village inn is otherwise 
than a comfortable and agreeable stopping-place, where excellent living is 
rendered doubly acceptable by the kindly manners of the people of the 
house, and the charges are so moderate as to make it a matter of surprise 
how any profit, however small, can be made from the business. The French 
Alps present a disagreeable contrast. With but very few exceptions, a 
traveller entering an inn in Dauphine must be prepared for filth and 
privation, and not seldom his ill-humour is aggravated by an extortionate 
bill. The same observations apply, in a somewhat less degree, to the 
provinces of Maurienne and Tarentaise, in Savoy. The provinces of Chablais 
and Faucigny, between the valley of the Arve and the Lake of Geneva, 
partake somewhat of the character of the adjoining parts of Switzerland. 
Cleanliness and comfort are better understood, and barefaced extortion is 
not so often attempted. In many Swiss inns, and in some towns in Italy, 
more attention is paid to the habits and tastes of English travellers than is 
usual on the Continent. The ordinary hour of the table d'hote being one 
o'clock, there is often a second table d'hote at five o'clock. English mustard, 
pretty good tea, and other desiderata, are to be had,- and some of the 
principal hotel-keepers have gone so far as to open an English chapel, and 
offer inducements to a clergyman to officiate during the summer. 

There is but one department in which English inns maintain a superiority 
over those of every part of the Continent. In the latter the use of water- 
closets has as yet made but little progress, and even when they exist they 
are frequently in an offensive condition. The usual substitutes for them are 
a source of foul smells that too often disgrace even first-rate hotels. In 
France these places are perfectly horrible, forming an unaccountable 
exception to the general advance in civilisation. Italy ranks next lowest in 
the scale ; while in Germany and Switzerland some elementary ideas of 
cleanliness and decency are not foreign to the soil, though there is still much 
room for improvement. The only way to effect a reform is by repeated 
remonstrances, and by making it known to innkeepers that attention to this 
department will attract, while neglect will as certainly repel^ English 
travellers. The Editor hereby requests that his correspondents will enable 
him, by information on this point, to indicate in future editions of this work 
by a distinguishing mark the houses that deserve favourable or unfavourable 
notice in this respect. 

It is difficult to give information as to the expense of living at inns which 
can be serviceable to travellers. The effects of railroad communication and 
fiscal reforms are every year more evident in the tendency towards an 
equalisation of prices throughout Europe. Some differences will doubtless 
continue to exist, and Italy and Southern Germany are still considerably 
cheaper than England or Switzerland. Apart from the fact that the price 
of living is higher, it is fair to recollect that a large capital is often invested 
in Swiss inns which remain open but four or five months, or even a shorter 
time; and that some of them are built in places where constant labour and 
expense are needed to procure the necessary supplies. The lowest charge 
for a single bed in the better class of Swiss inns is 2 francs, and in second 
class and country inns 1^-, or 1 franc. In the larger hotels more is charged for 



INNS. 



xxxni 



rooms on the first or second floor, and also for those commanding a view. 
The charge for the early table d'hote at one o'clock is from 3 to 4 francs ; 
for that at 4 or 5 p.m. one franc more is usually demanded. Breakfast of 
tea or coffee, bread and butter, and confiture, or honey, \\ franc, rarely 1 
franc. Eggs and meat are charged separately. Attendance for a single 
person 1 franc daily : for a party it should not exceed 75 cents, or even 
less per head. Sitting-rooms are charged daily from 4 to 8 francs each. In 
the first-class hotels, besides a handsome salle a manger, one or more rooms, 
containing books, newspapers, and a pianoforte, are usually open to persons 
staying in the house. As it is the practice for ladies to avail themselves of 
these public rooms, a sitting-room is by no means necessary. 

All over the Continent it is the usual custom for persons travelling in a 
party, and intending to remain some days, to enquire the price of their 
apartments, and if this appear high to make some observation, which usually 
leads to a reduction. 

Many English travellers are haunted by the disagreeable impression that, 
in their capacity of Englishmen, they are marked out by innkeepers and 
others, and made to pay higher prices than are demanded from tourists of 
other nations. The writer believes that, with rare exceptions, there is now 
no ground for this suspicion. Formerly the case was otherwise. So long 
as the English were not content to travel in the same manner as foreigners 
of the same social position, they were naturally treated in an exceptional 
manner. None but persons of the highest rank and ample means are used 
on the Continent to have their meals served apart in a sitting-room ; and 
when English travellers, in this and other ways, showed an apparent in- 
difference to expense, it was but natural that they should be treated as if they 
were so. Of late years our countrymen have not only learned to conform to 
the usages of other nations, but, as a body, they show themselves quite as 
attentive to economy as other travellers of the same means and station. As 
a general rule, innkeepers are disposed to think that what they call a 
famille, i.e., a party including ladies and one or more servants, is a fair mark 
for higher charges than they would attempt with single men. Thus a party, 
perhaps, remaining for a single night, will find wax candles charged in the 
bill at the rate of two for each room which they occupy. It is necessary to 
have a deduction made for those not used, and to prevent the waiter from 
lighting more than are wanted. 

In justice to themselves and the public, travellers should take the trouble 
to look over their bills, and to point out for reduction any items that appear 
unreasonable. Should a simple remonstrance fail, there is generally no use 
in further resistance. The extortion must be gross indeed that will not be 
sanctioned by the local authorities, should a traveller lose time bya*esorting 
to them. There is but one effective threat to which innkeepers are usually 
very susceptible — that of exposure in English newspapers and guide-books, 
and this, in gross cases, should always be enforced. Cases of shameless extor- 
tion are usually confined to the meaner class of inns, or to those which have 
been opened expressly for tourists in some Alpine route. No reasonable 
person will object to pay somewhat more than the usual rate of accommoda- 
tion at an inn set up expressly for the convenience of a limited class, but it 
is well to make the owners understand that by unreasonably high charges 
they defeat their own object. 

c 



xxxiv 



INTRODUCTION. 



Art. VII. — General Advice to Travellers in the Alps. 

Season for Travelling. — The higher parts of the Alps are most easily acces- 
sible during the height of summer ; but it is not generally known that many 
districts, including much beautiful scenery, are seen to the best advantage 
in spring and autumn. In the month of May the neighbourhood of the 
Swiss lakes, and more especially the valleys of the Maritime, Lombard, and 
V Venetian Alps, may be visited with full satisfaction. The vegetation of those 
districts is then seen in its full beauty, and many mountains of moderate 
height, commanding noble views, may be ascended without difficulty, though 
in some seasons a good deal of snow still remains on the secondary ridges. 
In June the rapid transition from winter to spring, and from spring" to sum- 
mer, is completed throughout all the inhabited valleys of the Alps. For the 
ordinary tourist who does not aim at difficult ascents, this would be the best 
season for travelling, were it not that the weather is usually more changeable 
than in the three succeeding months. Even for the aspiring mountaineer the 
second half of June possesses many advantages. The length of the day 
greatly facilitates long expeditions ; the glaciers are more easily traversed, as 
the crevasses are narrower, and are more covered over by snow-bridges ; and 
slopes of ice or rock, very difficult at other times, are made easy by a covering 
of snow that yields to the foot. Recent experience confirms this opinion. 
The first ascent of the Aletschhorn, and several other difficult ascents, have 
been made towards the end of June, and persons who have crossed the Col 
du Geant, and other broken glacier-passes, have been surprised to find few 
or none of the usual obstacles. On the other hand, it should be remembered 
that the snow at this season is ill consolidated, and that a slight disturbance 
very easily produces avalanches. Certain couloirs and very steep slopes that 
are tolerably safe later in the year, are highly dangerous in the early season. 
The use of the rope, always expedient, is doubly so at a season when most of 
the crevasses are concealed by snow-bridges of uncertain solidity. There is 
also the inconvenience that there is usually a greater extent of soft snow 
to be traversed than later in the season. Another slight drawback to 
mountaineering in June arises from the fact that the cattle are not yet sent 
up to the higher pastures. The chalets to which the traveller resorts for 
milk, and sometimes for a night's rest, are not yet inhabited. For the same 
reason nothing can then exceed the beauty of the Alpine pastures, in the 
full blaze of their brilliant colours, before they are eaten and trodden down 
by animals. 

July and August are the months usually chosen by travellers in the higher 
parts of the Alps, and on an average of years the public is doubtless right in 
the selection. August is the season when the inns are most crowded ; and 8 
traveller who has moved from place to place in July, does wisely to select 
comfortable and agreeable quarters for the succeeding month. One reason 
for passing this time in the higher valleys is the great heat that is then usually 
experienced in the low country at the foot of the Alps. The experience of 
many years has led the writer to believe that, on an average, the best chance 
of finding a continuous succession of fine weather, with the clearness of air 
favourable for distant views, is during the first half of September. During 
the summer it is rare to find more than three or four days together such as 
the mountaineer willingly chooses for an ascent, and even then the distant 



LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THE ALPS. 



XXXV 



horizon is rarely clear of clouds. Eight or ten consecutive days of perfect 
weather are often to be had in September. About the middle of that month 
snow usually falls on the higher Alps, sometimes descending to the valleys. 
Those who do not take flight are often rewarded by a renewal of fine weather, 
extending into October. The fresh snow and the shortness of the days 
make the season unfit for high and difficult expeditions ; but it is most 
enjoyable in the southern valleys, where the great heat of summer is a serious 
impediment to the pleasure of travelling in the earlier season. The Italian 
lakes may be visited with satisfaction until the end of October, save that in 
that month a week or ten days of heavy rain, extending through the entire 
N. of Italy, may usually be looked for. 

Languages spoken in the Alps. — It may safely be said that half the pleasure 
of travelling is lost to a person who is unable to speak the language of the 
country through which he passes. Englishmen are more often prevented 
from speaking foreign languages by shyness and maavaise honte than by 
indolence or incapacity. As there is little room for shyness in con- 
versing, or attempting to converse, with a guide or waiter, a pedestrian 
expedition serves to help many persons over the first difficult step of beginning 
to exercise the tongue in the production of unaccustomed sounds. The region 
included in this work is pretty equally divided between the German, French, 
and Italian languages. German, which has rather the largest share, is spoken 
throughout nearly the whole of the German Alps, and through three-quarters 
of Switzerland, the division between the French and German districts nearly 
corresponding with a line drawn from Porrentruy to Sierre in the Valais. 
West of that line French is the language of the country, as it is throughout 
Savoy and Dauphine, and in the Val d'Aosta, and the Vaudois valleys of 
Piedmont. With those exceptions, and that of a few parishes at the foot of 
Monte Rosa inhabited by a German population, Italian is spoken through- 
out the southern valleys of the Alps, including the Swiss Canton of 
Tessin. In the valley of the Adige, which may be said to cut through 
the dividing range of the Alps, the division between the Italian and Ger- 
man population lies a little S. of Botzen. Elsewhere it usually follows the 
watershed. 

With scarcely any exceptions, the three languages here named are not to 
be heard in a state of purity in any part of the Alpine region. Dialects, 
more or less corrupt and uncouth, prevail; but a stranger speaking the 
pure tongue can make himself understood, though he may find some trouble 
at first in understanding what is said to him. 

Besides the three principal languages, there are three or four others that 
occupy some small portion of the Alpine region. The Romansch, a distinct 
language derived from the Latin, and not, as some suppose, a dialect of 
Italian, is spoken in about two-thirds of the Canton Grisons, and is sub- 
divided into three dialects. Three or four newspapers appear in this language , 
but German is on the increase, and will probably before long supplant the 
ancient tongue. In the Sette Comuni, north of Vicenza — a district of table- 
land and mountain pastures, enclosed between the Brenta and the Astico — a 
peculiar language, supposed to represent the ancient Cimbric, still holds its 
ground, but is being rapidly replaced by the Venetian dialect of Italian. 
Either the same, or an allied dialect, survives in some valleys of the Italian 
Tyrol, between the Eisack and the head waters of the Cordevole. A larger 



xxxvi 



INTRODUCTION. 



space is occupied in the Eastern Alps by people speaking the Slavonic dialect, 
called by the German, Krainerisch. From the valley of the Isonzo this 
extends through the Julian Alps, the Karawankas, and some other parts of 
Carinthia, Carniola, and Styria. German is, however, spoken by all the 
younger people of the country, so that a traveller has little trouble from this 
cause. He should, however, bear in mind that each place has a German and 
a Slavonic name, and very often an Italian name also; and as these are some- 
times quite unlike each other, care is needed to avoid mistakes. 

For the mere purpose of living at hotels, and making his way from one 
place to another, a traveller knowing French only, or German only, will 
meet no serious difficulty. At most hotels there are servants who speak 
both languages, and a knowledge of English is very general among Swiss 
waiters. Those enterprising Britons who travel on the Continent with no 
other medium of ■ communication than their native tongue and a well-filled 
purse, may best make their way by the Rhine, and confine themselves to the 
Swiss Alps. They do unwisely in attempting to extend their tour to the 
S. side of the Alps. 

For books containing information of a general character likely to be 
useful or interesting to an Alpine traveller, the reader is referred to 
Art. XV. A list of books, memoirs, and maps connected with Alpine 
geology is appended to Art. XIV. Lists of the best maps and most in- 
teresting books of a purely local character are appended to the preliminary 
notes prefixed to each part of this work. 

Expenses of Travelling . — The habits and wants of travellers are so various, 
that nothing approaching to a general estimate of the expenses of a tour can 
be given. It is not, however, difficult for a traveller to frame an estimate 
for himself, A single man, contenting himself with ordinary fare, and the 
vin ordinaire such as is supplied at tables d'hote, need not spend at inns on 
an average more than 9 francs a day in Switzerland or Savoy, or more 
than 5 or 6 fr. in the Eastern Alps. Should he order fish, game, and foreign 
wine for dinner, he may easily double the above rate of living. To cover 
extras, he should allow 8d. a mile for every English mile travelled in a one- 
horse carriage. Assuming him to take a guide, either to show the way or to 
earry his knapsack, he must in Switzerland and Savoy allow 6 fr. a day on 
this account, and he may add 2 fr. more that in one way or other his guide 
will cost him. If his tour will admit of his returning near to the place where 
he first engages a guide, it will cost him no more to take the same man 
throughout his tour than to engage a fresh guide every second day for the 
purpose of continuing his route, since the men so taken must each in suc- 
cession be paid return fare. Should he intend to make considerable halts 
on the way, there will, in the economical sense, be a proportional disadvan- 
tage in taking a guide who must receive his pay whether employed or not. 
It may be inferred that, on a rough estimate, a single traveller should allow at 
least 16 fr. a day for his expenses in Switzerland or Savoy, and a little, but 
not much less in Piedmont, without counting the occasional hire of a vehicle, 
which may considerably increase the total. Two men travelling together 
will generally find one guide or porter sufficient for both, so that the above 
estimate would be brought to 12 fr. each. In the Eastern Alps it is easy to 
find a trustworthy man who will accompany a traveller for any number of 
days, and consider himself well paid with 3 or 4 fr. a day, besides his food 



EXPENSES OF TRAVELLING. 



XXXV11 



(which may be counted at 1 fr. more), and his expenses in returning to his 
home. Apart from vehicles, the expenses of a single traveller in the Eastern 
Alps, speaking German or Italian as the case may be, need not exceed 10 fr. 
daily for himself and his guide, and those of two companions may be 
reckoned at 8 fr. each. It is obvious that the above estimates must be 
reduced in the case of a traveller who does not object to carry his own 
knapsack, and only occasionally engages a guide where it is imprudent to 
venture without one. On the other hand, the total must be largely increased 
when the traveller aims at effecting difficult ascents, or achieving new or 
little-known glacier passes. Where two or more guides receive 30 or 40 fr. 
each, and it is necessary to lay in an ample store of provisions for two or 
three days, the expenses of a single excursion may amount to five or six 
pounds, or even more. 

It is still more difficult to estimate the expenses of a party including ladies. 
Supposing the outlay per head at hotels to be the same as already estimated, 
there is generally considerably more to be reckoned for cost of conveyance. 
It is true that a carriage, costing in all about 1£ fr. per mile, will carry four 
or five travellers ; but whenever mules or chaises -d-porteur are taken over an 
Alpine pass, and sent back on the following day, it is necessary to reckon from 
20 to 25 fr. for each mule, and from 25 to 50 fr. for each chaise-a-porteur. 

When the traveller has made the best possible estimate of the sum he is 
likely to require for his Alpine tour, he should leave an ample margin for 
unforeseen expenses, and for his journey from England and back again. 
Persons who omit this precaution are sometimes put to serious inconvenience 
by finding their supplies fail before they have reached the city where they 
can renew them. A considerable number of Napoleons may be carried 
without inconvenience in the inside pockets of a waistcoat ; and, if travelling 
in Switzerland, English bank-notes, or circular notes of a London banker, 
may be changed from time to time at the principal inns where the tra- 
veller may stop. It is scarcely necessary to remind persons with any 
experience of the importance of being well provided with small change, the 
want of which causes inconvenience and loss. 

General Rules for Travelling. — Of these it would be easy to make a long 
list ; a few only are here noted. 

It is necessary to arrive at foreign railway stations 20 minutes before the 
hour fixed for the departure of the train. Failing this, difficulties are made 
as to receiving luggage, and the travellers are thrust into the worst places in 
the railway carriage. 

All arrangements for vehicles, mules, guides, or porters should be made 
overnight. He who waits till next morning will find inferior articles and 
higher prices. 

Avoid sleeping with open windows in low valleys, especially those liable to 
inundation. 

Advice as to dietary is little needed, as most people in good health can live 
on the food they find on their road. It may be noted that Alpine mutton 
is too often tough and stringy. Veal and fowls are usually the best meat. 
Chamois venison, when in good condition and kept long enough, is good, but 
is rarely eaten in perfection. Trout are delicate eating, but are usually 
rather dear. The same may be said of ptarmigan and coq de bruyere. The 
latter is excellent, but not often to be had.. 



xxxviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



Very fair wine is made in the Cantons Neuchatel, Vaud, and Valais in 
Switzerland, in the neighbourhood of Chambery in Savoy, in the Yal d'Aosta, 
the Val Tellina, and the valleys near Verona; but the better qualities are 
rarely found in inns. Those who dislike the ordinary wine may best call 
for Beaujolais, a sound red wine found at most inns in Switzerland and 
Savoy. Some persons like Asti wine, a sweetish insipid liquor, usually to be 
had in Piedmont, and in many Swiss inns. Barbera is a strong and rough 
but sound Piedmontese wine, which is found in Italian towns ; but, as a 
general rule, no wine but that of the district is to be had at Italian country 
inns. Many travellers like the effervescing lemonade, which, under the 
name lirnonade gazeuse, is found almost everywhere in Switzerland. 

Most of the requisites for travelling are enumerated in Art. VIII. as 
especially important to pedestrians. A. few universal requisites may be 
noted here. 

Stationery, including writing-paper, pens, ink, sealing-wax, pencils, and 
drawing materials for those who use them, are best obtained in London. 
The same may be said of soap and an extra toothbrush, wants not well sup- 
plied on the Continent. Adhesive luggage-labels, and also those of parch- 
ment, and a strap for fastening together plaids and other loose articles, should 
not be omitted. Many travellers carry a telescope ; but except for chamois- 
hunting, where it is indispensable, this is rarely useful. An opera-glass of 
moderate size is much lighter, and more useful. It also turns to account in 
visiting picture-galleries, theatres, &c. 

When all other requisites have been supplied, the most important of all 
must be found by the traveller himself. Good temper and good humour are 
the only things quite indispensable for the enjoyment of travelling. It is 
not wise to yield too easily to the demands that are pressed upon a stranger, 
and every now and then a show of anger may be requisite to defeat imposi- 
tion ; but a man who when travelling labours under the impression that all 
the world is combined in a conspiracy to maltreat and overreach him, and 
who loses his self-possession in a dispute about a franc, or because a waiter 
is slow to answer his summons, will consult his own peace and the convenience 
of others by staying at home. 

Art. VIII.— Advice to Pedestrians. 

There are few men in tolerably good health who are not able to walk quite 
enough to enable them to enjoy nearly all the finest scenery in the Alps. 
The process of training is to some rather irksome, and it varies from a few 
days to two or three weeks, according to the constitution and previous 
habits ; but this once accomplished, the unanimous testimony of all who 
have tried this manner of life declares that there is none other so enjoyable, 
and none so healthful for mind and body. Some patience and judicious 
preparation are needed to arrive at that delightful condition in which any 
reasonable amount of exertion is borne without fatigue, and a man, after a 
previous day's walk of 30 miles over mountain and glacier, rises with the 
sun, refreshed and ready for fresh enterprise. Assuming that, on reaching 
the Alps, a traveller is not already in good training, he must carefully avoid 
overworking himself at first. He cannot begin better than by making the 
ascent of some one of those minor summits that are placed round the outer 



ADVICE TO PEDESTRIANS. 



xxxix 



margin of the great chain, and command views that often rival in beauty the 
panoramas from the higher peaks. Such are the Dent du Chat, Mont 
Granier, and Grand Som, in the French Alps ; the Dole, Weissenstein, Rigi, 
and Hohenkasten, in Switzerland; the Motterone, Monte Generoso, Corno 
di Canzo, and Kitten, on the Italian side; and very many others that might 
be added to the list. On arriving at some place that serves for head-quarters, 
it becomes easy for a man to graduate the length and difficulty of his excur- 
sions to his increasing powers, being careful, whenever he feels somewhat 
overtired, to make the following a day of comparative rest. 

If his design be to carry his knapsack himself, he will do wisely to begin 
with very short journeys. For the first few days it is felt as a decided 
encumbrance, and somewhat increases the labour of the day's work; but 
after a short time the muscles become adapted to the effort, and it is scarcely 
found to make any difference, except to persons with tender feet, who are 
apt to feel the effects of the additional weight. For travellers who have not 
the instinctive faculty of finding their way without a guide, there is no 
inducement to take the trouble of carrying their own knapsacks; but quite 
apart from the saving, which to many may be a matter of indifference, the 
keen sense of absolute freedom and independence, and the intense enjoyment 
of nature, unbroken by the presence of even the most satisfactory guide, are 
motives enough to tempt many a man to rely on himself for his means of 
conveyance in the Alps. The writer warmly admires and sympathises with 
the feelings of those who have developed the ardent and aspiring style of 
mountaineering that has so largely increased our knowledge of the Alps, and 
all but 'effaced the word "inaccessible" from the Alpine dictionary;' but, 
for the sake of the next generation, he would think it a matter for regret if 
the life of Alpine travellers were to be always one of struggle and warfare. 
There is a keen pleasure in storming some citadel of nature, hewing the way 
axe in hand, or clambering up some precipitous outwork ; but the recollec- 
tions of days of solitary enjoyment amid more accessible, and not less sub- 
lime scenery, leave an impression no less deep and abiding. 

Equipment of a Pedestrian. — In giving the results of his own experience, 
confirmed in most points by that of many others, the writer is aware that 
temperaments are variable, and that what suits many travellers does not 
necessarily suit all. The inexperienced will generally do well to try, in the 
first place, what has been been found useful by others. 

Clothing. — An Alpine traveller is occasionally exposed to cold and piercing 
winds, but far more often to great heat, the direct rays of the sun in clear 
weather having a force which is quite unknown in England. Light woollen, 
clothing is the best adapted to meet either contingency. The linen blouse, 
though sometimes very convenient, is not fitted for general use. Those who 
have any pursuit requiring them to carry instruments, note-books, or other 
extras, will prefer a shooting-coat to any other garment. It should have 
two inside breast-pockets, besides two outside, provided with buttons, and 
two large and strong inner pockets (called hare-pockets) in the skirts. Those 
who may not require so much space should not forget to have at least one 
pocket large enough to contain a mounted map of large 8vo. size. Like 
the coat, the waistcoat should contain six pockets, i.e., besides those usually 
found, two watch-pockets, and two inside pockets to fasten with a button, 
convenient for carrying gold and notes. Knickerbockers and gaiters are 



INTRODUCTION. 



undoubtedly preferable to ordinary trousers, but most persons •will wait 
until this dress is more generally known before they carry it on a Continental 
tour. 

The covering and protection of the feet is to the pedestrian a matter of 
the first importance. Half-boots are generally preferred to shoes. They 
cannot be too solid, strong, and durable in workmanship. In this respect 
English boots are probably the best. They should be large enough to admit 
freely the foot covered with the thickest and strongest woollen socks. It 
is difficult to induce shoemakers to estimate properly the strain upon 
the toes involved in a long and rapid descent of many thousand feet, and 
to make the front part of the shoe or boot long enough, and broad enough. 
The instep is the only part that should be comparatively tight, as the strain 
and friction is thereby partly removed from the toes, and transferred to the 
rest of the foot. Another defect often found in English boots, is that the 
heel is too much thrown back. It should be so placed under the ancle, 
as to bear nearly the entire weight of the body when in an upright 
position. For ordinary walking the writer is inclined to think that the 
best defence for the sole of the boot is by placing, at equal intervals 
of about f inch, nails with square steel heads of moderate size, and not 
projecting more than an eighth of an inch from the surface. The heel 
should be protected all round by larger and stronger nails. Although 
necessary, this is sometimes inconvenient : the more nails there are in the 
boots, the more caution is needed on smooth surfaces of rock. Everyone 
with the least experience knows that it is rash to commence walking in new 
boots. They should be worn for three or four weeks beforehand. Good 
boots are now to be had from several makers in London, but it is not 
easy to induce them to pay sufficient attention to the requirements of each 
customer. Porpoise skin is an excellent material, being pliable and very 
durable. 

The writer has found it very difficult to procure woollen socks as thick 
and strong as are required in Alpine walking. Such are made occasionally in 
Scotland, and in some parts of Piedmont. Gaiters are essential for walking 
in snow. As material, the writer prefers strong canvas bound with leather. 

Coloured flannel shirts, of a kind not liable to shrink when washed, are the 
best dress to walk in, linen or cotton being kept for a change in the evening 

Grey felt hats, with moderately wide brim, are preferred by most 
travellers. When it is not intended to make the ascent of the higher pt aks, 
a hat of vegetable fibre, of the kind called Panama, much lighter and giving 
better protection against the sun, is more agreeable. 

Gloves of doe-skin, or those called in France castor, which are not spoiled 
by wet, are the best for mountain wear. 

The Knapsack and its Contents. — In choosing a knapsack, the pedestrian 
will probably be guided by the consideration that if he should intend to 
carry it himself, he will do well to reduce the weight as far as possible ; 
while if he means to hire a guide to carry ir, he need not be so careful on 
that head. In the latter case, and supposing him to keep to ordinary routes 
traversed by beaten paths, he may increase the weight to 20 or even 25 lbs.; 
but if he intend to attempt long and difficult; passes, he should avoid over- 
burdening the guides, who besides his knapsack have to carry provisions and 
other necessaries. In the writer's opinion, the best knapsacks for mountain 



ADVICE TO PEDESTRIANS. 



Xli 



work are those sold in London, made of strong but light oil-cloth, without 
any stiffening or frame. The common defect is that the straps are not wide 
enough, and press too much on the shoulders. A change of outer clothing 
is by no means necessary, though a second pair of light trousers is sometimes 
convenient. The following articles of clothing, in addition to those actually 
in wear, he believes to be sufficient for an expedition of several weeks : — One 
flannel shirt, three linen or cotton shirts, one pair drawers, two pair thick 
woollen socks if strong enough, two pair light cotton or silk socks, six pocket- 
handkerchiefs of silk or of linen, considerably thicker than is generally 
worn, one or two extra pair of doe-skin gloves, and, lastly, a waistcoat of thick 
knitted worsted, made with sleeves, as worn by the country ptople in some 
parts of France. This is invaluable in case of passing the night in a chalet, 
or bivouacking in some exposed place, weighing out a few ounces, and keeping 
the body very warm. Slippers are an all but indispensable luxury after a 
hard day's walk. Washing materials are most compactly carried in a small 
sheet of macintosh with pockets for soap, brushes, &c. Those who, 
without being botanists, like to carry away some specimens of the beautiful 
vegetation of the high Alps will add a quire, or less, of soft thick paper, and a 
sheet of light pasteboard of the same size. By tying them up tight with a 
piece of twine, small specimens will dry perfectly in the knapsack. A tin 
sandwich-box is very convenient for keeping together many of the small 
articles next enumerated, which cannot all be carried in the pockets. There 
will generally be one or two extra maps not in actual use, and some will add 
a favourite book to the contents of the knapsack. 

Small Articles to be carried in the Pockets or Knapsack. 

A compass is often of great value ; it may be connected with a clinometer. 

A note-book, with a good pencil, not such as are commonly sold with it, may have 

a pocket to hold a passport and two or three sheets of letter paper, envelopes, 

court plaster, &c. 

A drinking-cup — indispensable — either of leather, or metal made to shut up. 

A blue or green gauze veil, for protecting the eyes and skin when crossing snow- 
fields, A mask is a more complete protection to the skin, but renders spec- 
tacles indispensable. 

A pair of blue spectacles, for the same purpose. Both should be taken. 

A strong knife, and small corkscrew. 

A light opera-glass. 

A shrill whistle, for signalling to a guide or companion, is often useful. 

Wax lucifer-matches: besides which, a smoker should not omit cigar-lights, which 

are not to be had in remote places. 
Strong twine and a few pieces of thicker cord are often useful. 
Lip-salve, or cold cream, or glycerine, to protect the skin in long exposure at a high 

level. 

A little Arnica, adhesive plaster, and lint, in case of wounds or bruises. 

A few Seidlitz powders or other simple medicine. 

Needles, thread, and buttons, with a little strong black ribbon. 

Of the lighter articles which turn to account in the traveller's dietary, the 
writer recommends a small supply of tea, half a pound of dried prunes or 
raisins, and half a pound of chocolate. On this head tastes will differ. 
Many travellers carry a flask ; and it is often useful, though not at all 
necessary. Except in certain limestone districts, good water is abundant 



xlii 



INTRODUCTION. 



in all mountain countries ; and in long and fatiguing expeditions the guides 
always carry wine, which the traveller will do well to use with great 
moderation, and mixed with water. KirscJiicasser and other spirituous 
liquors, though sometimes useful in cases of exhaustion, often do mischief by 
stimulating the circulation already over-excited. The writer has found cold 
tea, which may be diluted with water, or mixed with a little red wine, the 
best remedy against thirst. 

Waterproof capes and overcoats are now made extremely light, and are 
easily carried; but, however useful on horseback, they are not to be 
recommended to pedestrians. A Scotch plaid, not too heavy, is incom- 
parably a more useful covering. When properly worn, it resists heavy 
rain ; it is often useful as extra covering, during a halt on a mountain-top 
when a keen wind is blowing, or in the evening in cold quarters ; and it is 
no less serviceable at night when a traveller sleeps in a hay-shed, or as a 
substitute for the suspicious coverings of the beds in the lower order of 
mountain inns. The plaid is best carried strapped to the knapsack, and 
along with it the writer recommends a strong but not too heavy umbrella. 
This is even more useful as a protection against the sun than against rain. 
A strong wooden handle is far better than iron, which is often bent when 
exposed to gusts of wind. 

Some special notice is due to the Alpenstock, the constant companion of 
the Alpine traveller. It must be owned that this article is not in the least 
necessary to the moderate tourist who follows beaten tracks, and it is 
equally true that those commonly sold in Switzerland are perfectly useless 
on those occasions when an effective alpenstock is required. A walking- 
stick with an iron point to it is convenient in ascending a steep and slippery 
path, and in descending there is an advantage in having it longer than 
usual. On this understanding, the ordinary alpenstock may be recommended 
to the ordinary tourist. The chamois horn that is often attached is positively 
objectionable, being likely to tear the hand in case of a slight slip. The 
alpenstock that is to serve a mountaineer should be made of seasoned ash, 
and strong enough to bear without the least sign of breakage the entire 
weight of the body at the middle, while the ends are supported. It should 
be thickest at the bottom, where it receives the point, and where it is some- 
times exposed to great strain when it happens to catch in a cleft ; and 
should taper gradually to the top where there is no risk of breakage. The 
point should be made of tough steel, from 3 to 4 inches in length, and not 
too sharp. The writer has found it decidedly advantageous, when using the 
alpenstock for cutting steps in ice, to have the steel end made in the shape 
of a blunt chisel, or wedge, about three-quarters of an inch in width. The 
traveller who is not already provided with a trusty weapon, will do well to 
have the point made in England, of good steel, and to get the ash pole in 
the first town near the Alps, where he may halt for half a day. The steel 
point should have a long shank to be driven into the pole, and be secured 
with a substantial iron collar. 

Still more essential than the alpenstock to those who wish to explore the 
higher regions of the Alps is the rope. The uses of this are noticed in the 
next Art. It is better to procure this in England, though a tolerable article 
may be had in most foreign towns. Some mountaineers use a fine sash- 
line. However good the material, this is too sliuht, both because it is too 



ON MOUNTAINEERING. 



xliii 



quickly worn by pressure at a single point, and because it cuts the hands 
when used to draw up a heavy weight. Others carry ropes much too heavy, 
which become a positive encumbrance, and are sometimes left behind when 
they are wanted. The best rope that the writer has seen is made of Manilla 
hemp, strong enough to bear the weight of several men, yet not heavy. A 
length of 40 ft. is quite enough for three men. There is some convenience 
in having each member of a party provided with a separate short piece of 
rope fastened round his waist, and with an end ready to be fastened to a 
knot in the rope which serves as the common attachment, but it should be 
observed that every knot diminishes the strength of the rope to a perceptible 
extent. When this plan is adopted, some extra care is required to see that 
each knot is well fastened. A leather belt, with a swivel spring-hook at- 
tached, is preferred by some. 

The Ice-axe — On this head the writer refers his readers to the report of 
a committee appointed by the Alpine Club, printed in the Alpine Journal, 
and also in a separate form. The traveller is not likely to provide himself 
until he has gained experience, the task of cutting steps being usually left 
to the guides, and when experienced will choose an implement to suit his 
own taste. The writer has found the form with a pick at one side most 
serviceable for botanical purposes ; and will further remark, that in a descent 
over a short ice-slope the chisel-pointed alpenstock, above spoken of, is a 
serviceable weapon. 

Crampons are irons a little wider than the foot, and attached with a 
leather strap, having four points turned downwards. They are sometimes 
convenient on a moderately steep snow-slope, when the snow is too hard to 
yield to the foot, but is pierced by the crampons. On hard ice or rock they 
are useless and disagreeable, and therefore not in favour with mountaineers. 
Screws of hard steel, with square four-pointed heads, and arranged in a 
convenient way for being driven into the soles and heels of boots, are sold 
by Lund in Fleet Street. These are found very useful, but in walking over 
rocks it is difficult to avoid knocking them out of their places. 

Art. IX. — On Mountaineering:. 

Its Difficulties and Dangers — Needful Precautions. 
All active exercises and athletic sports require a certain amount of 
training, in order that the muscles and senses may be used to act together. 
Most Englishmen acquire in early life habits of bodily activity that" make 
mountaineering come easy to them, and what more is required must be 
gained by experience. A few hints may, however, not be thrown away 
upon beginners. The quality of sure-footedness— a mountaineer s first 
desideratum — depends upon two habits, both easily acquired: first, that of 
lifting the foot well from the ground, and bringing it down at once ; secondly, 
that of observing the spot on which the foot is to rest. It is not mainly in 
order to choose the ground for each footstep that this is useful, though in 
some places it is requisite to do so: the chief advantage is that the muscles, 
being warned by the eye, are prepared for the precise exertion that is wanted 
at the moment. If aware that the next step is to be on rock worn smooth, 
an instinctive movement of the body is made to maintain the hold of the 
ground, when otherwise a slip would be inevitable. In the same way a 



xliv 



INTRODUCTION. 



suitable slight effort often prevents debris from slipping, but here the choice 
of the particular stone on which the foot is to rest becomes important. With 
habit, the slightest glance at the ground is sufficient, and. the process is an 
almost unconscious one. 

The chief use of the alpenstock is in descending over steep and rough 
ground. Grasping the pole in both hands, the whole weight of the body may 
be safely thrown back upon the point, and in a few minutes it is easy to clear 
by a succession of leaps a distance which otherwise would require thrice the 
time. It is often necessary to pass at a level along the face of a very steep 
slope. The beginner, involuntarily shrinking from the apparent dunger, is 
apt to lean in the opposite direction. This is a mistake, as by causing an 
outward, thrust of the foot the risk of slipping is much increased. In all 
such places the body should be kept perfectly upright, and the alpenstock 
keld in both hands ready to steady the balance, or by a bold thrust at the 
ascending slope to stay the movement if the loot should begin to slip. It 
must be recollected that wherever the alpenstock is really wanted, it must 
be held in both hands. On very steep ground it is sometimes extremely 
difficult to avoid detaching loose fragments of rock, which may be a source 
of real danger to the traveller's companions. When possible, especially in 
a descent, it is best to take slightly different lines, so that the foremost shall 
not be in the way of stones sent down by the next comer. When this is 
not possible, the best plan is for the party to keep close together. The risk 
of harm is much less when the detached stone has not acquired a dangerous 
velocity. 

The preceding hints apply to travelling over rocks and rough ground, 
such as may be found in all high mountain districts. The peculiar difficul- 
ties of Alpine travelling depend upon the extent of ice and snow that cover 
the upper region. The ice is chiefly in the form of glaciers, whose origin 
and constitution are described in Art. XIII. : the snow, except after a recent 
fall, is in that peculiar condition called neve. In ascending the Alps, the 
traveller usually begins his acquaintance with the ice region by traversing a 
greater or less exteat of glacier ice ; if he continue to ascend, he will reach the 
neve, and it may easily happen that, at a still greater height, he will find the 
surface covered with a layer of fresh snow. The surface of a glacier is 
sometimes very even and slightly inclined, sometimes steep and irregular, 
being cut up by deep rents called crevasses, which may vary from a few 
inches to many yards in width. When the sun has shone for even a short 
time upon the glacier, the upper layer of ice partially melts, leaving a crisp 
and crumbling surface, on which the foot holds very well ; but after rain, 
and before sunrise, the ice generally shows a hard and very slippery surface ; 
the foot, though shod with steel points, makes scarcely any impression, and 
it is necessary to cut steps with much labour on slopes that a few hours later 
may be crossed with ease. The lower portion of a glacier, below the point 
where the ice is covered with neve, is quite as easy and safe to traverse as if 
it were formed of rock instead of ice. Reasonable caution is needed in 
jumping over crevasses, but there is no more reason why a traveller should 
fail into them than that he should walk over the edge of a chalk cliff on the 
South Downs. 

Above the limit of the neve the obstacles that stand in the way of the 
mountaineer may properly be called dangers rather than difficulties, and are 
discussed below under that head. 



ON MOUNTAINEERING. 



xlv 



In the ascent of the higher peaks of the Alps, the pleasure and excitement 
are not unalloyed by some inconveniences. The first of these is thirst, pain- 
fully felt by those who are not used to such expeditions. In this, as in other 
matters, prevention is better than cure. The practice of carrying a small 
quartz pebble in the mouth has been ridiculed, but it rests upon a rational 
foundation. By causing an involuntary movement of the jaws, it stimulates 
the salivary glands, and keeps the mouth moist. In cases where this means 
of prevention is insufficient, dried prunes or raisins are to be recom- 
mended; they are far more serviceable than drinking. The fruit should be 
kept in the mouth as long as possible, and chewed very slowly during the 
ascent. As a drink along with food, cold tea diluted is the best remedy for 
thirst. 

Another source of inconvenience is the heat of the sun upon the head. A 
thermometer exposed upon the. writer's black felt hat has risen to 151° Fahr. 
It is only surprising that the consequences are not more serious to the wearer. 
A layer of cotton wadding tied round and over the hat gives some pro- 
tection. At the risk of appearing eccentric, the writer has found relief 
from carrying an umbrella over the snow-fields. 

More serious than either of the above is the risk of frost-bites. Numbness 
in the feet or hands is the first symptom. Vigorous clenching of the toes or 
fingers usually prevents mischief. When this has actually commenced, vio- 
lent rubbing with snow, and beating the parts affected, are the proper means 
for restoring circulation. 

The painful affection called mountain- sickness is due to the combined 
effects of unusual exertion and the diminished density of the air at great 
heights. It shows itself by difficulty of breathing, indisposition to exertion, 
headache, drowsiness, loss of appetite, and, if continued, by nausea. It is 
felt only by persons unused to the attenuated air of the high region ; and 
those accustomed to exertion at a height of 10,000 or 11,000 ft. rarely 
suffer in ascending the higher peaks of the Alps. As it seldom attacks 
travellers till they are near the goal of their exertions, it may usually be 
overcome by patience and perseverance. The patient should halt every 
twenty paces, oi even oftener, and not resort to strong liquor as a restora- 
tive. The best proof that unusual exertion is the chief cause of the symp- 
toms, is the fact that they are never felt in descending, even from the highest 
summits. Although habit diminishes very much the evil effects, there is 
little doubt that all mountaineers are more or less affected by the mechani- 
cal and physiological disadvantages that attend muscular exertion at a great 
height. If the time be noted that is required to ascend two snow-slopes 
of equal height and steepness, but at very different elevations, it will be seen 
that much more is consumed at an elevation exceeding 13,000 ft. than is 
required at 9,000 or 10,000. 

Long exposure to the glare of the snow, especially in sunshine, is very apt 
to cause inflammation either of the eyes themselves, or of the surrounding mem- 
branes. The precaution of wearing dark spectacles, or a gauze veil, or both 
together, should be adopted in time, without waiting till disagreeable sensations 
are felt. These show that the inflammatory action has begun. The conse- 
quences of neglecting these precautions are sometimes extremely painful. 
The best remedy is to apply a cloth or handkerchief, steeped in water, 
closely pressed upon the inflamed eyelids, and retained as long as possible. 
Tepid water should be preferred. 



xlvi 



INTRODUCTION. 



This list of minor miseries of mountaineering may be closed with one 
which is often felt for some days after an ascent, though but little at the 
moment. This is the blistering and peeling off of the skin, caused by the 
direct rays of the sun, or the reflection from the snow, aided by the sharp 
wind which usually blows at great heights. After a long day's exposure at 
a great height it often happens that every portion of the outer skin exposed 
to the air peels off, leaving the surface raw and uncomfortable for several 
days. Cold cream or glycerine applied beforehand is a preventive, and the 
veil acts as a partial protection. The lips are the part that most frequently 
suffers from this cause, being sometimes split in a painful manner. Collodion, 
although a disagreeable application, is sometimes useful by forming a pellicle 
over the surface which excludes the air. Some prefer a calico mask to a veil. 

Blisters in the soles of the feet should not be cut, but pierced with a 
needle near the edge, and the contents pressed out. Rubbing the inside of 
the sock with yellow soap is a preventative, and it is a good plan to rub the 
feet with tallow and brandy. Some persons are apt to lose the skin of the 
toes during a long and steep descent. It is easily replaced by good adhesive 
plaster. A French article, called Taffetas Boggio, is superior to most English 
court-plaster. 

Precautions for Health. — Few of these are required ; for the combination of 
active exercise, pure air, and freedom from care is better for the health than 
all the prescriptions yet framed by doctors. A few hints may not be useless. 

Avoid overworking yourself at first. 

When fatigued after an unusually hard day's work, avoid wine, and drink 
weak tea in the evening. You will sleep soundly and awake refreshed. 

Should you still feel the effects of over-fatigue, make the following day one 
of rest. 

Make it an invariable rule to wash extensively with cold water, and change 
your inner clothing immediately on your arrival after a day's walk. 

Dietary. — In some parts of the Alps, in the Bernese Oberland, and about 
Chamouni, it is quite safe to rely on obtaining food at the places where a 
traveller puts up for the night. In other districts, where the supplies are 
poor and scanty, it is necessary to carry supplies, more or less extensive 
according to the wants of each traveller. The writer has found 1 lb. of rice 
per day, thoroughly boiled in the excellent milk which is always to be had 
at the upper chalets, quite sufficient to give two good meals to two travellers. 
Chocolate may be used for one meal, but in that case bread should also be 
taken. Hard-boiled eggs contain much nourishment in small space. They 
are usually boiled too hard ; five minutes is quite enough, but even so they 
are not very attractive food. The only bread commonly found in chalets is 
a hard black bread, baked once or twice a year, and not agreeable to un- 
accustomed palates. On the Italian side of the Alps a substitute for bread 
is often found in the shape of polenta, made of the maize flour. When the 
flour is good and thoroughly cooked, this, eaten with fresh butter, is whole- 
some and palatable food. The brousse made in the cheese chalets in many 
parts of the Alps is highly recommended by some, but does not suit all 
stomachs. 

The travellers who have explored many of the wilder and least accessible 
parts of the Alps, where the want of wholesome food is a serious impedi- 
ment to a prolonged stay, do not seem as yet to have used the supplies which 



BANGERS AND PRECAUTIONS. 



xlvii 



are now to be had in most of the great cities of Europe. It is well known 
that excellent meat, well cooked, with or without vegetables, is prepared in 
hermetically-sealed tin cases, and such cases have been largely supplied to 
exploring expeditions. In -some parts of the Alps there maybe a little 
practical difficulty in conveying considerable supplies in this form, but it 
may be useful to point out that, as nearly all the valleys of the Piedmontese 
Alps are accessible in a few hours from Turin, there can be no great difficulty 
in conveying a few tin cases of cooked meat to any required point on that 
side of the main chain. Very good articles are supplied at the establishment 
of Fratelli Lancia, Piazza del Palazzo di Citta, Turin. The price of a case 
containing 1 kilogramme — more than 2 lbs.— of beef or veal, is about 5 francs; 
and for half that quantity, 3 francs. Their boeuf a, la mode, boeuf aux fines 
herbes, and boeuf a la financiere, are highly commended. Those who wish 
to indulge in luxurious living in the Alps, may order larger cases, containing 
stuffed capon, or other elaborate dishes. 

In taking food for a long day's excursion, cold roast meat is generally the 
best. The guides are disposed to take more than is really wanted, yet, as 
they consult their own tastes more than that of their employers, it is well to 
look sharply to the choice that is made. It is a good plan to scoop a hollow 
in each roll or loaf of bread, and introduce a lump of fresh butter, closing 
the opening with bread. Butter is always welcome at a great height, and is 
very useful against thirst. The same remark applies to honey. Chocolate 
and dried prunes are desirable articles as a reserve in case of need. 

Sleeping Bag. — Travellers who shrink from the bad quarters often 
encountered in the higher valleys of Piedmont and Savoy, and the still 
worse abominations of Dauphine, may follow a fashion lately introduced to 
the Alps from the Pyrenees, where such articles have long been in use, and 
make themselves independent of lodging by means of a sleeping-bag. 
Various patterns have been tried, varying in weight from 7 lbs. to more than 
double as much. The best arrangement seems to be that described by Mr. 
F. F. Tuckett in the first number of the ' Alpine Journal.' The bag 
described by him, which weighs about 8| lbs v and costs 3/. 8s. 6d., is made 
of a thick sort of blanketing, called swan-skin, partly covered with macintosh; 
in addition to which is a macintosh sheet, which may be used to cover the 
sleeper or his guides. Mr. Tuckett, who passed a night in this bag on the 
peak of Monte Viso, justly remarks that to sleep at so great a height, and 
in so exposed a situation, is rather too severe a trial for the guides, only 
excusable in the case of those who turn their excursions to account for the 
progress of science. This objection does not exist to a bivouac where wood 
for firing is attainable. 

The dangers of Alpine travelling have been often exaggerated, but they 
are real, and no rational man will disregard them. The best proof that these 
dangers are not greater than those attending many other active exercises, such 
as fox-hunting and yachting, is the fact that, in spite of inexperience and the 
neglect of the best known precautions, the fatal accidents in the Alps have 
been so few. The loss of more than forty lives within a few years, and a 
much larger number of very narrow escapes, some of them happening to 
first-rate guides and mountaineers, ought, however, to operate as a salutary 
warning. The wives and mothers of Alpine travellers, who are disquieted by 
the reports of accidents, shoud know that scarcely one has yet occurred that 



slviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



would not have been prevented by ordinary caution, and adherence to well- 
known rules: and, instead of endeavouring to withhold their husbands and 
sons from a healthful and invigorating pursuit, should simply urge them 
to observe the precautions which afford security against all its ordinary 
dangers. 

The following remarks are condensed, with slight alterations, from a paper 
by the present writer, in the First Series of 1 Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers.' 

The dangers of Alpine expeditions may be divided into two classes — the 
real and the imaginary. "Where a ridge or slope of rock or ice is such that 
it could be traversed without difficulty if it lay but a few feet above the level 
of a garden, the substitution on either side of a precipice some thousands of 
feet in depth, or of a glacier crevasse, makes no real difference in the work 
to be done, though it may have a formidable effect on the traveller's imagina- 
tion. Those who cannot remove this source of danger by accustoming 
themselves to look unmoved down vertical precipices, and. in cases of real 
difficulty, to fix their attention exclusively on the ledge or jutting crag to 
which they must cling with foot or hand, should avoid expeditions where a 
moment's nervousness may endanger their own lives or those of others. 

The real dangers of the high Alps may, under ordinary circumstances, be 
reduced to three. First, the yielding of the snow-bridges that cover glacier 
crevasses; second, the ri<k of slipping upon steep slopes of hard ice ; third, 
the fall of ice or rocks from above. 

From the first and most frequent source of danger absolute security is 
obtained by a precaution generally known, but often neglected. In the 
higher region of the glaciers, crevasses, even of considerable width, are often 
completely bridged over by a covering of snow or neve, so that no indication 
of their existence is seen on the surface of the glacier. The bridges, especially 
when formed of fresh snow, often yield under the weight of a man's footsteps; 
in such a case an active man whose attention is on the ;Tlert may sometimes 
extricate himself at once, but it more commonly happens that he falls into 
the chasm beneath, in which case his chance of life is very uncertain. But if 
several travellers are tied together with a stout rope, at intervals of about 
15 feet, as it is most unlikely that more than one should fall at the same 
time into the same crevasse, no appreciable danger from this cause need be 
incurred. Even two travellers tied together may with a proper attention 
avoid this risk, but greater security is obtained when they are three or more 
in number. It is mainly because he cannot be protected from this danger 
that a man who goes alone over the higher regions of the great glaciers incurs 
a risk that must be called unjustifiable. 

As it is hard to persuade a landsman that a well-found yacht has more 
danger to fear in a fog, with a smooth sea around, than when a stiff breeze is 
blowing, so inexperienced mountaineers are slow to admit that there is more 
real chance of accident in traversing some wide expanse of neve, unbroken by 
a single ruffle, than in crossing a broken glacier with wide crevasses opening 
on every side. A very moderate amount of practice enables a man to make 
sure of his footing and to avoid seen dangers, but unseen perils call forth 
no caution, and though the rope offers complete security, many travellers, 
and even some good guides, are disposed to neglect it. At the risk of 
being thought over-cautious, the writer will not cease to urge upon his 
fellow-travellers in the Alps the enactment, as a fixed rule in mountaineer- 
ing, that on reaching the limit of the neve the members of a party should all 



DANGERS AND PRECAUTIONS. 



xlix 



be roped together. He is perfectly aware that there are many places where 
the risk is very slight : a practised mountaineer might cross the Theodule 
Pass 500 times without accident, but the 501st time he might be lost in a 
crevasse, as has happened twice on or near the pass since the writer first 
knew it. With a sufficient inducement, and if it were impossible to find a 
companion, he would not hesitate to cross that or some other high passes 
alone ; but if he were in company, he would insist on the use of the rope. 

It would seem scarcely necessary to insist that the rope should be sound 
and strong, if it did not often happen that untrustworthy articles are taken 
by guides; and it is not less important to note that it should be fastened 
round the body of each member of the party, guides included, leaving both 
hands free to use the alpenstock in case of a slip. A neglect of the first 
precaution led to a fatal accident in 1859, and to another in 1863, and a 
breach of the second to the loss of three English travellers, and one of their 
guides, in 1860, in the descent from the Col du Geant to Courmayeur. 

When it is a matter of importance to cross a snow -bridge of doubtful 
solidity, it is a good plan to let each person in succession crawl across on 
hands and knees, with the alpenstock in one hand laid flat upon the snow, 
so as to distribute the weight over as large a surface as possible. It is need- 
less to say that, as a matter of course, the whole party should be well roped 
together. 

The ascent and descent of steep ice-slopes are amongst the most difficult 
operations that commonly fall in the way of the mountaineer, but when 
properly conducted there should be little or no danger to those concerned. 
It should be explained that the term ice-slope is commonly applied to slopes 
of neve on which, after a certain amount of exposure, a crust is formed, too 
hard to yield to the foot, yet very different from compact glacier ice. This 
icy crust yields easily to the axe, and a couple of well-directed blows suffice 
to make a step on which the foot may take secure hold. When we read of 
ascents in which several hundred steps have been cut, it must usually be 
understood that these have been made on slopes of frozen neve. Though 
the operation is rather tedious, and fatiguing to those engaged in cutting the 
steps, such ascents seldom involve any risk, for the steps are usually very 
easily enlarged so as to give good standing-ground. On slopes exposed to 
the sun, where a thin layer of snow has lain over rocks, the whole mass is 
sometimes so saturated by the melting of the surface that when refrozen at 
night it is converted into a continuous mass of nearly compact solid ice. Such 
a slope, especially if it be steep, is far more troublesome than those above 
described; to cut steps is a much more laborious operation, and these are 
generally shallower, and give but precarious footing. In such situations 
some experience and perfect steadiness are indispensable, and it is essential 
that the rope should be kept tightly stretched. 

In spite of every precaution, a traveller may slip on an ice-slope where, if 
unchecked, a fall would lead to certain destruction. Against this danger the 
rope is usually an effectual preservative. Cases are said to occur where the 
footing is so precarious that a party cannot be tied together, as, if one were 
to slip, he would inevitably drag all his companions along with him to destruc- 
tion. It is for those concerned to consider whether in such instances the 
object in view is such as to justify the inevitable peril of the ascent. The 
writer believes, however, that such cases are extremely rare, and that very 



1 



INTEODUCTION. 



few slopes Lave yet been surmounted where two men, with well-stretched 
rope, could not hold up a third who should slip, especially if the latter be 
not wanting in steadiness and presence of mind. 

There is one description of slope which usually involves serious risk. That 
is when a layer of fresh snow lies upon a surface of hard ice, or even well- 
compacted neve. For some days there is little adhesion between the upper 
and the under layer, and if the slope be steep the disturbance caused by the 
pressure of a foot may easily produce an avalanche capable of carrying away 
and burying an entire party. Practical experience is needed to determine 
whether the ascent can be safely attempted. Two fatal accidents that 
have occurred in the numerous ascents of Mont Blanc should serve as 
warnings against attempting an ascent when the snow is in this condition. 

The dangers arising from masses of ice or rock falling across t>.e track 
are at the moment beyond the skill of the traveller, but they may, to a 
great extent, be avoided by a judicious choice of route. Experienced 
mountaineers learn to recognise the positions where ice detached from a 
higher level descends over a precipice or steep slope of rock. Tbey either 
avoid such spots altogether, or are careful to pass them early in the morning, 
before the sun has loosened the impending masses, or late in the day, after 
his rays have been withdrawn. 

During bad weather the ordinary risks of Alpine travelling are much 
increased, and serious dangers from other causes may assail the traveller. 
Masses of rock are detached from their previously firm resting-places, and 
come thundering down across the track. Falling snow obscures the view 
and effaces the foot-prints, so that it becomes equally difficult to advance 
and to retreat. Most formidable of all, the tourmente, or snow whirlwind — 
when the wind begins to blow in violent gusts — bewilders the traveller-, 
half blinded by the fine dust-like snow of the higher regions, and benumbs 
his limbs with its biting breath if he be unable to keep up rapid exercise. 
A reasonable man will not attempt expeditions in the higher region of the 
Alps during bad weather, and will resort to an immediate retreat when 
unexpectedly attacked by it. Attention to the bearings of the compass and 
to landmarks will enable travellers to retrace their steps. In attempting 
to traverse an unknown glacier, it is prudent to gain a height overlooking 
the projected route, and examine the surface carefully through a glass. 

Sad experience has proved that the most serious danger is incurred when 
inexperienced men take part in difficult expeditions. 

Art. X.— Climate and Vegetation of the Alps. 

Chalet-life in the Alps. 

The narrow limits of this Introduction admit of but a brief reference to a 
subject which it is difficult to treat without entering into some detail. The 
climate of the Alps determines the character of the vegetation, and unon 
this depend the occupations and manner of life of the inhabitants. Writers 
upon this subject have attached too much importance to the absolute height 
above the sea-level, as though this had a predominant influence upon the 
climate; whereas the position of each locality in respect to the great 



CLIMATE AND VEGETATION OF THE ALPS. 



li 



mountain masses, and the local conditions of exposure to the sun and 
protection from cold winds, or the reverse, are of primary importance in 
deciding the climate and the vegetation. 

Olive Region — Along the southern base of the Alps we find a first 
illustration of the remark above made. The climate of the lower declivities 
and the mouths of the valleys is markedly warmer than that of the plains 
of Piedmont and Lombardy. While the winter climate of Milan is colder 
than that of Edinburgh, the olive ripens its fruit along the skirts of the 
mountain region, and penetrates to a certain distance towards the interior 
of the chain along the lakes and the wider valleys of the Southern Alps. 
The olive has even become wild on the shores of the Lake of Garda, where 
the evergreen oak is indigenous, and lemons are grown on a large scale, with 
partial protection during the winter. The climate of the Borromean islands 
and some points on the shores of the Lago Maggiore is known to permit the 
growth of many plants of the warmer temperate zone, while at a distance 
of a few miles, and close to the shores of the same lake, but in positions 
exposed to the cold winds from the Alps, plants of the Alpine region grow 
freely, and no delicate perennials can survive the winter. Accurate 
information is wanting as to the temperature of this region. The olive has 
been known to resist a temperature of — 9° Cent., or about 16° Fahr., but i? 
generally destroyed by a much less degree of cold. Its successful cultivation 
may be held to indicate a winter in which frosts are neither long nor severe, 
where the mean temperature of winter does not fall below 42° Fahr., and a 
heat of at least 75° Fahr. during the day is continued through four or five 
months of the summer and autumn. 

Vine Region. — The vine is far more tolerant of cold than the olive, and 
will produce fruit with a much lower summer temperature ; but to give 
tolerable wine it demands, at the season of the ripening of the grape, a 
degree of heat not much below that needed by the olive. These conditions 
are satisfied throughout a great part of the Alpine chain in the deeper 
valleys, and in favourable situations up to a considerable height on their 
northern slopes. While the olive region is but exceptionally represented on 
the S. side, the vine not only extends to form a girdle round the base of the 
chain, but reaches near to the very foot of the greater peaks. The fitness 
of a particular spot for the production of wine depends far more on the 
direction of the valley, and of the prevailing winds, than on its height. 
Hence it happens that in the Canton Valais, the valley of the Arc in Savoy, 
and some others on the N. side of the dividing range, tolerable wine is 
made at higher level than in in the valleys of Lombardy, whose direction 
allows the free passage of the keen northern blasts. It is not uncommon 
to see vineyards rising in terraces on the N. slope, exposed to the full force 
of the sun, while on the opposite declivity the pine descends to the level of 
the valley. The vine in the Alps often resists a winter temperature which 
would kill it down to the roots in the low country, doubtless because of the 
protection afforded by the deep winter snow. An early thaw followed by 
spring frosts ofren injures the crop. A mean summer temperature ot' 
68° Fahr. is considered necessary to produce tolerable wine, but in most of 
the places where the vine is grown in the Alps the heat rises, at least occa- 
sionally, much beyond the required limit. In fine weather the thermometer 
often stands at and above 80° Fahr. in the shade in the valleys. Along with 



Ill 



INTRODUCTION. 



the vine many species of wild plants, especially annuals, characteristic of 
the flora of the S. of Europe, show themselves in the valleys of the Alps. 

The Mountain Region, or Region of Deciduous T rees. — Many writers take 
the growth of corn as the characteristic of the colder temperate zone, 
corresponding to what has been called the mountain region of the Alps. 
But so many varieties of all the common species, with widely different, 
requirements, are in cultivation, that it is impossible to identify the growth of 
cereals in general with any natural division of the surface. A more natural 
limit is marked by the presence of the principal deciduous trees. Although 
the oak, beech, and ash do not reach exactly the same height, and are 
not often present together in the Alps, their upper limit corresponds 
accurately enough to that transition from a temperate to a colder climate, 
that is shown by a general change in the wild herbaceous vegetation. The 
lower limit of this district is, as we have seen, too irregular to admit of 
definition ; its upper boundary, marked by the gradual disappearance of the 
above-mentioned trees, is at about 4,000 ft. on the N. side of the Alps, and 
often rises to 5,500 ft. on the southern slopes. It would be a mistake to 
suppose that the aspect of this region is mainly characterised by its tree 
vegetation. The climate appears to be favourable to one or other of the 
trees which have been named as marking its limits, but the interference of 
man has done much to eradicate them. It is probable that at a very early 
date they were extensively destroyed for use in building, and to clear space 
for meadow and pasture land ; so that, if we except the beech forests of the 
Austrian Alps, there is scarcely a considerable wood of deciduous trees to be 
seen anywhere in the chain. In many districts, where population is not 
too dense, the pine and Scotch fir have taken the place of the oak and 
beech, mainly because the young plants are not so eagerly attacked by 
goats, the great destroyers of tree vegetation. On the S. side of the Alps, 
the chestnut, although naturally an inhabitant of a warmer region, has in 
many districts replaced the other deciduous tree, rising to within 1,000 ft. of 
the same height, being met by the pine, which descends through the inter- 
mediate space. To this region belong many of the lower ranges on the 
outskirts of the Alpine chain, and some highland pastoral districts, such as 
those of the Beauges in Savoy, of the Swiss Canton of Appenzell, and the 
plateaux of the Venetian Alps between the Adige and the Piave. We find 
here one form of the peculiar condition of society characteristic of the 
Alpine highlands, but this is more conveniently described in connection with 
the next region. The annual mean temperature of this region is not very 
different from that of the British Islands, but the climatal conditions are as 
different as possible. Here snow lies for several months together, till it 
disappears rapidly in a few weeks of warm spring weather, and gives 
place to a summer considerably warmer than the average of our seasons. 

The Subalpine Region, or Region of Coniferous Trees. — This is the region 
which mainly determines the manner of life of the population of the Alps. 
On a rough estimate of the region lying between the summits of the Alps 
and the plain country that encircles them, we may reckon the whole amount 
of land in cultivation at about one-quarter of the surface, and of which 
but little more than a half is under vineyards or corn-fields, and the 
remainder produces forage and artificial meadow. Nearly another quarter 
may be set down as utterly barren, consisting of snow-fields, glaciers, 



CLIMATE AND VEGETATION OF THE ALPS. 



liii 



bare rock, lakes, and the beds of streams, leaving about one-half of 
the entire surface which is divided between forest and grass land, either 
natural meadow or pasture. These proportions show clearly that if any- 
considerable population is to derive a subsistence from the soil, it must 
be from feeding animals, and not from the direct production of human food. 
It is principally from the subalpine region that these animals draw their 
support. Grass-land is, indeed, abundant in some parts of the mountain 
region, but it is chiefly reserved for hay, while the upper pastures of the 
subalpine and Alpine regions support the herds and flocks during the fine 
season. Botanically this region is best distinguished by the prevalence of 
coniferous trees, forming vast forests that, if not kept down by man, and by 
the tooth of the goat, would cover the slopes of the Alps. The prevalent 
species are the common and the silver fir. In gmnitie districts the 
larch flourishes, and reaches a greater size than any other tree. Less 
common are the Scotch fir and the arolla or Siberian fir. In the Eastern 
Alps the mughus, dwarf-pine, or Krummholz of the Germans, becomes con- 
spicuous, forming a distinct zone on the higher mountains, above the level 
of its congeners. The pine forests play a most important part in the 
natural economy of the Alps, and their preservation is a matter of vital 
consequence to the future inhabitants. Through ignorance or recklessness, 
the destruction of the forests has in some districts been carried much too 
far; for the present gain derived from the sale of the timber, and the 
additional space gained for pasture, may be dearly purchased by future 
sterility. In the Northern Alps the coniferous trees scarcely attain to a 
height of 6,000 ft., while on the S. side they often reach 7,000 ft. The 
larch, the arolla, and the mughus are the species that ascend highest, not 
uncommonly surpassing the above limit. As it is principally to be seen in 
this region, we shall here briefly notice what may be termed the chalet-life 
of the Alps, without attempting to describe its various forms in detail. 

The entire space occupied by the Alps is mainly composed of deep 
valleys enclosed between steep and. high mountains. The land fit to pro- 
duce human food being scattered in comparatively small strips and patches 
in the valleys, while a large part of the mountain country can support 
during half the year cattle that must be housed and fed in the valleys in 
the winter, a large part of the population leads a nomad life, changing their 
habitations several times in the year. According to varying circumstances, 
such as the extent of land held in tillage, the demand for labour in other 
occupations, and the traditional usage of the district, the migration 
may extend to nearly the entire population, or only to a small number 
strictly necessary for the care of the animals. In the month of May the 
horned cattle, that have been fed in houses through the winter, are led up 
to the lower pastures, where tolerably substantial houses are generally 
found. In the French Alps the general name for all houses used by the 
people employed in tending cattle is Chalet, and this, has been commonly 
applied both by French and English writers to all the small temporary 
habitations in the upper region of the Alps. The German term is Sennhutte. 
In Italy various names are current in different districts, of which the 
commonest are Cmera or Casara, and Malga or Malgheria. The lower 
chalets, occupied in May and the first half of June, generally stand at about 
the upper limit, of the mountain region, or the lower part of the subalpine 



liv 



INTRODUCTION. 



region. When they are superior in construction to the mere huts which 
serve in some districts, they are commonly called maiensasse, or mat/ens. 

Towards the middle, but sometimes not till the end, of June, the cattle 
are moved up to the chief pastures, usually towards the upper part of the 
subalpine region, where they are intended to remain for the ensuing two or 
three months. Where available pastures are to be had still higher up in the 
Alpine region, a portion of the cattle are sent there for a time varying from 
four to eight weeks. In most parts of the Alps the making of cheese is the 
chief employment of the men who tend and milk the cattle. The quantity 
produced must be enormous. In Switzerland cheese forms a large part of 
the dietary of the people, and the export is valued at 350,000Z. The quality 
of the cheese produced in the Eastern Alps is far inferior to that of 
Switzerland. Butter is made on comparatively a small scale, and although 
the people are such proficients in cheese-making, the art of making good 
butter seems to be little known anywhere in the Alps. 

The actual care of the cattle forms but a small part of the labours of the 
Alpine peasantry. The true limit to the wealth of a commune or a family, 
which is expressed by the number of cows it can keep, does not depend in 
general upon the amount of pasturage that can be found for them in 
summer, but on the quantity of food that can be stored up for the 
winter, and to this task the labour of a large part of the population is 
directed. Besides artificial meadow in the valleys, the best grass-land in 
the mountain region is kept to be cut for hay ; and, when it can be spared, a 
further share of the upper pasture is reserved in the same way. Besides 
this, men and boys are constantly engaged during the summer in robbing of 
their natural vegetation the least accessible spots of the mountains, where 
the cattle cannot arrive. A day's work is often consumed in collecting 
a small bundle of grass, gathered from ledges that are reached by perilous 
climbing, and brought down in a cloth balanced on the head, to add to the 
store of hay for the coming winter. 

A stranger in the Alps is often misled by the large number of huts 
or wooden sheds seen on the slopes of the mountains, and apparently 
intended for dwellings. Two-thirds, or a larger proportion, of these are 
hay-sheds, and, as a general rule, one or two such sheds are found close to 
every chalet except those in the highest region. This arrangement is a 
great convenience to travellers who pass the night at a chalet, as the hay, if 
not damp, makes a much better bed than can be had in the narrow shed 
where the herdsmen are constantly engaged. 

The Alpine Region. — In defiance of etymology, which would make the 
term Alpine coextensive with the entire tract available for pasturing cattle, 
this epithet has been attached by writers of authority to the zone of 
vegetation extending between the upper limit of trees and the first appear- 
ance of permanent masses of snow. Shrubs are not wanting throughout 
this region. The common rhododendron, several small species of Alpine 
willow, and the common juniper extend up to, the latter even beyond, the level 
of perpetual snow. It is in this region that the botanist finds fully developed 
the peculiar vegetation characteristic of the Alps. Many alpine species 
may, indeed, be found here and there at lower levels, either accidentally 
transported from their natural home, or finding a permanent, refuge in some 
cool spot sheltered from the sun, and moistened by streamlets descending 



CLIMATE AND VEGETATION OF THE ALPS. 



Iv 



from the snow region ; but it is here that the varied species of saxifrage, 
primrose, pedicularis, anemone, gentian, and other genera that give to the 
Alpine flora its utmost brilliancy of hue, have their peculiar home. In 
valleys where pasturage is scarce, the inhabitants are forced to send their 
cattle up to the very limit of vegetation in order to support them during 
the summer, while the grass of the subalpine region is in great part turned 
into hay for winter use. In such cases one or two men remain for several 
weeks on some isolated slope of Alpine pasture, many hours' walk from the 
nearest village, until the day arrives when the cattle are led back, perhaps 
across a glacier, or by some very difficult track, to the lower chalet which 
serves as an intermediate station between their summer and winter quarters. 
In other parts of the Alps, where sheep and goats are more common, the 
pastures of the higher region are left exclusively to them. The limits of 
this region in the Northern Alps may be fixed between 6,000 to 8,000 ft. 
above the sea, and at least 1,000 ft. higher on the S. slopes of the Alps and 
in some parts of the main chain. In Piedmont it is not uncommon to find 
chalets at 8,500 ft. above the sea-level, and vegetation often extends freely 
up to 9,500 ft. 

The Glacial Region. — This comprehends all that portion of the Alps that 
rises above the limit of perpetual snow. We continue to use that term, 
which is convenient and cannot well be replaced, but without explanation it 
is apt to mislead. 

Since the mean temperature becomes constantly lower as we ascend 
above the sea-level, there must be some point at which more snow 
falls in each year than is melted, or carried off by the wind, or otherwise 
removed. It is found that, one year with another, this occurs at pretty 
nearly the same point, and that the same patches or fields of snow are found 
to oover the same slope of the mountain. But we never find, unless after 
fresh snow, that the entire surface of a mountain above a certain height is 
covered with a continuous sheet of snow. The form of the surface causes 
more snow to rest on some parts than upon others ; the prevalent winds 
blow away the freshly-fallen snow from the exposed ridges, and cause it to 
drift in the hollows; and the sun acts with great force, even on. the highe.-t 
peaks, upon the slopes fully exposed to his rays. The consequence is, that 
portions of the surface remain* bare at heights greatly exceeding the so-called 
limit of perpetual snow ; and that limit is far from retaining a constant 
elevation throughout the Alps, or even on opposite sides of the same 
mountain. The term, nevertheless, has a definite meaning when rightly 
understood. Leaving out of account masses of snow that casually accumu- 
late in hollows shaded from the sun, the formation of permanent snow-fields 
takes place at about the same height when the conditions are similar. 
Hence it happens that, on viewing an Alpine range from a distance, the 
larger patches and fields of snow on adjoining mountains, with the same 
aspect, are seen to maintain a pretty constant level. Vegetation becomes 
scarce in this region, not, as commonly supposed, because Alpine plants do 
not here find the necessary conditions for growth, but simply for want of 
soil. The intense heat of the direct rays of the sun compensates for the 
cold of the nights, and it is probable that the greater allowance of light also 
Stimulates the processes of vegetation. But all the more level parts are 
covered with ice or snow, and the higher we ascend, the less of the surface 



Ivi 



INTRODUCTION. 



remains bare, with the exception of projecting masses of rock, which usually 
undergo rapid disintegration from the freezing of whatever water finds its 
way into the superficial fissures. Many species of flowering plants have never- 
theless been found at a height of 11,000 ft., and even above 12,000 ft. As only 
a thin covering of snow can rest upon rocks that lie at an angle exceeding 
60°, and this is soon removed by the wind or melted by the sun, some portions 
of rock remain bare even at the greatest height attained by the peaks of the 
Alps. There is, indeed, reason to believe that the quantity of snow falling 
on the higher summits is very much less than falls a few thousand feet lower 
down. 

Art. XI. — Alpine Zoology.* 

The zoology of the Alps is replete with many points of interest. Although 
some of the more remarkable animals have passed away ; although the 
gigantic urus (Bos primigenius), which flourished in the forests of Mid- 
Switzerland during the prehistoric human period, and gave its name to the 
Canton of Uri, is now extinct ; although the marsh-hog, which survived in 
the lake-habitations (Sus Scrofa palustris), exists no longer, having given 
place t-o the modified wild boar and domestic hog, which afford sport and 
food to the present population, — the mountains at a higher elevation, and far 
above the snow-line, afford examples of an Alpine fauna, which, as might 
a priori have been expected, represents in many important points the fauna 
of other and still less accessible regions. We purpose briefly to recapitulate 
the more striking forms, and to comment on their vertical dist ibution. 

The human species in Switzerland does not afford any marked deviation 
from the ordinary type. The time is long gone by when a zoologist could, 
as Linnseus did, point to the cretin of the Alps as an example of a monstrous 
variety of man. The human skulls found in the Pfahlbauten of Switzer- 
land do not essentially differ from the existing Swiss forms. But at La 
Tiniere, according to the testimony of M. Morlot, a human skeleton has been 
discovered, which exhibits the small, round, ' brachycephalic ' type of skull, 
akin to those of the 4 stone period' of Denmark. 

The order Carnivora is well represented in Switzerland. The lynx 
(Felis Lynx) and the wild cat (F. Catus) are -to be found at high elevations 
in the Alps. The former, in the Pyrenees, reaches the vertical height of 
11,300 ft.; its 'bathymetrical' distribution in the Alps is unrecorded. 
Up to a thousand feet are found the marten (Maries foina), the weasel 
(Putorius vulgaris), and the polecat (Putorius fostidus). The stoat, or ermine, 
reaches a higher elevation than any other Alpine carnivore; it is found at 
the height of 10,000 ft. Next beneath it, at 9,000 ft., lives the brown 
bear (Ursus Arctos). The means which would enable the zoologist con- 
fidently to decide whether the bear of the Alps (U. Arctos) and the 
Pyrenean bear ( Ursus pyrenaicus) are really distinct species, as was alleged 
many years ago by Frederic Cuvier, are wanting, and it is to be hoped that 
some traveller will bring over a complete series of skulls, old and young, 
male and female, of the Pyrenean bear, which will at once solve this question. 

The order Ruminantia exhibits many interesting examples. In the whole 
world, the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Carpathians, and Albanian mountains, 
* By 'C. Carter Blake, Esq. 



ALPINE ZOOLOGY. 



Ivii 



are the sole spots where the chamois or gems (Rupicapra Tragus) still 
survives, almost the solitary representative of the antelopine genus in 
Europe. The chamois ranges to an elevation of 12,000 ft. It has so long 
been selected as the representative of the Alpine fauna, that any comment 
on the most striking and picturesque animal of Switzerland will be super- 
fluous. The goats of the Alps are represented by the common domestic 
goat (Hircus JEgagrus) and the ibex, bouquetin, or steinbock (Capra Ibex). 
The horns of the male bouquetin are strong, thick, subquadrangular, and 
frequently extend to a length of several feet ; those of the female are much 
smaller. The bouquetin is stated to be identical with the ibex of Pliny, 
and the alyet; dypwi iv Atfivy of iElian. However this may be, there is little 
doubt that the bouquetin is rapidly becoming extinct, and that there will 
soon be very few examples left of a species which was probably once 
common, as it has left its remains in the Swiss lake-habitations. An allied 
example of wild goat is found in the Pyrenees, the Pyrenean tur (JEgoceros 
pyrenaica), where it is the representative of the Alpine bouquetin. The 
breeds of sheep and oxen in Switzerland do not essentially differ from those 
of Central Europe, the nature of the soil necessarily precluding the exten- 
sive distribution of sheep in the highlands. The deer of Switzerland are 
also the South German forms, the red deer (Cervus Elaphus), the fallow 
deer (Dama vulgaris), and the roebuck (Capreolus Caprcea). None of them 
range nearly to so high an elevation in the Alps as the chamois or the ibex, 
whose firmer feet and coarser digestive apparatus enable them to ascend to 
higher vertical zones and to subsist on a less nutritive diet than the solid- 
horned cervine ruminants. The hog of Switzerland is the wild boar of 
.France and Germany ; the marsh-hog, whose flesh was eaten by the men 
who built the Pfahlbauten, having long since passed away. The horses and 
asses of the Alps are most usually seen under the form of the common 
hybrid, or mule, which alone is sufficiently strong and sure-footed for the 
difficult tracks. 

The Cheiroptera, or bats, of the Alps are confined chiefly to the mountains 
of inferior height, and do not ascend above the snow-line. The ordinary 
continental bat {Vespertilio murinus), the noctula (V. proterus), the 
barbastelle {Plecotus Barbastellus), the small horse-shoe bat (ffliinolophus 
hipposideros), the great horse-shoe bat {Rhinolophus ferrum equinwm), the 
Vespertilio Natter eri, and the large-eared bat {Plecotus auritus), are typical 
of the Alpine fauna. Other species have been stated to be found, but, 
according to Tschudi, they are of less frequent occurrence. 

The Alpine lnsectivora are all of characteristically European type. The 
hedgehog {Erinaceus europceus), the land-shrew (Sorex araneus), and the 
water-shrew {Sorex fodiens) are Alpine forms. The white-tailed shrew 
{Sorex leucodon), a beautiful species, of which the back is reddish-brown and 
the belly white, is also frequently found. Besides these, the mole (Talpa 
europcea) is common, and it is even found, in places like the valley of 
Urseren, surrounded on every side by rocky ground, where the animal 
cannot subsist. The reasons which have led to the isolation of some of 
these individual forms are unknown, and the presence of the mole in these 
valleys is inexplicable on the supposition of their migration from other 
localities during the present topographical conditions of the soil. 

The Rodentia of the Alps are not numerous. The marmot {Arctomys Mar- 



Iviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



mota) is to be found in its small burrows over the whole of the Alps, where 
it is persecuted by the hunters, who eat the flesh and use the fat as a remedial 
agent, which is sold at a high price. Kircher considered the marmot to be 
descended from the badger and the squirrel, as the armadillo was believed to be 
the offspring of the hedgehog and the tortoise. Several species of campagnol 
(Hypudaus alpinus, Wag., H. Nageri, H. rufescentefuscus) are to be found in 
the Alps, of which the specific distinction is not yet clearly made out. 
Wagner describes a species named Hypudceus petrophilus, from Allgau; an- 
other, found in the French Alps, is termed Arvicola leucurus. The Lepus va~ 
riabilis, or alpestris, is also found in the Alps : the same species extends from 
the 55th parallel in the eastern hemisphere northward to the Arctic circle. 

Alpine Birds. — The number of birds known in the Alps is very great. One 
hundred and thirty-nine species occur, being one-half of all the birds, residents 
or passengers, which occur in Central Europe. Even water-birds are to be 
found — the goose, duck, grebe, and gull. The grallatorial birds comprise the 
genera plover, stork, crane, curlew, snipe, sandpiper, lapwing, rail, crake, galli- 
nule, phalaropus, and coot. Amongst the Gallinacem we find the dove, the 
ptarmigan (Tetrao Lagopus), grouse, the blackcock (Tetrao Tetrix), the Geli- 
notte (T. Bonasia), the woodgrouse (T. Urogallm), the bartavelle (T.rufus), 
and the partridge. The Passeres exhibit the nuthatch, creeper, crow, oriole, 
shrike, warbler, wren, titlark, wheatear, crossbill, finch, bunting, thrush, 
starling, fly-catcher, wagtail, lark, titmouse, and swallow. The Scansores 
show us the woodpecker, wryneck, hoopoe, cuckoo, and kingfisher, while 
twelve species of Raptores are known, i.e. the Lammercreyer (Gypaetos bar- 
batus), two eagles, five falcons, and four owls. The birds in Monte Rosa, 
which habitually ascend above the level of 10,000 ft., are the Lammergeyer 
{Circus cineraceus), gerfalcon (Falco vespertinus), and the three grouse. 

Alpine Reptiles. — The common frog is found nearly at the height of 
10,000 ft.; the ringed snake at 7,000, and the viper, blind worm, and 
Alpine newt at 6,000. Another species of viper (V.chersea), several newts, 
the common spotted species, and another quite black, the Alpine frog, 
and the mountain lizard, occur at less elevations. 

Alpine Fishes. — The loach, the pike, the salmon, the perch, and the 
umber, form the principal types of Alpine ichthyology. The same confusion 
exists respecting the species of trout and salmon inhabiting the Alps as 
between those of Northern Europe, and much further information is required 
on this topic. 

Invertebrata. — The Alpine Invertebrata do not call for any special 
remark. The Mollusca attain often high elevations. Thus, the Vitrina 
diaphanea, which is the common Alpine snail, mounts so high as 7,500 ft., 
while other species, e.g., V. pellucida, Achatina lub?'ica, Limneus ovatus, 
Pisidium fontinule, Helix arbustorum, are restricted to lower elevations. The 
Annulosa merely exhibit the forms of Central Europe. The Gomphoceros 
pedestris, allied to the locust, ranges so high as 7,000 ft., and the Tipula to 
8,000. The gadflies and the Hymenoptera also frequently attain great heights. 
A few Myriapoda and Crustacea are to be found at high elevations. 



METEOROLOGY AND HYPSOMETRY OF THE ALPS. 



lix 



Art. XII. — meteorology and Hypsometry of tlae Alps. 

Instruments used by Travellers. 

The study of the meteorology of high mountain regions is still in its 
infancy. Isolated observations supply data for speculation, and suggest 
trains of enquiry, but no positive conclusions can be derived without syste- 
matic observation, continued, in some cases, for a considerable period. 
There is reason to hope that this branch of scientific enquiry will hence- 
forward be efficiently prosecuted in the country to whose share it naturally 
falls. Arrangements have been made by a number of Swiss men of science 
for the establishment of Alpine observatories, at which observations are 
made continuously upon a uniform plan, and with reliable instruments. 
So far from discouraging travellers from carrying instruments and making 
observations, the effect of this announcement should be the exact opposite. 
Isolated observations, which hitherto have had little or no value, will here- 
after, when properly made, be comparable with many simultaneous observa- 
tions made at a number of stations in the Alps, and thereby acquire a signi- 
ficance which they would not otherwise possess. The result of the Swiss 
observations for the years 1865 and 1866 have been published in the 8th 
volume of 'Materiaux pour l'etude des Glaciers,' by M.Dollfuss Ausset, to 
whose personal exertions and liberal expenditure their existence is mainly 
due. Travellers intending to make observations anywhere in the Alps will 
not fail to inform themselves as to the position of the stations, the hours of 
observation, and the construction of the instruments employed. Amateurs 
must be reminded that it costs but very little more trouble to use the precau- 
tions which give to observations a certain scientific value, and that without 
these precautions meteorological and other instruments are mere toys, that 
may amuse the owner, but have no real use. Useful observations are made 
with good instruments, they are made as far as possible comparable with 
standard observations made in fixed observatories, and they are preserved by 
an accurate record 

Good instruments may be obtained from many makers in England, France, 
Germany, and Switzerland. The instruments commonly sold are useless 
for scientific purposes. 

To make future observations in the Alps comparable with those established 
in Switzerland, the instruments used by the observer should be carefully 
compared with the Swiss standards, and the differences noted. The mode 
adopted there for protecting the thermometer from radiation, and for 
avoiding other sources of error, should be followed as nearly as possible. 
As far as it may be practicable, observations should be made at the hours 
adopted by the Swiss observers, allowance being made for the difference 
between the observer's watch and Swiss time. Much inconvenience will be 
avoided by having instruments graduated on the scales universally adopted 
on the Continent. The Fahrenheit scale for the thermometer is a relic of 
barbarism, and is a source of constant, though petty, annoyance in com- 
paring English with foreign instruments, or even in ordinary conversation 
with foreigners. It may be hoped that most travellers will hereafter carry 
thermometers graduated on the centigrade scale, and barometers graduated 
to millimetres, thereby greatly facilitating the use of tables, as well as the 
comparison with foreign instruments. 



Ix 



INTRODUCTION. 



Although few travellers may be willing to give the amount of time and 
preparation requisite for making useful meteorological observations, every 
one may make his contribution to the Hypsometry of the Alps. The 
heights of the principal peaks, and of a multitude of minor points, those of 
known passes, villages, lakes, and generally all those interesting to an ordi- 
nary traveller, have been determined with great accuracy in Switzerland in 
the course of the survey for that noble work, the Federal Map. It seems, 
however, certain that the heights of the two summits of the Jura which 
form the base of the Swiss Survey were inaccurately determined, and the 
heights laid down on the map are too great by nearly 9 feet, as compared 
with the level of the Mediterranean. The French Government Map 
of Dauphine, when published, will contain a considerable number of 
heights accurately determined ; and in the Austrian Alps the older de- 
terminations, often inaccurate, have been verified and corrected by a new 
triangulation, the results of which have been partially published. Pied- 
mont and Savoy are still in a very backward condition. A certain 
number of heights have been determined trigonometrically, but the writer 
is not assured that the results merit complete confidence, and there are many 
mountains and passes of which it is certain that no trustworthy measures 
have yet been made. There is, therefore, room for useful activity on the 
part of travellers carrying good instruments. It is commonly believed that 
the determinations of heights by means of the barometer are not comparable 
in point of accuracy with trigonometrical measurements. This is true in 
respect to accessible points, where the measurement has been made by means 
of angles simultaneously observed between the upper station and a lower 
station, whose height and true position are already known. Comparatively 
few heights have been determined in this manner, and those of points not 
reached by the observers, determined by means of angles taken from known 
stations, are liable to the serious objection that, if these stations be near, 
there is no certainty that the same point is seen from both the lower stations, 
while, if they be distant, an error in the assumed coefficient of refraction 
will very materially affect the result. 

M. Plantamour, the distinguished director of the Observatory at Geneva, 
has shown what an important cause of error in the barometric determina- 
tion of heights depends upon the difference between the true mean tempe- 
rature of the stratum of air included between the upper and lower stations, 
and the assumed temperature derived from the mean of thermometric obser- 
vations taken at both stations near to the surface of the earth. He has 
shown, at the same time, that the consequent error is greatest when observa- 
tions are taken at the hottest and coldest hours of the day, and least at the hours 
when the thermometer in the shade is nearest to the mean temperature of the 
day, i.e., about three hours after sunrise, and half an hour after sunset. The 
multiplication of stations in Switzerland, where the thermometer and baro- 
meter will be regularly observed and recorded, will, among other conse- 
quences, give the means for greatly increasing the accuracy of barometric 
measurements of heights. The general result to be derived from the recent 
discussions on this subject, is that the various processes commonly adopted 
for the determination of heights admit of much less accuracy than is 
commonly supposed. 



THE SNOW REGION OF THE ALPS. 



hri 



Art. XIII, — Tiie Snow Region of the Alps. 

Glaciers. — Avalanches.* 

A large part of the heat which the sun sends to the earth is expended 
in converting water into vapour, and raising it into the atmosphere. As 
soon as any portion of the atmosphere becomes over-saturated with vapour, 
this is precipitated, at first in the form of cloud, and, if not reabsorbed, ulti- 
mately reaches the earth again as rain. Several causes, which it is beyond 
our limits to discuss, combine to lower the temperature of the air as it is 
raised above the earth's surface, and at a sufficient height it becomes so cold 
that whatever vapour is condensed takes the form of snow and sleet. In 
falling to the earth this is usually reconverted into water, but in high moun- 
tain districts, where the temperature of the surface is also low, the greater 
part of the aqueous vapour returned from the atmosphere retains the 
form of snow. When the air is calm, the snow of the high Alps consists of 
regular crystalline forms of exquisite beauty, being wonderfully varied modi- 
fications of a six-rayed star. When the air is disturbed, the snow assumes a 
new condition, which is that of small frozen pellets, little larger than a pin's 
head. It is this which forms that blinding snow-dust well known to those 
who have ever experienced the tourmente. The snow that falls on the 
exposed ridges and steep slopes does not long remain there. The larger 
portion is generally carried away by the wind; a further portion accumu- 
lates till the slope becomes too steep, when it slides down in an avalanche; 
and a small part is disposed of by melting and evaporation. The result is, 
that nearly the whole of the snow falling on high mountains is retained in 
the hollows, or on the more level parts of the surface. If these hollows and 
plateaux are below the level of perpetual snow, or, in other words, if they 
are so situated that the annual melting equals the quantity of fresh snow 
annually supplied, no accumulation can take place. A certain quantity of 
snow is gathered into these storehouses every winter, and is removed during 
the following summer, the same process being renewed year after year. This 
condition of things is seen in the Carpathians, the ranges of Central Spain, 
and many other European mountains, whose summits rise above the level of 
perpetual snow. 

The case is otherwise when the winter snows are gathered in hollows and 
plateaux where the rate of melting is less than the annual supply. The 
first impression of a person speculating on the subject would be, that under 
such circumstances the accumulation would go on without limit, and that a 
layer of snow constantly increasing in thickness would be formed on these 
parts of the surface. To understand what actually occurs, a little detail is 
necessary. 

The higher region of the Alps, and other high mountains, is subject to a 
constant alternation between heat and cold. In clear weather this takes 
place between each day and night ; in clouded weather the intervals are 

* In giving a brief sketch of the present state of our knowledge of the phenomena of the snow 
region of the Alps, the writer involuntarily enters upon a discussion which ha.i furnished abundant 
matter of controversy, now in great part set to rest. Those who desire fuller information may refer 
to the original writings of Rendu, Forbes, A.gassiz, and Tyndall, or may satisfy themselves with a 
article in the Edinburgh Review, for January, 1861. 



Ixii 



INTRODUCTION. 



longer. The sun shining upon the mass of snow-dust and minute crystals 
partially melts them, and ultimately fuses them together, till they form 
grains of larger size, which are frozen together into compact particles of ice 
during the next interval of cold. At first this process is confined to the 
uppermost layer of the snow, but as the alternate melting and congelation 
are frequently renewed, a similar change extends through the mass, which 
is gradually converted into that peculiar condition that has been called neve, 
or in German Firn. The longer the exposure of a layer of snow has lasted, 
the more complete the change into neve ; the sooner a fresh layer falls, the 
more imperfect will be the conversion of the older one. 

A section of the upper strata of the neve, here and there exposed on the 
sides of a crevasse, shows successive layers whose upper surfaces are seen to 
be more near the condition of ice than the interior portions. In the lapse 
of years the neve increases layer by layer, one of them corresponding to 
every considerable fall of snow, until a considerable weight presses on the 
lower and older portions of the mass. 

To understand what effects are produced by this pressure, we must bear 
in mind an important property of ice, to which the name regelation has been 
given. Two surfaces of ice, at or very near the melting-point, when brought 
into contact, freeze together so completely that no trace of their original 
separating surface remains. Adequate pressure applied to a mass of frag- 
ments of ice, by forcing them into positions where their surfaces come into 
contact, causes regelation, and the closer the contact the more completely 
will the separate portions be welded together. Such is the change that is 
effected in the recesses where the Alpine snows are stored. Having been 
first brought to the condition of granular neve by the sun's action, these 
grains are more and more completly united in the deeper portions of the 
mass into nearly compact ice. 

If the reservoirs of which we have spoken were closed basins of sufficient 
depth, they would simply become filled with stationary masses of ice ; but, as 
a general rule, this is not the case. They partake of the general slope of the 
mountain, and each is connected with the lower level by a valley, glen, or 
ravine, through which the snow would speedily flow if it were converted into 
water. But, under adequate pressure, ice, and especially such imperfect ice 
as is formed from the neve, possesses a considerable degree of plasticity. It 
gives way in the direction of least resistance. A piece of ice compressed in a 
mould yields until it fills all the inequalities, and produces an accurate 
cast of the mould. The vast masses of neve that are piled in the upper 
valleys of the Alps yield in the same way to the pressure caused by their 
own weight, and gradually flow downwards through the channel of these 
valleys. In other words, they become glaciers. 

W e now see that the essential condition for the formation of a glacier is the 
existence of a reservoir large enough, and at a sufficient height, to accumu- 
late such a mass of neve as will, by its weight, convert its own substance into 
ice, and force it to flow in whatever direction it encounters the least resist- 
ance. In moving onward the glacier conforms to the laws that regulate the 
motion of imperfect fluids. The resistance of the sides and the bed on which 
it moves retards the motion of the adjoining portions of the ice. The centre, 
therefore, moves faster than the sides, and the surface faster than the bottom. 
When the ice-stream flows through a bend in the valley, the point of most 



THE SNOW REGION OF THE ALPS. 



Ixiii 



rapid motion is shifted from the centre towards the convex side of the curve. 
While the ice thus conforms to the laws of fluid motion, the internal changes 
by which it is enabled thus to comport itself are peculiar, and have no 
example among other bodies of which we have experience. The nature of 
the motion, involving constant changes in the relative positions of the 
particles, implies fracture, which must be frequently renewed 5 but this would 
speedily reduce the whole to a mass of incoherent fragments, if it were not 
for the property of regelation^ At each step in the progress of the glacier 
this repairs the damage done to the continuity of the ice, and by the two- 
fold process of fracture and regelation, the glacier moves onward, constantly 
changing its form, yet in appearance an almost continuous mass of solid ice. 

The rate of progress of a glacier depends upon various causes, but mainly 
on those which would regulate its motion if it were converted into water, — 
viz, the dimensions of the reservoir, and the inclination of the slope down 
which it flows. It is also influenced by temperature : the more near the ice 
is to its melting point, the more easily it yields, and the faster it moves. The 
quickest progress yet observed has been on the Mer de Glace near Chamouni, 
some parts of which advance 30 inches a day in summer, and about 1G inches 
in winter. It is nearly certain that the cold of winter penetrates but to a 
slight depth into the interior of the glacier, and this accounts for the con- 
tinuance of the motion in that season. 

The above description applies to true glaciers which, as we have seen, are 
rivers of ice flowing through definite channels. There are in the Alps a vast 
number of smaller accumulations of neve, gathered into the lesser hollows 
and recesses of the surface, that give birth to minor glaciers, or glaciers of 
the second order, in which the phenomena of the true glaciers are imperfectly 
exhibited. In these the conversion of the neve into ice is incomplete, and the 
approach to the law of semi-fluid motion but slight. These secondary glaciers 
usually lie on steep declivities, and their downward motion, which is trifling 
as compared with that of the greater ice-streams, is mainly effected by 
sliding on the underlying surface of rock. 

Returning to the description of the true glaciers, we have next to remark 
that although the ice of which they are composed is amenable to pressure, it 
is devoid of the other chief attribute of imperfect fluids or viscous bodies : it 
is but slightly capable of yielding to tension. When the general movement 
of the glacier tends to draw asunder adjoining portions of ice, this is unable 
to obey the strain, the mass is rent through, and in this manner are formed 
the crevasses. These are among the best known and most characteristic of 
glacier phenomena. 'They are most numerous and widest in summer, when 
the glacier moves most rapidly, and are partially or completely closed up 
in winter, when the onward flow of the ice is slackened. But the same 
causes recur year after year, subject to slight variation owing to the differ- 
ences of seasons, and, as a general rule, crevasses reappear annually in the 
same places, though the ice in which the rent takes place may have been 
some hundreds of feet higher up the stream in the preceding season. Crevasses 
are at first narrow fissures, and are gradually enlarged by the onward motion 
of the glacier, increasing from a few inches to many feet in width, and some- 
times reaching to a great depth. The positions in which crevasses usually 
oppose the most serious obstacle to the Alpine traveller, are those where the 
bed of the glacier suddenly changes its inclination from a gentle slope to a 



Ixiv 



INTRODUCTION. 



steeper declivity. The ice, as it bends, over the convex surface, is rent by 
transverse crevasses of great depth and width, which often cross the entire 
breadth of the. ice-stream, and these are repeated as each successive portion 
arrives at the same point, so that the result is to form a series of deep 
parallel trenches, divided by massive walls, or ramparts of ice, giving the 
glacier when seen from a distance the appearance of a gigantic staircase. It 
not unfrequently happens that, in the same places where the ice is thus rent 
by one set of parallel crevasses, another system of crevasses may be formed 
running transversely across the first. In this way the whole of the surface 
is cut, up into isolated tower-shaped masses. When first formed, the sides of 
crevasses are more or less vertical walls, with well-defined edges, but the 
exposed parts of the ice are rapidly attacked by the sun, and even by the air 
and by rain. In a short time the fiat-topped ramparts and turrets have their 
upper edges eaten away till the broad rampart becomes a sharp ridge, and 
the tower a pointed pinnacle. This is the origin of those singular and beauti- 
ful forms that are often seen towards the lower part of an ice-fall in the 
greater ghiciers, where the crevasses penetrate to a depth that must be 
reckoned by hundreds of feet. 

A peculiar sort of crevasse, somewhat different in its origin from the rest, 
is best known by the German name Bcrgschrund. This appears to arise 
along the line of separation between the fields of neve that partake more or 
less of the downward movement of the glacier, and the upper snow-slopes 
that remain attached to the rocky skeleton of the mountain. A continuous 
fissure, sometimes 20 or 30 ft. in width, marks the separation, and interposes 
a formidable obstacle to the traveller who seeks to reach the higher peaks. 

When an ice-fall occurs in the higher part of a glacier, where it is covered 
by a considerable depth of neve, the crevasses naturally cut through the 
neve, and expose sections showing the outcrop of the successive beds of snow 
from which it was originally formed. When it is cut up by the intersection 
of transverse crevasses, the neve often appears in the form of huge square 
blocks, known since Saussure by the name seracs. 

A remarkable phenomenon, seen only on the greater glaciers, is that 
presented by the so-called moulins. During the summer, when the sun 
acts with great force, the melted ice soon forms rivulets on the surface. In 
portions of the glacier intersected by crevasses the superficial water is quickly 
carried off ; but where the ice is compact, these rivulets uniting together 
may accumulate until they form a considerable stream. Sooner or later this 
encounters a crevice, perhaps at first, very small, but this is enlarged by the 
action of falling water till a vertical shaft is formed in the ice, through which 
the stream is poured in a waterfall that is lost to sight in the depths of the 
glacier. 

Among other apparent objections to the above-given explanation of the 
origin of glaciers, it may occur to the reader that as considerable pressure is 
necessary to account for the conversion of the neve into ice, the upper strata 
which have not undergone this pressure ought to continue in the state of 
neve, and that the upper surface of the glacier should consist of neve, and 
not of ice. This objection loses sight of the vast amount of ablation, or loss, 
which a glacier annually undergoes through the melting of the surface. By 
mounting high enough on each glacier, we do find the upper surface formed 
of neve, but as it descends to a lower level a fresh slice of the surface is 
annually cut away by the sun's heat, and, taking a rough average, it is not 



THE SNOW REGION OF THE ALPS. 



Ixv 



too much to assert that the ice which we find on the surface in the middle or 
lower part of* a glacier was 200 feet deep at the time when the same part lay- 
one mile higher up the stream. For this and other reasons the writer is 
persuaded that the depth of the greater glaciers has hitherto been much 
underrated. If we possessed continuous series of observations on any of 
those glaciers, showing the annual rate of progress in successive parts of the 
stream, and the corresponding loss by ablation, we should be able to infer 
with great probability the thickness of the deposit in the reservoir from 
whence it flows. 

It is clear that the farther a glacier flows towards the lower region, the 
greater will be the annual amount of ablation. At length it must reach a 
point where the amount of annual melting of the ice equals the amount 
borne down by the progress of the glacier, and at that point the latter must 
come to an end. The inequalities of the seasons may cause a slight oscilla- 
tion in the length, especially when several successive seasons concur to 
produce the same effect. Abundant winter snow and cool summers cause 
the glaciers to advance, while opposite conditions cause a contrary result. 
The more considerable changes that have been occasionally recorded have 
been probably caused by local accidents. 

During the summer months, as we have seen, the glacier is covered with 
streamlets produced by the melting of the surface ; the sun is constantly 
eating away the edges and sides of the crevasses, and the air and the earth 
dissolve a portion of the under surface. The plenteous supply of water 
from all these sources finally makes its way to the rocky bed, where it passes 
on under the ice, and finally issues in a single stream from the foot of the 
glacier. Here the ice usually forms a dome-shaped arch, whence the stream 
flows out into the valley, and whose beautiful azure tints attract the notice 
of travellers. 

The appearance of the surface of a glacier usually differs much from the 
previous conception formed by a stranger. Instead of the clear hues of ice, 
he finds it soiled by earth and other impurities, carried from the slopes of 
the adjoining mountains by violent winds. The surface is generally very 
uneven, for, even in the parts free from crevasses, the same ice over which the 
traveller walks was at some earlier period of its history rent by fissures, and 
has probably passed through the wild confusion of an ice-fall. Lower down, 
when pressure came into play, the broken members were welded together 
again so as to form a continuous mass, and the greater irregularities of the 
surface were removed ; but many minor hillocks and depressions, unsuspected 
at a distance, preserve a record of the changes that have been undergone. 

Besides the minor impurities that fleck the surface of the ice- stream, there 
are other more important foreign bodies borne down by it. The traveller 
who views it from some commanding station will almost always detect a 
fringe of blocks of stone, of various sizes, lying along both sides near to the 
bank, and may usually trace one, two, or more lines of blocks descending 
from the upper end of the glacier, and marking a continuous trail along the 
course of the stream. The general name for these trains of blocks is 
moraines. In the ceaseless progress of decay which is eating away the solid 
materials of the mountains, blocks of stone, accompanied by finer gravel, 
constantly fall from the steep slopes above upon the surface of the ice. As 
this gradually advances it receives fresh contributions, and in this manner 



Ixvi 



INTRODUCTION. 



are accumulated the blocks and gravel along the sides of a glacier that are 
known as lateral moraines. As the glacier is wasted away by melting in the 
lower part of its course, a portion of the lateral moraine is stranded on the 
bank ; a further portion finds its way to the glacier-bed through the cre- 
vasses that usually abound near the sides ; and, except under peculiar 
circumstances, a small portion only is carried down to the foot of the glacier. 
When two glacier streams flow together, each being provided with its lateral 
moraine, the consequence is that the two moraines that are brought together 
become joined and confounded into one in the centre of the united ice- 
stream. In this manner is formed a medial moraine. Being far from the 
edge of the glacier, it is much less exposed to destruction than the lateral 
moraine. It sometimes disappears from sight in an ice-fall, but as the cre- 
vasses, though deep, rarely penetrate through the entire thickness of the ice, 
the blocks of stone fall only to a certain depth, and in due time, when the 
upper ice is removed by ablation, they come again into view. In this way 
huge blocks of stone are borne down from the higher crests of the Alps to 
the lower valleys, with the edges still fresh, and without having suffered 
mechanical violence. Most of the greater glaciers are formed by the union 
of a number of smaller separate ice-streams. To the junction of each 
of these affluents belongs a separate medial moraine, which may often 
be traced for many miles from the point of junction to the foot of the 
glacier, disclosing the mineral composition of parts of the range difficult or 
impossible of access. "When composed of large blocks, a medial moraine 
sometimes forms a ridge 30 or 40 feet in height, running along the middle of 
the glacier. The first impression is, that this ridge is formed of rocks piled 
one over the other ; but it more commonly happens that each block rests 
upon ice, and that the reason why they form a ridge raised above the general 
level is that the blocks, and the gravel which accompanies them, protect the 
ice from ablation, though separate small stones conduct heat, and sink into 
the surface. 

The mass of blocks and finer matter accumulated in front of a glacier 
forms the terminal moraine. Its extent depends very much more on the 
form of the ground in the place where the glacier comes to an end, than on 
the quantity of matter transported by the glacier. In the course of ages 
this would almost always suffice to produce a considerable mound, if the 
end of the glacier remained nearly at the same point, and if it did not often 
happen that the larger portion falls into the bed of the stream issuing from 
the glacier, and is there water- worn, reduced in size, and gradually carried 
onward through the valley. 

Not less important than the transport of rocks on the upper surface of 
the glacier is the action of the under surface on the mineral materials with 
which it comes into contact. The motion of a glacier is mainly effected by 
means of the internal motion of the ice, by which one part is enabled to 
advance more rapidly than another, but in part the motion (as con- 
jectured by Saussure) is accomplished by the sliding of the under surface 
of the ice upon its bed. The smaller particles of stone and sand that find 
their way under the ice are set into the surface, and, urged by the enormous 
weight of the glacier, become a most powerful graving tool, which wears 
away the surface of the hardest rocks. Blocks of stone failing from the 
moraines to the bottom of the glacier through crevasses are rapidly ground 



THE SNOW REGION OF THE ALPS. 



Ixvii 



down in this gigantic mill, and the materials are reduced partly to small 
scored pebbles, and partly to an impalpable powder, finer than the finest mud. 
Every stream issuing from a glacier is at once recognised by its milky 
colour, derived from this minutely-pulverized matter, and often retained in 
suspension for a distance of 60 miles and more from its source. It is this 
glacier-silt which has largely contributed to fill up the heads of the Alpine 
lakes, and no doubt a considerable quantity is carried directly to the sea 
through the Po, the Adige, and other rivers of the Eastern Alps. 

By the process above described, every rock over which a glacier passes is 
worn in a peculiar manner. Not only are all projecting asperities removed, 
and reduced to the condition of uniform convex faces, but the surface is 
ground and polished in a way entirely different from the action of water or 
other known agents. The presence of fine striae extending for a considerable 
distance, occasionally mingled with larger grooves, is one of the characteristic 
indications of glacial action. These have been studied with much attention 
of late years, since their importance as evidence of the former extension of 
the glaciers has been recognised by geologists. After much discussion, little 
difference remains among competent men of science as to the fact that the 
existing glaciers occupied a very much wider area than they now do, at a 
period geologically very recent. The exact limits of that area may not be 
settled, and there is room for discussion as to some of the results attributed 
to their action ; but the fact that they played an important part as geological 
agents, not only in the Alps, but in other mountain countries where they do 
not now exist, is generally admitted. 

The geological agency of glaciers is discussed in Art. XIV. Many other 
interesting branches of enquiry connected with the glaciers remain untouched 
in the foregoing sketch. They are not only amongst the grandest and most 
impressive objects in nature, but at the same time amongst the most fertile 
in instruction to the student of her laws, while their influence on the climate 
and conditions of large portions of the earth is of vast importance to man- 
kind in general. 

To form an adequate idea of the part played by glaciers in the general 
economy of nature, let the reader consider for a moment the consequences 
that would arise in our continent if they were to disappear. All the 
greatest rivers would at once be reduced to insignificant streams, rising in 
rainy weather, and dwindling away in time of drought. The Danube 
nominally rises in Suabia, but its true source, which is the Inn, along with 
the Salza, the Drave, and its other chief tributaries, derives from the glaciers 
the streams that maintain the level of the river. The Rhine, the Rhone, 
the Po, and the Adige, are fed almost exclusively by the Alpine glaciers, 
and it is these that maintain the abundant supplies of pure water that 
enable the Italian lakes to diffuse fertility throughout the valley of the Po. 

The intimate structure of glacier ice has been much studied and discussed, 
and has revealed facts of new and unexpected interest. Those who feel an 
interest in the physics of the subject will not fail to read Professor Tyndall's 
important work, ' The Glaciers of the Alps.' 

The phenomena of glaciers may be studied in most parts of the Alpine 
chain, where the average height of the peaks approaches 11,000 English 
feet. Reckoning from west to east, the chief glacier districts are, the neigh- 
be. urhood of the Mont Pelvoux in Dauphine, the range between the Aiguille 

e 2 



Ixviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



de la Sassiere and the Roche Melon, the group surrounding the Grand 
Paradis, the range of Mont Blanc, the entire range of the Pennine Alps 
from the St. Bernard Pass to the Monte Moro, the Bernese Alps from the 
Gemmi to the Grimsel, the Sustenhorn group from the Titlis to the Furka, 
the range of the Todi and Biferten Stock, the Adula group, the Bernina 
group, the ranges south of the Stelvio Pass from the Orteler Spitze to the 
Venezia Spitze, the Adamello range between the Val Camonica and the Yal 
Rendena, the Oetzthal glaciers in the Tyrol, and lastly, the snowy range 
extending from the Krimmler Tauern to the Heiligenbluter Tauern, and 
culminating in the Gross Glockner. The greatest single glacier is that of 
Aletsch, draining the S. side of the Bernese Oberland group. It descends 
in one unbroken stream with a length of 15 miles and an average breadth of 
fully one mile. 

Avalanches. — It is impossible to quit the snow region of the Alps without 
a brief reference to avalanches (Germ. Lawmen). These are of different 
kinds, and very different in their effects, according as they consist of snow, 
neve, or ice. The snow, which sometimes falls in prodigious quantities on 
the slopes of Alpine valleys in winter, is little compact, and when it 
accumulates to such a point as to begin to move, the disturbance sometimes 
extends to a great distance, and a mass of snow sufficient to overwhelm a 
village falls in the course of a few minutes. The chief danger from these 
avalanches, which are very common in some valleys, and are called Staub 
Lawinen (dust avalanches), arises from the roofs giving way under the 
weight of the snow. So much air is contained in the snow that it is possible to 
breathe freely, and many persons have been delivered, or have been able to 
work their own way out, after being buried for many days and even weeks. 

Far more formidable than the Staub Lawinen are those called in German 
Switzerland Grund Lawinen. These usually occur during the spring, after 
the winter snow has become partially consolidated, and approaches to the 
consistency of neve. When an unusual quantity has fallen in the preceding 
winter, the heat of the sun in spring sometimes causes the descent of very 
considerable masses in a semi-compact condition. The momentum gained 
in descending several hundreds or thousands of feet makes this description 
of avalanche very destructive in its effects. A broad passage is cleared 
through a pine forest as though the trees had been but stubble, and when it 
reaches inhabited places, which does not often occur, it either crushes the 
houses on which it falls, or buries them so completely as to make the work 
of extrication very difficult. In the higher valleys of the Alps these 
avalanches are very common in the spring, falling before the herdsmen go 
to the upper chalets. The remains are often to be seen throughout the 
summer, and not unfrequently serve to bridge over a torrent which works 
for itself a passage beneath the snow. 

Comparatively small glaciers, lying on a steep rocky slope, have in a few 
rare instances been known to detach themselves wholly or partially from 
their beds, and to fall into some lower valley. Should this occur in the 
neighbourhood of inhabited places, the result is a catastrophe as formidable 
as that caused by the fall of portions of a mountain. The village of Randa 
was in 1819 all but completely destroyed by the blast of air occasioned by 
the fall of a portion of the Bies Glacier. Smaller ice-avalanches are of 
daily occurrence in the high Alps, in situations where a small glacier 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS, 



lxix 



reaches the edge of a steep rocky slope. In warm weather, when the 
movement of such a glacier is accelerated, blocks of ice frequently fall over the 
edge of the precipice, and in falling are broken into smaller fragments, each 
of which is, however, capable of doing severe injury. The guides, who are 
acquainted with the places exposed to the descent of such masses of ice, are 
very careful to avoid them, or else to pass very early in the day before the 
sun has set the ice in motion. Of this class are the avalanches that are seen 
and listened to with so much interest by travellers in the Bernese Oberland. 
They are apt to feel surprise that what appears to be no more than the fall 
of a little snow down the rocky face of the Jungfrau, or the Wetterhorn, 
should cause a roar that is impressive even at the distance of a couple of 
miles. They learn, on closer acquaintance, that what has appeared to be 
mere dust is caused by the fall of blocks of ice of very many tons weight, 
which are shattered into smaller fragments, each of them as formidable as a 
cannon-ball. 

A description of avalanche, which is rarely encountered except by moun- 
taineers in the high Alps, arises where fresh snow rests upon steep slopes of 
ice or frozen neve. A trifling cause may set the loose snow in motion, and 
when this begins to slide it rarely ceases until the whole superficial stratum 
has reached the bottom of the slope. The danger is not so much that of 
being buried in the snow, as of being carried into the bergschrund which 
often lies gaping at the foot of such a slope. 

Art. XIV. — Geology of the Alps * 

On turning his eyes round the horizon from any commanding position in 
the valley of the Po, the spectator sees himself surrounded by a vast rampart 
of mountains, open only on the eastern side, but elsewhere enclosing the 
plain of Piedmont within a continuous wall. The impression conveyed to 
the mind is that this great range, known under the collective name of 
Alps, forms but a single system, and has a common origin. The same im- 
pression is derived from the examination of a general map, such as that 
accompanying this volume. It is apparent that the ranges which enclose 
the plain of Piedmont, and extend eastward to the neighbourhood of Vienna, 
constitute but one chain, whose members are linked together by the action 
of causes common to them all. 

It is true that this impression is opposed to a theory, at one time very 
generally received, which attributed to each mountain chain a rectilinear 
axis, and a general direction making a fixed angle with the equator, and 
which sought to trace a connection between this fixed direction and the 
period at which the chain was. upraised. The structure of the Alps does 
not appear to favour this theory. Everything points, on the contrary, to 
the conclusion that, however various may be the direction of the separate 
members of the chain, their elevation has been due to a single and conti- 
nuous process of upheaval. 

In this vast mass of mountain there are some portions which at first 
sight are distinguishable as separate groups, whose limits are more or less 
accurately definable, and it thus happens that certain denominations, such 
as Maritime Alps, Graian Alps, Pennine Alps, &c, have from an early period 

* By M. E. Desor, of Neuchatel. 



Ixx 



INTRODUCTION. 



been affixed to certain portions of the chain. These denominations, most 
of which were admitted by the ancient geographers, arose from the desire to 
recognise certain obvious facts in the orography of the country, without 
reference to its geological structure ; but in several cases the divisions 
adopted by the physical geographer are the same that are suggested to the 
geologist by the study of the rocks of which the mountains are composed. 
Thus, the Maritime Alps, with a central granitic ridge limited by the valleys 
of the Stura and the Tinea, the Col d'Argentiere, and the Col di Tenda, 
form a group which is as well defined to the eye of the geologist as to that of 
the common observer. The same may be said of the Finsteraarhorn group, 
the Pelvoux group, the Carnic Alps, and generally of all the groups which 
have a well-defined crystalline nucleus. The case is otherwise when several 
crystalline nuclei approach each other so nearly that there is no depression 
or trough apparent between the neighbouring centres, and nothing in the 
form of the surface to indicate a separation between them. Thus the three 
groups which we shall designate as those of the Valais, the Simplon, and of 
Monte Rosa, exhibit crystalline centres which are separated by masses of 
sedimentary rocks ; but as many of the highest peaks are formed wholly or 
in part of the latter rocks — e.g., the Matterhorn and the Mischabelhorner— 
there is nothing to guide the ordinary topographer to establish the sub- 
divisions that are suggested to the mind of the geologist. 

The same observations apply to the Noric, and in some measure to the 
Rhastian Alps. The physical features of the surface do not here conform to 
the geological structure. Geographers have necessarily followed the former 
as their guide, and as it was necessary to fix some limits to the separate 
groups, they have usually adopted a valley or gorge,* which affords to the 
eye the external evidence of a separation between adjoining mountain 
masses. In this way the Pennine Alps have been held to extend from the 
Dora Baltea to the Toccia, and the Noric Alps from the Adige to Vienna. 

The geologist is forced to look for some more positive bases of classifica- 
tion than the mere contour of the surface. He endeavours, amid the 
irregularities and disturbances of the strata, to trace the causes which have 
operated in upraising the mountains and have given them their present form, 
as the comparative anatomist strives to trace the essential elements of the 
animal structure amidst the varied forms assumed by the different species. 

The general form and aspect of mountains depend upon the nature of the 
rocks of which they are composed, and on the intensity of forces that have 
upraised them. It is evident that peaks so bold in outline as the Matter- 
horn or Monte Viso could not be formed of strata such as the molasse or the 
flysch. Their form implies a great degree of hardness in the rocks from 
which they are fashioned. In the same manner it may be affirmed that the 
reservoirs in which the greater glaciers are accumulated, and the narrow 
gorges through which they now advance — or did once flow — between faces 
of rock that still bear the traces of their passage, demonstrate a high degree 
of resistance in the materials. 

* This is a very inadequate translation of the word ' cluse,' used by M. Desor in an interesting 
paper on the Lakes of Switzerland, and by subsequent writers, to distinguish a class of Alpine 
valleys, usually narrow and confined between steep walls of rock, that cut transversely across the 
general direction of the ridges in the district where thev occur. In the writer's opinion these are, 
in the literal sense of the word, cracks in the superficial strata, but he is unwilling to coin a new 
name which might appear to prejudge the question of their origin.— [Ed. [) 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



Ixxi 



Inasmuch as the hardness of rocks is often found to be proportioned to their 
antiquity, it was long assumed that the Alps must be, even in a geological 
sense, very ancient. In truth, it is seen that a considerable portion of their 
mass is formed of granite, sienite, and other crystalline rocks older than the 
overlying sedimentary strata. The mineral character of these sedimentary 
rocks, especially in the interior of the chain, led to the belief that these in 
their turn belonged to the older deposits. The limestone is often dark in 
colour, the slates more or less crystalline in texture, and the coal when 
present is converted into anthracite. It is only on the skirts of the chain 
that the rocks assume their ordinary and familiar characters. 

Ebel, and the earlier geologists and geographers, saw in the Alps a series 
of parallel ranges arranged in the order of their height, the loftiest occupy- 
ing the centre of the chain and forming the watershed. The central range 
was, on account of its position, assumed to be the most ancient. There it 
was thought natural to find granite, sienite, and gneiss, while the outer 
ranges were believed to be formed of limestones, sandstones, and other 
sedimentary deposits. The results of modern enquiry have not justified this 
opinion. 

It is true that the highest peaks of the Alps are formed of crystalline 
rocks. Mont Blanc is composed of the protogine form of granite, Monte 
.Rosa and the Jungfrau of gneiss and mica schist, the Dent Blanche of talcose 
granite ; but it is an error to suppose that all the crystalline masses are 
connected with lofty peaks, or that none of the higher summits are formed 
of sedimentary rocks. The Eiger and Wetterhorn, which are counted among 
the higher peaks, are formed of secondary limestone, and the same holds good 
of many other prominent mountains. 

To the modern race of Swiss geologists belongs the credit of having 
ascertained the real order of succession of the strata, and the general plan 
of structure which prevails throughout the entire chain. M. Studer, who 
holds a foremost place amongst Alpine geologists, recognises the existence 
in the Alps of a series of groups, each with its crystalline centre, sometimes 
parallel to each other, sometimes arranged en echelon like the squares of a 
chess-board. 

The intervals between the higher crystalline masses had been imperfectly 
studied by the earlier geologists. It is now known that these intermediate 
spaces, which we shall designate by the general term trough (Fr. mait, 
Germ. Mulde), are formed of rocks completely different from those constitut- 
ing the crystalline centres. As a general rule, these are stratified rocks of 
softer and less resisting texture. 

To form a correct idea of the relations between the crystalline masses and 
the troughs, the former may be considered as islets arising in the midst of 
a level plain. In the process of upheaval these islets have gradually 
assumed greater prominence, driving back on either side the deposits through 
which they had forced their way, tilting up these overlying strata, and not 
unfrequently completely reversing their original order of position. Thus 
has originated what geologists have called the fan structure , traceable in 
many of the crystalline groups. 

As the dimensions of each separate group are small compared to the 
entire length of the Alpine chain, it follows that the intermediate spaces, or 
troughs, corresponding to the original surface, are more or less connected 



XXII 



INTRODUCTION. 



together. It is in these spaces that we find the clue to the geological struc- 
ture of the Alps. The student must bear in mind that the crystalline 
nuclei are intruders on the scene, and that to find the natural order of 
succession of the strata he must study them in the troughs where they have 
undergone least disturbance. 

Different opinions are held in respect to the origin of the crystalline 
centres. The most natural idea was to attribute to them an igneous origin, 
and to suppose that they were upraised in a semi-fluid or plastic con- 
dition. This is still the more general belief, especially in regard to granite. 
On the other hand, it must be remembered that most granites present traces 
of stratification. The groups of the Finsteraarhorn and the St. Gothard 
are mainly composed of stratified granite. Between this granite and gneiss 
the transition is gradual and continuous. Gneiss, as is well known, passes 
insensibly into mica slate and talcose slate ; while these in their turn are 
closely connected with some sedimentary slates and metamorphic sandstones. 

The time is not distant when all these rocks were held to be of plutonic 
origin. The study of the phenomena of metamorphism has led geologists 
to restrict very much this sweeping conclusion. One after another, deposits 
once thought undoubtedly igneous have been proved to be altered sedi- 
mentary rocks. Thus the schists of Casanna, in the Grisons, having all the 
external character of mica slate, have been shown by Prof. Theobald to be of 
sedimentary origin. More than this, fossils have been found in some mica 
schists — e.g., those of the Furka, which have yielded belemnites. In the 
presence of such facts, some geologists are tempted to question the igneous 
nature of most of the crystalline rocks of the Alps, and to restrict that 
character to the porphyries and porphyritic granites of the S. side of the 
chain, including in the series of metamorphic rocks not only the mica schists 
and gneiss, but the semi-stratified granite of the St. Gothard and the so-called 
protogine granite of Mont Blanc. 

Without denying the importance of the facts that have led to this revulsion 
of opinion, we are not prepared to adopt a general conclusion which all but 
completely removes the true igneous rocks from the geological map of the 
Alps. For the present, it appears more prudent to adhere to the classification 
adopted by M. Studer, and to reckon among the crystalline rocks the several 
varieties of granite, along with the gneiss, and all those mica schists which 
have not been proved to be sedimentary, either by the presence of fossils, or 
by interstratification with undoubted fossiliferous deposits. 

So far as regards the connexion between the orography of the Alps and 
their geological structure, it is of little importance whether we consider the 
crystalline centres as originating in the eruption of igneous rocks, or in the 
metamorphosis of old sedimentary deposits. The essential fact is, that these 
masses have been brought to the surface by forces acting from beneath, and 
that their passage to the surface has led to the disruption of the overlying 
deposits. 

The upheaval of the crystalline rocks has been achieved by forces that 
have acted with unequal intensity in various parts of the Alpine chain. The 
separate masses are at once less numerous and less elevated at the two 
extremities of the chain than towards its centre, indicating a less degree of 
energy in the operating forces. The eruptive force, not being there ham- 
pered by the simultaneous action of other similar operations in adjoining 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



Ixxiii 



parts of the chain, has caused less disturbance amongst the overlying strata, 
which have been simply forced aside to yield a passage to the central mass. 
Hence we find, on surveying these outlying groups, that the strata dip out- 
wards with much regularity from the centre, the plan of the stratification 
being anticlinal, after the fashion of a house-roof. 

Different conditions have prevailed in the central parts of the Alpine 
chain, and especially in the Swiss, Piedmontese, and French Alps. The 
process of upheaval has there been accomplished by more energetic agencies, 
acting on many neighbouring points. Intense and complicated forces have 
operated on the overlying stratified deposits. They have been set on end, 
shoved aside, and often completely turned over, by the pressure of the 
intruded mass. 

The crystalline masses, on the other hand, when lifted to a sufficient height, 
and delivered from lateral pressure, have expanded in the direction of 
least resistance, and have thus produced the fan structure so characteristic of 
the central region of the Alps. The gneiss and crystalline slates, forming 



the first envelope of the nucleus, lie in such cases upon its flanks ; while the 
granitic masses which, when present, almost always occupy the centre of the 
mass, often form vast cirques,* as in the Mont Blanc range, and at the Sept 
Laux (§ 8), or La Berarde (§ 9) in the Dauphine Alps. 

It sometimes happens that two adjoining crystalline masses of unequal 
dimensions approach very near to each other, the one having the fan 
structure, and the other the simple anticlinal disposition of the strata. In 
such cases the resultant arrangement is that indicated in the above section, 
taken from Professor Lory. 

When several crystalline nuclei approach near to each other, the result is 
to reduce the troughs within narrow limits, the extension of the crystalline 
rocks having been effected, so to speak, at the expense of the sedimentary 
strata. This condition is illustrated by the following section of the St. 
Gothard range. 




p Protogine. 



g Gneiss. 



s Schist. 




g Granite or Gneiss. s Schist. h Carboniferous. I Lias. 



J 



* Semicircular hollows with very steep walls in the form of an amphitheatre. 



lxxiv 



INTRODUCTION. 



There is no better position for studying the general plan of the architec- 
ture of the Alps, than in the section exhibited to a traveller following the 
high-road to the Hospice on the St. Gothard Pass. 

At the summit of the pass he finds the granitic nucleus foiming a nearly 
level plateau, on which are several small lakes. This granite shows distinct 
traces of stratification, and in descending from the pass on the N". side the 
dip is to the S., pointing, as it were, to the internal axis of the chain. The 
granite is followed by crystalline slates; but on descending into the 
Valley of Urseren, extending from Hospenthal to Andermatt, it is seen that 
the rock in situ is a very friable slate, sometimes of very dark colour, pro- 
bably a member of the carboniferous series. This extends to the Furka at 
the head of the Urseren Thai, and the form of the valley, with its uniform 
and somewhat monotonous slopes, is doubtless due to the yielding nature of 
the slate, which has been easily excavated by agencies that have had compara- 
tively little effect on the crystalline rocks. At the Urner Loch — the cleft 
through which the Reuss escapes from the Urseren valley to descend towards 
the Lake of Lucerne — the high-road again enters among the crystalline rocks, 
at first in the form of gneiss or mica slate, but gradually passing into true 
granite. This is an eastern extension of the nucleus of the Finsteraarhorn, 
which reaches to the Clariden Grat, and is then covered over by the sedi- 
mentary rocks of the Todi and the Hiferten Stock. This second crystalline 
mass, here deeply cut through by the Reuss, extends through the narrow 
part of the valley as far as Amsteg. The valley widens out below that 
village as it enters amongst the limestone rocks which form on either side 
the fine peaks of the Windgelle and the Urirothstock. 

Returning to the summit of the pass, we shall now trace the section 
on the side of Italy. A descent not less steep than that of the N. side 
leads over the same granite rocks that form the plateau, but the dip, 
which on the other slope was towards the S., is now towards the N. At 
the base of the slope, at the village of Airolo, we again find a valley, 
parallel in its direction to that of the granitic nucleus; but the rocks in this 
trough are no longer crystalline in texture. Soft slates, dolomite, and 
gypsum, all represent deposits of metamorphic sedimentary rock. The same 
trough extends westward through the Val Bedretto, and eastward to the 
plateau of the Lukmanier. 

Following the Val Leventina to Faido, the road enters upon a third 
crystalline mass — that of Tessin. This is more extensive, but less lofty and 
broken in outline, than those already mentioned. The rock is rneiss, very 
uniform in composition, which extends as far as Bellinzona. Here the mass 
of the Tessin Alps is interrupted by the appearance of a broad band, crossing 
the country in a SW. direction, to Biella, and marked by the presence of 
metamorphic rocks, accompanied by others in which hornblende is the 
prevailing mineral. 

S. of this we enter the crystalline group of the Italian lakes, which extends 
in the form of gneiss to the low ridge of the Monte Cenere, crossed. by the 
road from Bellinzona to Lugano. The latter city lies in the midst of the 
exterior covering of sedimentary rocks, which are broken here and there by 
eruptive masses of porphyry. A section traced to the margin of the plain 
of Lombardy exhibits in succession the trias, the lias, some scattered frag- 
ments of the cretaceous series, and, last of all eocene and miocene deposits. 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS 



lxxv 



It will be observed that the arrangement of the rocks traversed on the S. 
side of the central range is in all essentials the same as that of the 1ST. 
side. The only difference is, that the rocks are less extensively disturbed, 
and there are no instances of a reversal of the natural order of superposition, 
such as may be seen in some places in the valley of the Reuss. 

Throughout the section we find three elements recurring : a crystalline 
nucleus, an interior trough, and an external slope. The section traverses 
four crystalline nuclei, three interior troughs, and a northern and southern 
external slope, characterised respectively by granite or gneiss in the nucleus, 
more or less altered sedimentary rocks in the troughs, and rocks preserving 
their normal aspect and position on the external slopes. 

It will be readily understood that the phenomena are liable to much 
modification, according to the relative position of adjoining centres of 
disturbance, and the intensity of the forces that have acted in each of them. 
Thus, two nuclei may be so close that the intervening trough is not apparent 
to the eye, although its existence is indicated to the geologist by fragmentary 
masses of metamorphic rock, lifted up to a great height, and sometimes into 
peaks of the first order, as has happened on the N. and W. sides of Monte 
Rosa. 

Another irregularity, of which there are several examples in the Cottian 
and Graian Alps, arises where the mass of sedimentary rocks on one side of 
the crystalline nucleus is far greater than that on the opposite side. In 
such cases portions of the sedimentary rock may be carried to a height much 
exceeding that of the nucleus, which remains half buried on the opposite 
slope of the range. 



Crystalline Rocks op the Alps. 

At first sight nothing appears easier than to distinguish crystalline rocks, 
owing their origin to the partial or complete fusion of the mineral materials 
of the globe, from sedimentary rocks produced by the action of water on pre- 
existing strata. We have already seen, however, that the distinction is in 
practice extremely difficult. Large portions of the rocks constituting the 
Alps have undergone changes that assimilate their external characters with 
those of undoubted igneous rocks so completely, that no positive limit can be 
fixed between them. Admitting the probability that further research will 
reduce to the rank of metamorphic rocks much that has hitherto been believed 
to be of purely igneous origin, we include under the heading crystalline 
rocks all those that have not been proved to be of sedimentary nature. 
These may again be subdivided into two groups: — eruptive rocks, including 
true granite, porphyry, &c. ; and crystalline semistratified rocks, including 
gneiss, mica-schist, &c. For convenience, we may call the two groups after 
their prevailing types, which are respectively granite and gneiss. 

It should be mentioned, at the outset, that these rocks admit of no accurate 
classification. The mineralogist can determine the characters, and the 
chemical composition of the materials that enter into them ; but the rocks 
themselves are mixtures, in varying proportions, of these different minerals, 
in which it constantly happens that one constituent is gradually replaced by 
another without any abrupt transition 



l,xxvi 



INTRODUCTION. 



I. Granite Group. — True granite is a well-known and easily-recognised 
rock. Its essential constituents are quartz, mica, and feldspar. The latter 
usually forms more than half of the entire mass; it is more commonly the 
variety called orthoclase, or potash feldspar, but sometimes oligocla.se, or soda 
feldspar : rarely both varieties occur mixed together. Various minerals occur 
disseminated through granite and the allied rocks ; such are garnet, tourma- 
line, magnetic iron, oxide of tin, &c. 

When we exclude protogine, now generally considered as a form of gneiss, 
from the granitic group, the extent of true granite remaining in the Alps is 
comparatively small. The chief masses are as follows: — 1. That of Biella, 
extending NE. towards Varallo, and lying between a zone of syenite and 
another of quartzose porphyry. This granite is composed of both forms of 
feldspar, and of black mica. 2. The granite of Orta, Baveno, and Mont 
Orfano. At Baveno the feldspar (orthoclase) has a fine rose colour, which it 
communicates to the granite, while at Mont Orfano the rock, in other 
respects identical, is pure white. 3. The granites of the Bernina group 
should probably be ranked in this group. 4. To the group of true granites, 
M. Studer is also disposed to refer the hornblendic granites of the 
Adamello and Monte Castello groups. These include much black 
hornblende, with white feldspar and black mica. Some geologists regard 
the crystalline nucleus of the Pelvoux group as formed of true eruptive 
granite, but this opinion does not appear to be well established. Becently, 
the same rock has been said to exist at the E. extremity of the Alpine chain, 
between Windisch Kappel and Windisch Gratz, but the conclusion does not 
seem certain. 

Syenite is a form of granite in which mica is absent, and is replaced either 
by feldspar alone, or, more commonly, by hornblende. The change is often 
so gradual that one rock passes insensibly into the other. Syenite sometimes 
derives a fine rose tint from the contained orthoclase feldspar. Quartz is 
present in small quantity, but is sometimes altogether absent. Among other 
minerals, zircon and sphene are often present. The latter is disseminated 
throughout the only considerable mass of syenite in the Alps — that extend- 
ing from the Val d'Aosta to the sources of the Sesia. 

Porphyry, in its typical condition, is essentially distinct from granite in 
this respect, that it includes fragments of other minerals set in a cement of 
feldspar and quartz, yet they are sometimes seen to be connected by inter- 
mediate varieties. This, as well as the other forms of eruptive rock, is con- 
fined to the south side of the main chain, if we except an insignificant trace 
of its presence in the Windgelle in the Canton of Uri. The attention of 
geologists has been especially called to the porphyritic rocks of the South 
Tyrol by the researches of M. Von Buch, and the once popular theory of 
that eminent geologist, who attributed to the eruption of the porphyries a 
leading part in the upheaval of the entire chain of the Alps. Three varieties 
of porphyry are found in the Alps. 1. Quartzose porphyry, usually of a 
red colour from the decomposition of the contained ferruginous minerals. 
In this variety the silica forms distinct crystalline masses of quartz dissemi- 
nated throughout the rock, and thus sometimes approaches near to the 
structure of true granite. This form of porphyry is developed on a large 
scale in the Italian Tyrol in the valley of the Eisack and the Val di Fiemme. 
It is also seen on the shores of the Lago Maggiore and the Lake of Lugano, 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



Ixxvii 



and near the sources of the Sesia. 2. Black porphyry, or melaphyre, 
differing from the last by the absence of quartz crystals, is associated with 
it in the Italian Tyrol, where it is often accompanied by considerable masses 
of conglomerate, containing fragments of the calcareous rocks through which 
the porphyry was forced in a fluid or semi-fluid state. 3. Pyroxene porphyry 
(Germ. Augit-Porphyr) is nearly allied to the last. It usually contains 
crystals of labradorite, and green or black pyroxene. It is found in the 
Venetian Alps near Schio and Recoaro, in a condition nearly allied to 
basalt, and in the Italian Tyrol in the Val di Fassa, the Gaderthal, &c. 
In that region there are sometimes seen remarkable transitions between this 
and euphotide, or gabbro, and it seems to pass into syenite and true granite. 

Basalt is seen only on the lower slopes of the Venetian Alps, in the range 
N. of Verona and Vicenza. The basaltic tufas with which they are asso- 
ciated are nearly as rich in Eocene fossils as the surrounding nummulitic 
limestone, showing that the upheaval of the basalt was effected without any 
great disturbance of the animal life of the period. 

II. Gneiss Group. — It has long been known that the great masses that 
constitute the crystalline centres of the High Alps are, in great part, formed 
of rocks nearly resembling true granite, yet presenting some differences of 
composition, as well as other distinctive characters. 

Protogine. — This, which forms the crystalline axis of Mont Blanc and 
many of the higher groups of the Alps, contains a variable proportion of talc 
in addition to the ordinary components of granite, and both varieties of 
feldspar are commonly mixed together, which rarely occurs in true granite. 
Some imperfect traces of bedding are often traceable, but there is no sign of 
stratification apparent in the texture of the rock. The name arose when it 
was supposed that the rock which formed the central mass of Mont Blanc 
and other high mountains must necessarily be the oldest. Though the 
views of geologists are now much altered, it seems more convenient to keep 
to the old name, than to substitute that of ' Alpine granite,' proposed by 
some Swiss geologists. 

Gneiss has absolutely the same composition as protogine, but differs con- 
siderably in its structure. This bears distinct traces of lamination ; it is 
traversed by veins having a constant direction, in which also the rock is 
readily split into flags or thinner flakes. In the following description of 
the principal mountain groups in the Alps, it is seen that this is by far the 
most widely spread of all the crystalline rocks. It forms nearly the entire 
mass of several large groups ; and where protogine forms the nucleus, there 
is generally an outer covering of gneiss, the two rocks passing one into the 
other by insensible gradations. 

Mica-schist differs little in composition from the two preceding rocks, but 
the proportion of feldspar is usually much smaller. Sometimes quartz and 
sometimes mica are the prevailing constituents, and the rock is compact or 
schistose in texture, as the first or the second predominate. In mountains 
whereof gneiss ii the chief component, this often passes into mica- schist 
towards the outer and upper portions of the mass. 

A gradual passage is also found between mica-schist, and certain rocks 
that appear undoubtedly sedimentary, though no sufficient means exist for 
determining their geological age. Such are certain argillaceous schists, and 
the green and grey slates of the Swiss geologists. 



Ixxviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



The calcareous mica-schist (Germ. Blauscftiefer), first remarked by Saus- 
sure, and which is abundant at the Mont Cenis, and is also found in the 
Salzburg Alps, is apparently a metamorphic rock, and to the same category 
must be referred the Roche de Corne, or ' palaopetre'' of Saussure, which 
sometimes assumes the appearance of mica-schist, and elsewhere appears to 
be closely connected with the anthraciferous palaeozoic schists. 

Arkesine, or talcose granite, is a rock of some importance, from its pre- 
valence among the erratic blocks of the basin of the Rhone. It is often 
veined like gneiss, and differs from it chiefly by the substitution of talc for 
mica. The rock prevails in the central part of the Pennine Alps, and. 
according to M. Gerlach, the Dent Blanche is entirely composed of it. The 
lamous erratic block of Steinhof in Soleure is arkesine. With reference to 
the origin of that and other blocks, it is very desirable that the limits of this 
rock in the higher part of the Pennine chain should be more fully traced. 

Chlurite-schist differs from mica-schist merely by the presence of chlorite, 
usually of dark green colour, in place of mica, but it passes into mica-schist, 
and sometimes also into talcose schist. This rock is seen in several of the 
higher peaks of the Alps, e.g., Monte Viso, Monte Rosa, and the Gross 
Glockner. 

Talcose schist bears the same relation to arkesine that mica-schist does 
to protogine. It consists almost exclusively of quartz and talc, and is 
usually of a light green or grey colour. It is chiefly found in Tessin and 
the Yalais. 

Hornblende sehist contains hornblende, mixed in variable proportions with 
quartz and feldspar. Sometimes this rock is closely connected with un- 
doubted igneous rocks, while it often appears no less intimately connected 
with metamorphic rocks, such as the dolomite of Airolo and the marbles 
of Ornavasso. M. Studer has judiciously remarked, that it is not necessary 
to assume that identity of mineral composition, in this case, implies identity 
of origin. 

Diorite or Greenstone is a more compact form of the last-mentioned rock 
of finer grain, and with little quartz. It occurs on the S. side of the Alps. 

Serpentine is a well-known rock, consisting, when pure, of silicate of mag- 
nesia combined with hydrate of the same base. It generally contains a 
considerable proportion of iron, to which its varied tints are partly due, 
along with other minerals, such as asbestos, chlorite, &c. Serpentine plays 
an important part in the Alpine chain, being present at very many points, 
though usuallv in comparativelv small masses. A large field for investiga- 
tion remains open in regard to the origin of this rock, and its relations to 
the adjoining strata. It is well known that in the Apennines it presents all 
the appearances of an eruptive rock, having pierced through the overlying 
Eocene deposits, which are often converted into jasper near the point of 
contact. Similar relations seem to exist between the serpentine and the 
neighbouring rocks in the Cottian Alps, and elsewhere. In other districts, as 
on the ]S. side of St. Gotthard, and in the vicinity of Monte Rosa, a 
serpentine, not distinguishable from the other in mineral character, appears 
to be itself a metamorphic rock, so difficult is it to trace a limit between it 
and the metamorphic green and grey slates. 

Euphotide, or gabbro, is a rock allied to serpentine, characterised by the 
presence of diallage, or smaragdite, associated with other minerals. A very 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



lxxix 



beautiful variety forms a portion of the Saas Grat, and is brought down to 
the valley of Saas by the Allalein Glacier. 

The period of formation of the crystalline rocks cannot be determined 
by the same reasoning which guides us in the study of the sedimentary 
rocks. In the absence of the internal evidence supplied by fossil remains, 
we can argue only from the apparent relations between these and the 
fossiliferous rocks. 

Those who regard the rocks which we have described under the general 
name of Gneiss Group as altogether metamorphic, cannot doubt that they 
represent in an altered form the most ancient portion of the earth's crust 
and may look upon the protogine as the remains of the original crust formed 
by the cooling of the surface of our planet. 

Other geologists, who consider these rocks to be essentially of eruptive 
character, must nevertheless carry back the date of their first appearance 
to a very early period, anterior, in all probability, to the epoch of the Trias. 
The eruption of the true granite and its allies seems to have occurred at a 
somewhat later period. It is apparently contemporary with the red por- 
phyry, which, as has been shown, was upraised about the close of the 
Triassic Period. 

The serpentine, or at least that portion of it which is certainly eruptive, 
was long posterior in its appearance to the preceding rocks. M. de Sismonda 
believes the serpentine of Piedmont to have been ejected at the same time 
as that of the Apennines, i.e., about the close of the Eocene Period, or the 
commencement of the Miocene. As already mentioned, the origin of the 
serpentine in other parts of the Alps is still involved in doubt, and calls 
for further enquiry. The small patches of basalt seen in the Venetian 
Alps were certainly protruded during the Eocene Period. 

DIVISION OF THE ALPS INTO GEOLOGICAL GEOUPS. 

We now proceed to enumerate the groups into which the Alps may be 
divided ; denning the term group as a mountain mass characterised by a 
crystalline centre, and an outer coating of sedimentary rocks. Professor 
Studer, in his 'Geology of Switzerland,' has distinguished nineteen groups 
in the region between the Ligurian Alps and the Adige. In attempting to 
extend the classification to the entire range of the Alps, it naturally 
becomes necessary to increase the number of these groups, which is here 
carried to thirty- three. The list will no doubt be still further extended 
when the eastern part of the chain shall have been more minutely studied. 

I. Ligurian Group. 

Though not usually counted as a portion of the Alpine chain, it is impos- 
sible to omit this group, which, on a smnll scale, exhibits all the essential 
characteristics of the arrangement already described. This forms the E. 
extremity of the curve enclosing the plain of Piedmont on the S., as the 
Pennine Alps do towards the N. Orographically, it serves as the link 
between the Alps and the Apennines, being connected by a continuous ridge 
with both those chains. Geologically, however, it is perfectly well defined, 



Ixxx 



INTRODUCTION. 



as the crystalline centre, formed of gneiss and mica schist, lying at the head 
of the valleys of the Tanaro and the Bormida, which is surrounded on all sides 
by a girdle of calcareous rocks. The dip of the strata is in all directions 
regularly anticlinal. The highest summit — Monte Mondole— is 8,005 ft. 
in height. 

II. Maritime Alps Group. 

This group is well defined to the N. by the Valley of the Stura, and to 
the E. and W. by the Col di Tenda and the Col d'Argentiere. To the S. 
its outer coating of calcareous rocks falls towards the Mediterranean between 
the valleys of the Roja and the Tinea. Its highest summit is the Cima dei 
Gelas (10,433 ft.), but several other peaks towards the centre of the group 
attain to 10,000 ft. The Col delle Cerese and Col delle Finestre, described 
in § 1, as well as other passes lying farther W., traverse the crystalline centre 
of the group. At the summit of each of these passes is found protogine 
granite, flanked on either side by considerable masses of gneiss, wherein the 
fan structure is distinctly perceived. The general direction of the crystal- 
line axes is from NW. to SE., but the strike of the stratification is N. and 
S. in the centre of the group, and beyond it NNW. to SSE. 

III. Cottian Alps Group. 

Geographers are not agreed as to the limits of the Cottian Alps, and the 
geologist cannot aid in fixing them with any accuracy. The crystalline 
nucleus of this group is neither so considerable nor so continuous as in the 
others here enumerated. Instead of forming a well-defined mass, it may be 
more accurately described as a series of scattered fragments, evidently con- 
nected together, forming a curved zone, whose limits are approximately the 
course of the Maira to the S., and that of the Dora Riparia to the N., and 
whose centre lies in the Vaudois valleys of the Pellice and the Chisone. 
There is here no trace of the fan structure. Granite is wanting, and its 
place is supplied by gneiss and mica schist, which for the most part do not 
rise to the highest peaks, but on the E. side extend to the margin of the 
plain of Piedmont. If there be any remains of a zone of metamorphic rocks 
on that side of the chain, it must be confined within narrow limits. 

An opposite condition prevails on the W. side, where metamorphic rocks 
far surpass in extent the crystalline nucleus, and rise to a much higher 
level, forming a continuous range from the Dora to Monte Viso. This 
unusual arrangement is accompanied by another singular phenomenon, which 
one day may serve to explain the peculiarities of this group. Along the 
crest of the range masses of serpentine, which appear to have been protruded 
through the surrounding metamorphic rocks, recur at intervals, extending 
beyond the Dora Riparia nearly to Turin, and forming in part the peak of 
the Roche Melon as well as several other conspicuous summits. It appears 
probable that the upheaval of the chain is connected with the protrusion of 
these masses of serpentine. The highest summit of this group, the Monte 
Viso, is composed partly of serpentine, and partly of talcose slate and gneiss. 

A branch of the principal range, characterised also by the presence of 
serpentine, stretches SW. from Monte Viso, and extends to the Mont Enchas- 
traye at the W. end of the range of the Maritime Alps. This part of the 
chain includes several lofty summits, of which the best known is the Grand 
Rioburent. 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



Ixxxi 



IV. Graian Alps Group. 

Some geographers include in the Graian Alps all the ranges lying between 
the Dora Riparia and the Dora Baltea, while others fix the S. limit at the 
valley of Viii, referring the range between the Mont Tabor and the Roche 
Melon to the Cottian group. Neither of these boundaries agrees with the 
geological limits of the group. The crystalline nucleus makes its first 
appearance in the Val Grande (§ 13), and disappears towards the N., beneath 
the overlying mefcamorphic rocks, long before it reaches the Dora Baltea. 
To the W. it extends to the Levanna, forming but a narrow band, while to 
the NE. it widens out and gradually sinks nearly to the level of the. plain, 
from which it is but partially separated by a narrow band of sedimentary 
rocks. Towards the centre of" the group, in the Valley of the Oreo, protogine 
granite is present, but it does not occupy much space, nor does it rise into 
the highest peaks, which are composed of crystalline schists. Though these 
much resemble the rocks of the Cottian group, the direction of the crystalline 
axis is here directed from SW. to NE., while in the former it is nearly due 
N. and S. Metamorphic secondary rocks appear to have been carried to a 
great height on the N. side of the central axis, and the streams that descend 
through the valleys of Savaranche, Rhemes, and Grisanche traverse highly 
altered rocks, referred by M. Sismonda to the jurassic formation, but not 
yet completely determined. Gneiss is seen here and there in these valleys, 
underlying the sedimentary Schistose rock. 

The broad zone between this group and that of the Belledonne (VII.) is 
not, perhaps, quite continuous. Three small patches of crystalline rock have 
been observed in the Tarentaise Alps ; one of them N. of Lanslebourg, 
the second near the source of the Doron, on the N. side of the Col de 
Ohaviere, the third, still smaller, near Modane. This appears to indicate 
the rudiments of a nucleus which may possibly be connected with the 
upheaval of the fine peaks of the Grande Casse and the Mont Pourri. In 
the absence of further information, we merely indicate the probable 
existence of a Vanoise or Tarentaise group, in a position intermediate 
between the Graian and the Belledonne groups. 

V. Pelvoux Group. 

This rugged mass is one of those that exhibit most distinctly the general 
plan of Alpine architecture explained in the preceding pages. A central 
mass of granite, passing towards its circumference into gneiss, is surrounded 
by more or less altered sedimentary rocks. The fan structure is traceable 
throughout the entire croup. For orographic details, see the introduction 
to §9. 

VI. Grandes Rousses Group. 
This comparatively small group lies between the last and the succeeding 
group. It includes a steep and narrow ridge, chiefly composed of gneiss, 
emerging from the extensive zone of liassic schists which prevails on the 
skirts of this and the preceding group. The crystalline rock ceases abruptly 
at the Col de Glandon, but a small patch reappears near St. Jean de 
Maurienne. The dip of the gneiss and the overlying sedimentary rocks is 
eastward, opposite to that prevailing in the next group — a circumstance 
which, along with others, points to a close connection between them. In the 



lxxxii 



INTRODUCTION. 



valley of the Olle, which separates the two groups, the lias overlies the 
gneiss in unconformable stratification, indicating the occurrence of an 
interval between the first upheaval of the gneiss and the deposition of the 
lias. 

VII. Belledonne Group. 
We include under this name a very considerable group, extending far to the 
S. of the Romanche, on the one side, and, on the other, to the mountains of 
Beaufort. It is narrower and less lofty than those hitherto described — its 
highest peak (§ 10) being but 9,780 ft. in height — but of comparatively great 
length. The mass is cut through by three deep clefts, which respectively give 
passage to the Romanche, the Arc, and the Isere, and to three important lines 
of road. The direction of the crystalline axis from near the Col du Bonhomme 
to the Romanche is NE. to SW., but beyond that river the axis runs from N. 
to S. The main range is formed of gneiss, and in the higher part of the 
group protogine granite appears, and the fan structure is traceable in many 
places — e.g., in the mass of the Grand Charnier (§ 8). M. Lory has pointed 
out the existence of a secondary crystalline axis on the W. side of the 
principal range, formed of talcose slate, with the dip nearly vertical on its 
flanks, and diminishing gradually towards the summit so as to resemble the 
form of a Gothic arch somewhat flattened at the top. Some geologists have 
included this group, along with the two following, under the name Western 
Alps, and there is no doubt that they are intimately connected together. 
It is natural to conceive that the crystalline axis of this group extends 
beneath the jurassic rocks of the Col du Bonhomme, so as to form with 
the following but a single ridge. 

VIII. Mont Blanc Group. 

None of the groups here described exhibit more perfectly than this does 
the normal type of structure. The vast mass crowned by the monarch of 
the Alps is at once apprehended as a homogeneous mass, unbroken by any 
considerable cleft or depression. The geological limits are well defined, 
and agree pretty nearly with the external characters. Thus the valleys of 
Chamouni and Trient, and that of Montjoie, the Col du Bonhomme, the 
Lex Blanche (or Allee Blanche), and the Val Ferrex, constitute a geological 
as well as an orographic boundary to the group. At the NE. end of the 
range the crystalline schists extend across the Dranse, and even to the rt. 
bank of the Rhone, where they disappear beneath the limestone and black 
schists of the Valais. 

The fan structure is perfectly developed here, and did not escape the 
observation of Saussure. On the rt. bank of the Glacier des Bois, at the 
Col de Balme, and elsewhere, the gneiss is seen to dip at an angle of about 
30° towards the centre of the range. On the opposite side, in the Val 
Ferrex, the angle of dip is about the same, but its direction is reversed. 

The rock which prevails throughout the group is a protogine granite, 
composed of quartz, orthoclase, oligoclase, mica, and talc. Of this the central 
part of the chain is exclusively constituted. On both flanks are found 
gneiss and crystalline slates. 

The peculiar arrangement of the peaks, or aiguilles, which is described in 
the introduction to § 16, has given rise to speculations among geologists 
which have not led to any positive conclusion. 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



Ixxxiii 



IX. Aiguilles Rouges Group. 

This small mass, which some writers regard as an appendage of the 
parallel range of Mont Blanc, is separated from it by a well-defined trough, 
marked by the valley of Chamouni, the Col de Balme, and the valley of the 
Trient. The nucleus of the group is confined to the comparatively unim- 
portant range of the Brevent and the Aiguilles Rouges. The higher 
parallel range to the NW., extending from the Rochers des Fys to the Buet, 
and thence to the Dent du Midi, forms a portion of the coating of secondary 
rocks that lie upon the outer flanks of the range ; and it is worthy of note 
that fragments of the same fossiliferous rocks are found on or near to some 
of the highest of the crystalline summits of the Aiguilles Rouges. At the 
NE. extremity the axis extends across the Rhone, and is seen to underlie 
the calcareous rocks of the Dent de Morcles. 

The crystalline nucleus is composed of protogine similar to that of Mont 
Blanc. There is no appearance of the fan structure. 

X. Valais Group. 

This group includes some of the least accessible portions of the Alp?, 
and till lately geologists derived their knowledge of the peaks and ridges 
chiefly from the moraines of the glaciers that descend into the valleys of 
Bagnes, Herens, Heremence, and Anniviers. We include herein the entire 
mass lying between the pass of the Great St. Bernard and the Nicolai Thai 
leading from Zermatt to Visp, being that included in sections 18 and 19 of 
the present work. On three sides the limits are pretty well fixed by the 
Rhone, the valley of the Dranse, the St. Bernard Pass, and the Val 
Pellina. On the E. side the limit is less well-defined, but the presence of 
sedimentary rocks on the 1. bank of the Visp seems to show that that valley 
may properly be considered as a trough separating this from the following 
group. M. Studer, however, has not adopted the division, and he makes 
the Valais group extend to the Albrun and the Bortelhorn. 

The crystalline rocks forming the central portion of this group are but 
imperfectly known, but it may be hoped that the successful attempts made 
to penetrate its recesses will lead to more accurate knowledge. A peculiar 
green variety of protogine, called arkesme, which has supplied a large 
portion of the erratic blocks of the valley of the Rhone, appears to be 
derived mainly from the neighbourhood of the Dent Blanche and the Mont 
Collon. Syenite is found in the Val Pellina.. 

The S. dip of the strata, near Chermontane at the head of the Val de 
Bagnes, and the N". dip in the Val Pellina, on the opposite side of the main 
range, are indications that the fan structure is, not wanting here. 

XT. Simplon Group. 

As mentioned above, M. Studer has included this as a portion of the pre- 
ceding group. We are led to separate them not only by the presence of a 
calcareous band extending along the L bank of the Visp from Zmutt to 
opposite Randa, but because many facts point to the conclusion that the 
materials of the Saas Grat and the Mischabelhorner, though crystalline in 
appearance, are in truth highly metamorphic sedimentary rocks. 

The undoubted crystalline nucleus of this group commences on the E. 
side of the valley of Saas in the ran se of the Fletschhorn and the Weissmies 

/ 2 



Ixxxiv 



INTRODUCTION. 



(§ 21), and extends beyond the pass of the Simplon to the Monte Leone, 
the Bortelhorn, and the Albrun. Arkesine prevails at the W. end, gra- 
nite at the E. end of the range. The fan structure is traceable in the 
valley of Saas and along the pass of the Simplon. 

XII. Tessin Group. 

This group contains the most extensive mass of crystalline rock existing 
in the Central Alps. It is marked by the absence of those tokens of violent 
action that lend interest to the higher masses of the Alps. Here the 
crystalline mass is remarkably continuous and compact, and the ridges 
attain a tolerably uniform average level, unbroken by conspicuous peaks. 
The limits are not well fixed, but may be very roughly indicated by the 
course of the Tessin, from the Xiifenen Pass to Bellinzona, on the N. and 
E., and by the Val Antigorio to the W. There is some doubt as to the 
limits of this group to the SW., and M. Studer has united it with that 
of Monte B,osa. There is reason to think that a boundary may be found in 
the Val Anzasca, and we retain them provisionally as distinct. To the S. 
an intermittent zone of hornblende, associated with schists and dolomite, 
marks the separation between this and the group of the Italian lakes. 

The prevailing rocks are gneiss and mica-schist; the latter forming the 
higher ridges, while gneiss occupies the lower parts of the valleys. The 
latter is remarkable for the readiness with which it splits into slabs ; and this 
quality has been turned to account, and gives rise to a trade in flags and 
stone pillars that are produced on a large scale in Val Maggia, Val An- 
tigorio, and Val Leventina. 

The fan structure is not found here, but it is worthy of remark that the 
stratification, which is vertical at the lower end of the valleys and irregular 
in the intermediate zone, becomes nearly horizontal towards the centre. The 
strike does not follow the general direction of the mass, but approaches to 
N.andS. 

XIII. FlNSTERAARHORN GROUP. 

This includes the well-known peaks of the Bernese Oberland. The 
highest summits, such as the Aletschhorn, Jungfrau, Monch, and Schreck- 
horn, as well as the Finsteraarhorn itself, lie within the crystalline nucleus, 
being formed partly of gneiss and miea-schist, and partly of a semi-stratified 
granite which sometimes exhibits a very perfect crystalline structure. The 
axis extends from the Lotschen Thai, where it disappears under the calca- 
reous rocks of the Gemini range, to the head of the Valley of the Linth, 
where it has raised to a great height the jurassic rocks that make up the 
larger portion of the Todi and the Clariden Grat. It is deeply cut through 
by the valley of the Beuss. Nearly at its centre the group is traversed 
by a zone of hornblende rocks, which, possibly, indicate the existence of a 
primitive trough between two nearly adjoining crystalline centres. The fan 
structure is distinctly seen on both slopes of the range. 

XIV. St. Gotthard Group. 
This comparatively small mass bears somewhat the same relation to that 
last described, that the Aiguilles Rouges do to the Mont Blanc group. They 
are separated only by the narrow trough of the Urseren Thai, Furka Pass, 
and Ober A1d Pass. This group extends eastward on the S. side of the Vorder 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



lxxxv 



Rhein, and attains its highest elevation in the Medelshorner (1 0,500'), 
between the valleys of Medels and Sumvix. 

The granite of the St. Gotthard is well known for its large crystals of 
feldspar, and for the rare minerals which it contains. It is confined, however, 
to the centre of the range, passing on either side into gneiss, which, in its 
turn, shows a gradual transition to mica-schist abundantly charged with 
garnet crystals. The fan structure is very evident throughout the group. 

Among the minerals which are found in the granite are several containing 
oxide of titanium — e.g., rutile, anatase, and brookite — besides which are 
hematite, fluor spar, apatite, axinite, tourmaline, and remarkably fine quartz 
crystals. 

XV. Monte Rosa Group. 

Though comparatively limited in extent, this group has naturally attracted 
much attention by its height, by the grand forms of its peaks, and by the 
extensive glaciers which it feeds. Its limits to the S. are marked by the 
masses of hornblende rock lying S. of Val Anzasca, and K. of the head 
waters of the Sesia. A similar zone, though of small dimensions, including 
various metamorphic schists and dolomitic limestones, serves to separate 
this from the Valais group. In some of the highest peaks, such as the Mat- 
terhorn and the Strahlhorn, these metamorphic rocks have been carried to a 
very great height. E. of the great cirque of Macugnaga the crystalline axis 
extends through a portion of the Val Anzasca between two converging 
masses of hornblende rock, and seemingly disappears near to Sta. Maria 
Maggiore. As already mentioned, some geologists regard the Tessin Alps 
as an easterly extension of this group. In support of that opinion, it may 
be urged that the rocks are nearly identical in character. Granite is here 
very rare, and mica-schist forms the higher part of the mass, extending to 
the very summit of Monte Rosa. The fan structure is not traceable here. 

At the head of the Val Sesia, on the SSE. side of Monte Rosa, a small 
mass of gneiss rises in the midst of the surrounding hornblende schists. 
Though of small extent, this, perhaps, deserves to be distinguished under the 
title ' Val Sesia Group,'' and is certainly interesting from its position, which 
makes it in some sort a link between the Graian and the Monte Rosa groups. 
M. Sismonda, indeed, believes it to be continuous with the band of gneiss 
which is crossed near Donnaz in the Val d'Aosta, and is universally regarded 
as an eastern extension of the axis of the Graian range. 

XVI. Adula Group. 
From the Col di Kara, E. of Faido, a rugged and rarely-trodden mass of 
mountains is seen to the eastward. The summits are covered with snow, 
and glaciers hang on their upper declivities, but are not fed by reservoirs 
sufficiently extensive to urge them downward into the valleys. These peaks 
belong to the Adula group, whose highest point — Piz Valrhein (11,153') — 
has several near rivals. A zone of metamorphic and dolomitic rocks, 
extending northward from the Val Blegno across the Luckmanier Pass, 
limits the group on the W. side. To the E. it is equally well separated from 
the next by the metamorphic schists of the Val Misocco, traversed by the 
road of the Bernardino. The strike of the strata and the direction of the 
principal valleys- is here nearly meridional, or transverse to the general 
bearing of the Lepontine Alps. 



Ixxxvi 



INTRODUCTION. 



| 



XVII. Sureta Group. 
This not very important group is divided into two branches by a zone of 
stratified and metamorphic rocks that extend from the Spliigen Pass to 
below Isola in the Val di San Giacomo, through which the road descends to 
Chiavenna. On the W. side of that valley gneiss shows itself on the S. 
declivity of the chain, and rises into the peak of the Tambohorn (10,750'). 
On the E. side of the pass the gneiss assumes a peculiar porphyroid character, 
and is known by the name Rofla granite. It extends into the upper valley 
of the Rhine as far as the gorge below Andeer. To the E. the limit of the 
group is formed by the schists and triassic limestones of the Oberhalbstein 
Valley. The stratification here runs E. and W., which is the prevailing 
direction in the Central and Eastern Alps. 

XVIII. Group of the Italian Lakes. 

This is a very peculiar group, and well deserves study for its bearing on 
the general theory of the elevation of the Alps. It is a long and comparatively 
very narrow band of gneiss and mica-schist, extending in a curved line from the 
Lago Maggiore to the upper valley of the Adda, seeming to serve as a barrier 
between the outer zone of sedimentary rocks on the S. slope of the Alps 
and the higher interior groups. This long ridge is cut across by three deep 
valleys, occupied by as many lakes — Maggiore, Lugano, and Como. The 
E. limit is not well fixed, but apparently extends to the upper end of Val 
Camonica. The N. limit is marked by the intermittent zone of hornblende 
rock extending from near Locarno to the Monte Camoghe, and which may 
be traced as far E. as Sondrio. There is none of the crystalline groups whose 
eruptive nature seems more questionable than this. The summits bordering 
on the lake district nowhere attain a great height, the loftiest summit being 
the Monte Legnone (8,562'), near the head of the Lake of Como. At the 
E. end of the range the Monte Redorta, perhaps not the highest, attains 
9,922 ft. The strike of the strata is generally parallel to the direction of the 
crystalline axis. 

XIX. Bernina Group. 

In this group we include the highest summits of the Eastern Alps, whose 
importance was long underrated, but which, of late, have much attracted 
the attention of travellers and men of science. The central mass, or Bernina 
proper, includes two peaks, the Piz Bernina and Piz Zupo, exceeding 1 3,000 ft., 
and several others surpassing 12,000 ft. On either side of this are several 
minor mountain masses rarely visited and little known, whose relation to the 
central group has been but very lately ascertained. In common with M. 
Studer, the writer of this sketch* regarded the assemblage of crystalline 
masses that surround the sources of the Inn as forming a single homogeneous 
mass, in which gneiss played the principal part, and wherein granite appeared 
merely in scattered islets surrounding the true centre of the group. 

The recent researches of Prof. Theobald have completely changed this 
opinion. He has shown that under the name of this single group there exist 
at least sevenf subordinate groups, each complete in itself, and differing from 

* Bulletin de la Soc. des Sc. de Neuchatel, tome vi. p. 162. 

t The range of the Monte delle Disgrasie probably forms an eighth group.— [Ed ] 

I' 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



Ixxxvii 



those hitherto enumerated in no respect save that most of them are of very 
small dimensions. He distinguishes them as follows : — 

1. The Bernina proper, limited to E. and W. by the Bernina Pass and the 
Muretto Pass respectively. The higher peaks are composed of granite, 
syenite, or a syenitic greenstone. 

2. The Albigna Group, lying between the head of the Val Masino and the 
Val Bregaglia. The Piz Zocca is 11,221 ft. in height, and several other 
neighbouring granitic peaks approach it very nearly. This borders on a 
little-known range whose highest summit is the Monte delle Disgrazie, in 
which serpentine seems to be the prevailing rock. 

3. The Julier, or Gravasalvas Group, lying between the Julier and 
Septimer Passes and the head of the Engadine, of small extent, but very 
interesting on account of its peculiar mineral structure. 

4. The Piz Ot Group, a small mass on the 1. side of the Engadine, N. of 
Samaden. The Piz Ot is 10,663 ft. in height. 

5. The Piz Err Group, NE. of the last, and more distant from the Ber- 
nina, separated from it by a band of sedimentary rocks. A number of high 
points are gathered round the Piz Err (11,140'). 

6. The Languard Group. This includes a small mass of crystalline rocks, 
whose centre is the Piz Languard, now very often visited for the sake of its 
fine panoramic view. This group is limited to the E. and S. by the Vai 
Chiamuera and the Val Livigno. Gneiss is here the prevailing rock, but 
towards the summit it passes into granite. 

7. The Poschiavo Group. This probably includes the whole mountain 
mass lying between the Val Viola and the Val Tellina. It is mainly com- 
posed of gneiss, but granite appears near Brusio, on the road of the 
Bernina, a little N. of Tirano. 

It should be remarked that none of the subordinate groups above enume- 
rated exhibit any trace of the fan structure, possibly owing to their small 
extent. 

It is premature to speculate on the causes which have broken up this 
region, where crystalline rocks are displayed on so extensive a scale, into a 
number of small separate centres ; but it is important to observe that, looking 
at each of these in succession, we find no deviation from the normal type of 
Alpine structure. 

XX. Adamello Group. 

Between the head of the Val Camonica and the Val Rendena, in the 
Italian Tyrol, extends a lofty range, covered with neve and glacier, with 
numerous summits that rise but little above the general level. The highest 
of these, which gives its name to the group, is the Monte Adamello 
(11,669'). This group is mainly composed of a well-marked variety of 
granite, containing hornblende, which is encompassed by a zone of crystal- 
line schists. 

The district is as yet too little known to fix the limits of the crystalline 
nucleus with accuracy, but there is reason to think that it constitutes the 
most extensive mass of true granite in the Alps. According to Mr. Ball, 
the range on the N. side of the Val di Genova, culminating in the peak of 
the Presanella (11,682'), consists altogether of the Adamello granite, which 
extends southward on both sides of the head valley of the Chiese, to the 



Ixxxviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



Monte del Castello, and the range at the head of Val Breguzzo. It also 
appears in Val Saviore, and is probably prolonged to the head of the valley 
of the Calfaro. Not being .aware of the continuity of the granitic ma.-s 
over so large an area, M. Escher proposed to distinguish the granitic mass of 
Monte del Castello and its vicinity as a distinct group. See § 40, Route C, 
of the ' Alpine Guide.' 

XXI. The Orteler Group. 

The head of the Val Camonica and the Pass of the Tonale may be taken 
as the X. limit of the Adamello group. Bey end this boundary is a con- 
siderable mass of crystalline rocks, which have uplifted the overlying 
sedimentary strata, so that there is reason to believe that the latter constitute 
many of the highest peaks, including the Orteler Spitze (12,832') itself. 
The range SE. of the Orteler Spitze, including a number of high peaks, has 
been very imperfectly examined. The E. boundary of this group is marked 
by the met.amorphic schists of the Vintschgau ; and to the X. and XE. it 
encounters the triassic rocks that, at this part of the frontier, form a natural 
division between the Swiss and German Alps. 

Prof. Theobald has called attention to a small mass lying between the 
Miinster Thai and the Stelvio road, having, as it appears, a distinct 
crystalline nucleus of gneiss, passing towards the centre into granite, and 
surrounded on all sides by sedimentary rocks. Provisionally this may be 
united with the Orteler group, of which it appears to bea lateral appendage. 

XXII. The Selvretta Group. 
A geologist approaching the Alps by the Valley of the Rhine is surprised 
to find that he may penetrate a considerable distance into the mountains 
without leaving the tertiary and newer secondary formations. A great 
inlet, mainly formed of Grisons schists, separates the Alps of X. Switzer- 
land from the Rhaetian Alps. The Trias extends still farther in the same 
direction. One branch penetrates nearly to the sources of the Oberhalbsteiu 
Rhine ; another, lying farther E., traverses the Inn and approaches the 
Adige, being raised to a great height on the flanks of the Orteler group, 
last described. The first mass of crystalline rocks on the X. side of the 
main chain is the Selvretta group, on the frontier of Switzerland and the 
Voralberg, forming a well-defined mass, whose highest summit is the Piz 
Linard (11,208'). Gneiss, passing into hornblende schist, whose origin is 
yet obscure, is the prevailing rock. Granite is present in a few places, but 
does not rise to the higher summits ; these being composed of hornblende 
rock. The fan structure is well developed, especially near Zernetz and the 
opening of Val Livigno. 

XXIII. Oetzthal Group. 

Whether considered in respect to the scale on which the crystalline rocks 
are developed, or for the extent and height of the mountain mass which it 
includes, this is one of the most important groups in the Alps. Its limits 
are approximately defined by the Inn, the road of the Brenner, and the 
Adige ; although some outlying fragments of crystalline rock cross to the 
rt. bank of the latter river. 

The nucleus here consists of gneiss and mica-schist ; the latter forming the 
crests, the former the outer and lower portions of the range. It is nearly 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



lxxxix 



cut in two by a zone of hornblendic rocks that extend to the Rofenthal. S. 
of that zone the direction of the axis is about due E. and W., while to the 
N. a second axis, making an acute angle with the last, runs from SW. to 
NE., both apparently meeting in the peak of the Weiss Kugel (12,620'J. 
Each of the two axes above described is characterised by a corresponding 
development of the fan structure. 

XXIV. Fassa Group. 

Though not very extensive nor very lofty, this is a very interesting 
group, and one which has occupied much space in the progress of geological 
speculation. The characteristic rock is no longer granite or gneiss, but 
red porphyry, associated with another variety of the same rock, called 
melaphyre, varying, however, in its mineral constituents, and sometimes 
passing into gabbro, syenite, and even into granite. Without ascribing 
to this rock the importance given to it by M. Von Buch, it seems 
impossible to doubt that it has exercised considerable metamorphic action 
on the adjoining sedimentary rocks, and more especially upon the muschel- 
kalk. The igneous nucleus of this group is irregularly developed, having 
broken at intervals through the overlying secondary rocks, wherein dolomite 
plays the most conspicuous part. The prodigious scale on which this rock is 
developed, rising to 11,466 * ft. in the peak of the Marmolata, and the extreme 
boldness of form which it habitually affects, have given just celebrity to the 
scenery of the Val di Fassa, which is the natural centre of the group. To 
the N. the igneous rocks extend beyond the Eisack, and in the opposite 
direction to the head of the Val Sugana. 

XXV. Tauern Group. 

The Valley of the Adige is in many respects the most" important in the 
whole chain of the Alps. It is that which cuts most deeply into the range, 
and by both its main branches leads to the lowest passes between Italy ami 
the N. of Europe. The Eisack branch, terminating in the Brenner Pass, is 
that which has most significance for the geologist. It appears to occupy a 
primitive depression, wherein the sedimentary strata have remained com- 
paratively little disturbed, while the regions on either side alternately 
suffered extensive displacement. It is this trough which separates the 
Oetzthal group from the long range forming the Hochnarr group of M. 
Stur, but now usually called the Tauern group. This consists mainly of gneiss 
and mica-schist, but the recent researches of Austrian geologists have shown 
that bands of sedimentary rock traverse the crystalline masses in various 
directions, breaking the mass into a number of subordinate groups, and, 
in addition to this, have thrown some doubt upon the possibility of maintain- 
ing the distinction between the mica-schists and some grey palaeozoic schists 
of undoubted sedimentary origin. It has long been known that the highest 
summit of this group and of the German Alps — the Gross Glockner (12,958') 
— is composed of sedimentary rock, and the group as here defined, com- 
mencing on the W. with the peaks at the head of the Zillerthal, terminates 
at the Gross Glockner, and the zone of palasozoic rocks extending thence to 

* This is the result of the as yet unpublished Austrian Survey as communicated to Herr Groh- 
mann .of the Austrian Alpen Verein, bv H. H. Bauer and Hoffmann, and is therefore official. 



xc 



INTRODUCTION. 



the Ahrenthal and the Pusterthal. It would be possible to subdivide farther 
the group so limited, distinguishing, as has lately been proposed by M. von 
Sonklar, the Zillerthal Alps as a separate group. In the present state of 
our knowledge it seems most convenient to avoid further multiplication of 
groups. 

XXVI. Ankogel Group. 

This group is in every respect similar in character to the Tauern group, 
of which it is orographically the eastern continuation, and from which it is 
separated only for the geological reasons above mentioned. Its eastern 
limit is marked by a zone of schists extending from the head of the valley of 
the Mur to the Drave. Its highest summit, the Ankogel (10,664'), is 
formed of a fine compact gneiss. 

XXVII. Drave Group. 

The zone of palaeozoic rocks extending from the Gross Glockner through 
the Tefereggen Thai to the neighbourhood of Bruneck, separates from the 
Tauern range another long and very narrow crystalline range, presenting 
many analogies with that of the Italian lakes (XVIII.) This group originates 
near the source of the Drave, and runs parallel to the course of that stream 
for a distance of over 50 miles, nearly to the confluence of the Moll at 
Sachsenburg. In the gneiss near Lienz there are indications of the fan 
structure. The Weiss Spitze, between the Tefereggen Thai and the Drave, 
is 9,703 ft. in height. 

XXVIII. Carnic Alps. 

Though not reckoned among the principal groups of the Alps, the range 
dividing Friuli from Carinthia rises to a considerable height above the level 
plain that borders the Adriatic. The Kellerwand (9,514/ ?), and the 
Paralba (8,812'), are among its highest summits. The crystalline nucleus is 
of gneiss and mica-schist; but this occupies little space as compared with the 
limestone ranges that, in common with the crystalline peaks/" feed the streams 
of the Tagliamento and the Piave. On the ]ST. side this group is well defined 
by the zone of secondary rocks forming the mountains of the Gailthal. 

XXIX. Hoch Golling Group. 
The chain of the Noric Alps, E. of the Ankogel group, is divided into two 
branches, one lying N., the other S., of the valley of the Mur. The first of 
these is the higher, but the crystalline nucleus does not reveal itself in the 
summits nearest to the road of the Radstadter Tauern. The gneiss, here 
passing into granite, makes its first appearance in the peak of the Hoch 
Golling (about 9,380'), and extends thence ENE. to the Hohenwarth (7,728'). 
The valleys of the Ens and the Mur enclose this group to the X. and S. 
respectively. 

XXX. Eisenhut Group. 
This group, corresponding to the last, and lying between the Mur and the 
Drave, is less considerable in height, and the mountains are in great part 
covered with pasturage to their summits. The highest is the Eisenhut 

* Crystalline rocks are seen at various points in the dividing ridge of ths Carnic Alps. Do they 
anywhere rise into peaks ? The summit of the Paralba is formed of dolomite.— [Ed.] 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



XC1 



(8,0070' As elsewhere in the Noric Alps, gneiss and mica-schist are the 
prevailing rocks. The W. limit is formed by the palaeozoic rocks of the 
valley of the Lieser, while to the E. it is bounded by the broad valley, 
chiefly occupied by secondary deposits, extending from Klagenfurt to the 
valley of the Mur. 

XXXI. JuDENBURG ALPS. 

This group, though one of the lowest, is of more considerable extent than 
the last, which it resembles in its general character. In one respect it offers 
an interesting peculiarity. The deposits of molasse, which both on the E. 
and S. side abut against the gneiss rocks, show that the miocene sea reached 
to the base of the group. The group is nearly divided into two by the 
beautiful Lavant valley, on either side of which a range of moderate height 
runs X. and S. parallel to the valley. The higher of these forms the 
boundary between Styria and Carinthia. The highest summit is, apparently^ 
the Speik Kogel (7,269'), near Reichenfels. 

XXXII. Bacherwald Group. 
The S. branch of the Judenburg group does not stop at the Drave. It 
sends a considerable promontory of crystalline rock into the district lying 
between the Drave and the Save. This forms a range of hills of no 
orographic importance — the Bacherberg (5,184') is little more than half the 
height of the calcareous ranges of the Karawankas or the Terglou — but 
interesting to the geologist as being the SE. extremity of the series of 
crystalline groups that make up the Alpine chain. Gneiss is here the 
representative of the series. 

XXXIII. The Semmering Group. 
The Judenburg and Hoch Golling groups do not form the E. termination 
of the crystalline axis of the Alps. Besides the Bacherwald to the SE., a 
far more extensive and rather higher group extends E. of the Mur to the 
Semmering range, S. of Vienna, and even to the frontier of Hungary, in 
the neighbourhood oH;he Lake of Neusiedl. The mountains, if they deserve 
that name, have nothing Alpine in character, and the YVechsel, probably the 
highest summit, is but 5,824 ft. in height. This range formed the N. shore of 
the bay of the former miocene sea that once occupied Lower Styria. The 
molasse is seen along the whole S. and E. boundary of the group to abut 
against the gneiss, without the intervention of any intermediate zone of older 
stratified rock. It may be that this group is not unconnected with a small 
granitic district near Presburg, and through that may form a link between 
the Alps and the Little Carpathians. 

Observations on the Mode or Elevation or the Alps. 

To explain in a satisfactory manner the agencies by which the great chain 
of the Alps has been raised to its present height, is probably a task reserved 
for a future generation of geologists. It is but very lately that the elemen- 
tary facts have been ascertained upon which any sound theory must rest, and 
there can be little doubt that in this direction much remains to be brought to 



xcii 



INTRODUCTION. 



light by those who unite the qualities of the mountaineer with the habit of 
observing natural phenomena. It helps to give a direction to enquiry to 
put forward the conclusions which seem most in harmony with the present 
state of knowledge. 

The first observation that results from the preceding attempt to subdivide 
the Alpine chain in separate geological groups having certain common 
characteristics, is that though each group may be to a certain degree indepen- 
dent, there is yet an evident relation between them. In fact, if we consider 
at the same time any two adjoining groups, we shall in most cases find either 
that the one lies in the prolongation of the crystalline axis of the other, or 
else that they are portions of two parallel systems. 

If, with the help of the geological map of the Western Alps attached to 
this volume, the reader will lay down on a rude tracing the position and 
direction of the crystalline axis of each of the groups of the Western Alps, 
and carry the sketch on to the Lake of Como, he will find that a single broad 
band, slightly curved, will cover all the exterior groups ; i.e., those farthest 
from the valley of the Po. Taking the twin groups of the Finsteraarhorn 
and the St. Gotthard, with the similar pair, the Mont Blanc and Aiguilles 
Rouges groups, then covering the elongated group of the Belledonne, with 
which that of the Grandes Bousses is in the same manner associated, and 
giving a more rapid bend so as to give the curve an elliptical form, he will 
find it pass over the Pelvoux group, and that it may be carried on so as to 
include the Maritime Alps and the Ligurian group. In this manner may be 
traced an exterior zone including nine groups. 

If we apply a similar process to the groups rising immediately from the 
plain of the valley of the Po, we shall find these groups included in a similar 
interior zone parallel to the first. Beginning at the E. end, where its width 
is greatest, we have the Sureta, Adula, and Tcssin groups, followed by that 
of Monte Rosa, which is linked to the Graian Alps by the crystalline masses 
that appear at the head of the Val Sesia ; and finally, the Cottian Alps at 
the SW. extremity. 

Besides these two principal zones, we have indications of the existence of 
a third intermediate zone, less considerable than the others, but scarcely less 
important in its bearing on the general theory. If we bear in mind the 
small secondary group which we have mentioned in the neighbourhood of 
the Col de la Vanoise, and the indications of another similar crystalline 
islet in the Monte Viso and the head of the Val Maira, we may include both 
of these in a zone whose E. termination is in the Yalais and Simplon groups. 

It requires no great stretch of fancy to prolong the zones of elevaiion 
here sketched out (especially the interior or Piedmontese zone) through the 
BhaBtian Alps to the Adige. There is, however, a sufficient reason for 
caution in attempting so wide a generalisation. The mass of sedimentary 
rocks in the Oberhaibstein valley which marks the E. limit of the Surate 
group, indicates at the same time a change in the general direction of the 
stratification. W. of that limit the strike of the strata is generally ~N. and 
S. ; whereas on the E. side it is usually E. and W., or parallel to the direction 
of the main ridges. 

Indications, however, are not wanting to show that the separate groups of 
the Bhastian Alps may be distributed in parallel zones, and further study of 
the numerous subordinate divisions of the Bernina group will probably 
throw additional light on the subject. 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



xciii 



A similar disposition is still more evident in the chain of the Noric Alps. 
An outer or northern zone is formed by the Tauern, Ankogel, Hoch Golling, 
and Semmering groups ; and a second, nearly parallel, system includes the 
groups of the Drave and Eisenhut, with the Judenburger Alps forming its E. 
termination. To these a third interior zone may be added, if we bear in 
mind that the small crystalline masses of the Carnic Alps and the Bacher- 
wald are connected orographically by the more elevated ranges of the 
Terglou and the Karawankas. 

Having briefly indicated the relationship by which most of the separate 
groups of the Alpine chain are connected together, it next occurs to us to 
consider whether the facts lead to any reasonable conclusions in regard to 
the conditions under which their upheaval was effected. 

Here the study of the sedimentary strata subsisting in the troughs or 
intervals between the separate groups, or on the outer flanks of the chain, 
offers the only sure guide. The broad fact that the same sedimentary 
deposits, varying very little in mineral character, extend over very con- 
siderable spaces on the same side of the main chain, and are often present 
in the troughs separating parallel groups, offers a strong argument in favour 
of the belief that the process of upheaval proceeded simultaneously, if not 
along the entire line, at least over a very wide area. When we find the 
same sedimentary rocks, lying in the same order of superposition, on the 
outer slopes of two parallel ridges, and in the trough between tbem — a 
relation which holds to a great extent in a section taken from the Val Ferrex 
across the range of Mont Blanc and the Aiguilles Rouges — we are entitled 
to infer the contemporaneous elevation of both ranges. 

A still more difficult branch of enquiry presents itself when we endeavour 
to infer from the present condition of the sedimentary strata surrounding 
the crystalline centres of the Alps, the probable condition of the surface 
when these were originally uplifted. 

In studying various mountain chains of moderate height, we are led to 
admit as highly probable the conclusion that before the upheaval of the 
range the sedimentary rocks which we now find cropping out on the opposite 
flanks, lay in conformable stratification, forming a continuous portion of the 
crust until broken through by the force which carried the inferior masses to 
the surf ice. In such cases the edges of the strata exposed on the opposite 
flanks of the range would actually reunite if a movement of subsidence were 
to depress it to its former level, save in so far as denudation has since acted 
on the exposed section of each deposit. 

There are several portions of the Alps where a similar mode of reasoning 
leads to a similar conclusion. As one instance, we find the stratified rocks 
on the opposite sides of the Belledonne group so similar in their composition 
and arrangement as to lead to the inference that they must, at one period, 
have formed portions of a continuous mass. An additional proof is found in 
the fact affirmed by M. Lory, that fragments of the same liassic deposits that 
be upon the opposite slopes of the same range are preserved in the folds of 
the crystalline rocks near to the crest of the ridge. A similar argument may 
be applied to the range of the Aiguilles Ilouges, where patches of triassic and 
liassic rocks, identical with those of the Buet and the Valley of Chamouni, 
are found near to the summit; and as the same strata reappear in the Val 
Ferrex, we areied to infer the probability of their former extension over the 
area now occupied by the range of Mont Blanc. 



xciv 



INTRODUCTION. 



It would, however, be rash to conclude from these and some other special 
instances that throughout the entire chain of the Alps a similar continuity of 
identical strata existed up to the period when its various members were 
uplifted. It is true, as we shall have occasion to show, that the difference 
between the sedimentary rocks on the opposite sides of the great chain 
is less than was formerly supposed ; yet the contrast is, in many respects, 
too great, and the distance between the scattered members of the same 
formation too wide, to authorise such a sweeping conclusion. We must bear 
in mind that, with the exception of some small patches of tertiary strata, no 
sedimentary rocks of any description are found on the southern slopes of the 
Alps, through the long interval between the Val Maira and the Lago 
Maggiore. Throughout that space the crystalline rocks abut directly on 
the margin of the alluvial plain of the valley of the Po. Unless we assume 
the action of denudation on a scale of which we have no well-proved example 
elsewhere, or suppose that the entire of the original southern slope, with its 
coating of sedimentary rocks, has subsided below the level of the plain, and 
been thus concealed from view, there seems no remaining alternative but to 
admit that the rocks which are developed on so vast a scale in Savoy and 
Southern Switzerland were never deposited in the southern slopes adjoining 
the valley of the Po. If this imply, as it apparently must do, that the district 
in question was dry land while the sea flowed over the area occupied by the 
western and northern flanks of the chain, we must admit that the whole 
region must have undergone various oscillations of level previous to the great 
changes that determined the present relief of the surface, and learn to 
recognise in the Piedmontese Alps the remains of an island or shore of a, 
continent, washed by the sea, in whose bed the vast masses of sedimentary 
strata of Dauphine and Savoy were being accumulated. 

In support of this conclusion, and tending to prove great oscillations of 
level during the deposition of the strata in question, M. G. de Mortillet* has- 
given several instances of sudden changes in the thickness of particular beds 
of stratified rock in the Dauphine and Savoy Alps. 

To work out these difficult problems, and trace the history of the past in 
the complicated phenomena of the present, is the task that remains for the 
next generation of geologists. 

Sedimentary Deposits. 
The sedimentary deposits of the Alps are in many respects widely different 
from those of all other known mountain chains. The most practised 
geologist, whose experience has been gained in other regions, here fails to 
recognise those fixed points, which elsewhere serve to fix the position of a 
rock in the general succession of the strata. To gain a knowledge of 
the structure of a mountain district in the Alps, as M. Studer has remarked, 
a single section, or even several sections, are quite insufficient. ' In the absence 
of a required starting-point, the order of superposition of different masses 
of stratified rock conveys to him no accurate knowledge. The geologist is 
forced to follow patiently along the line of outcrop of each deposit, in the hope 
that every now and then, and at long intervals, some traces of fossils may 
throw a light upon his path. It too often happens that he is disappointed 
in this expectation, and he is often left to infer the age of one deposit 

* Bulletin de la Societe Geologique de France, tome xix. p. 857. 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



xcv 



merely from its relative position in respect to overlying or underlying 
strata, whose age has been more or less accurately determined.' 

The Alpine geologist has not merely to contend with the difficulties 
arising from upheaval and depression, the repeated folding of the strata, or 
the actual reversion of their original order of superposition ; he has to deal 
with deposits, which scarcely ever retain the characters that are elsewhere 
familiar to him. The marls and clays here appear as hard slates — the 
calcareous deposits as crystalline marble, as dolomite, or as cellular limestone ; 
and even where their mineral structure is less changed, the colour is con- 
stantly altered. Thus the representative of the chalk in the Sentis is a 
black limestone. The most formidable difficulty of all arises from the 
absence or rarity of fossils. 

It is not surprising that the first attempts of Alpine geologists should have 
failed to discover a clue through this labyrinth, for a long time the 
opinion prevailed that the Alps were composed of peculiar rocks altogether 
different from those elsewhere known to geologists ; and even thirty years 
ago the stratified rocks of the Alps were generally classed only in three 
general divisions, under the names Calcaire Alpin, Flysch, and Verrucano, to 
which on the outer flanks of the chain were added Molasse and Nagelflue. 
At the present day, thanks to the persevering labours of independent Swiss 
and Italian geologists, and to the encouragement given to geological research 
by the Austrian, French, and Bavarian Governments,* the Alps have 
ceased to form an exceptional region. The principal formations, and most 
of their subordinate groups, have been identified with more or less precision 
in various parts of the chain. 

As might be anticipated, the most serious difficulties have been encountered 
in the interior troughs, where narrow bands of sedimentary rocks are found 
in the spaces lying between adjoining crystalline masses, and have under- 
gone the utmost degree of mechanical disturbance, as well as metamorphic 
action. Nevertheless, if it be true that these crystalline masses have been 
forced upwards through the overlying stratified deposits — it matters little 
whether in a solid or semi-fluid condition — it follows that the deposits 
remaining in the intervening troughs must have been originally the 
same as those found on the exterior flanks of the chain. Metamorphism 
has in many cases, however, so completely altered their aspect as to make 
it all but impossible to recognise them ; and this is carried so far that it 
is sometimes very difficult to distinguish between the altered sedimentary 
formation and the underlying crystalline nucleus. 

From these observations it follows that a beginner wishing to study the 
sedimentary deposits of the Alps, should commence his observations on the 
outer slopes of the main chain, where the rocks are comparatively little 
altered. Tracing, step by step, the same formation from the outer zone to 
the interior recesses of the chain, he will learn to identify rocks whose 
mineral structure is often widely different. In this way he will, for instance, 
find in the Valais, near Sion, the carboniferous formation well identified and 

* It is but an act of simple justice to add the name of that eminent geologist, Sir Roderick 
Murchison. His earliest papers published in 1829 and 1830, the latter jointly with Professor Sedg- 
wick, and his important memoir on the Geological Structure of the Alps, Apennines, and Carpathians, 
presented to the Geological Society in December 1848, not to mention other writings, have largely 
contributed to the establishment of correct views as to the true relations of the sedimentary deposits 
of the Alps. 



INTRODUCTION. 



associated with beds of coal worked for fuel, connected with rocks, such 
as certain conglomerates, quartzites and schists, whose relative position and 
appearance is such that he is able to recognise them elsewhere, even in spite 
of the metamorphic action to which they have been subjected. 

There is no foundation for the supposition that the more ancient strata 
have constantly undergone a higher degree of metamorphic action than the 
newer formations. Thus we find at the Furka Pass, which is a continuation of 
the great trough of the Rhone Valley, and at the neighbouring pass of Nii fen en, 
similarly related to the Val Bedretto, a highly metamorphic rock, containing 
plates of mica and garnets, formerly counted as a crystalline schist, but now 
proved by the presence of belemnites to belong to the Jurassic formation. 

As a general rule, the troughs, and especially those of no great width, 
contain only palaeozoic and older secondary deposits ; the newer secondary 
and tertiary rocks are generally absent. Thus on the new geological map 
of M. A. Favre we find no rock newer than the Lias in the valley of Cha- 
rt ouni or the Val Ferrex on the opposite sides of the Mont. Blanc range. 
The Urseren Thai contains palaeozoic rocks, with some fragments of the 
Jurassic formation. The trough separating the Tauern group from that of 
the Drave does not appear to contain any newer deposit. 

In some of the wider troughs we find the Jurassic formation developed on 
a large scale, and some patches of eocene limestone have been detected at 
one or two points; but the miocene is nowhere found in the valleys of the 
Alps, if we except the cases already mentioned, at their eastern extremity in 
Carinthia and Carniola. The molasse forms an external girdle encompassing 
the chain, but at a distance from the higher summits. 

As we have already mentioned, it is upon the outer slopes of the Alps, 
and at a distance from the crystalline groups, that the sedimentary rocks can 
be studied to the best advantage. Here it is sometimes possible to observe 
the entire series, from the palaeozoic to the miocene deposits, following each 
other in their natural order, and so much the better displayed as they are 
remote from the centres of disturbance. It is on this account that the 
Eastern Alps are, on the whole, more favourable for the study of the stratified 
rocks than the central and western divisions of the chain, and that we owe 
to the Austrian geologists several important steps in the determination of the 
true relations of the strata. 

Palaeozoic, or Transition Series. 
If it be a recognised truth that the metamorphic action, which in the Alps 
has so extensively modified the sedimentary rocks, depends directly or in- 
directly on the vicinity of the crystalline centres, it follows that the oldest 
formations, being generally speaking nearest to those centres, must be those 
which have most frequently been subjected to alteration. This holds 
especially as to the Central and Western Alps. The metamorphic action 
has worked with less intensity at the E. end of the chain, and it is there 
alone that it has been possible to recover the traces of the earliest formations. 

Silurian and Devonian Formations. 
Sir Roderick Murchison first recognized the presence of Silurian (or 
Devonian according to M. Suess) rocks near Griitz in Styria. They are 
also found near Werfen, in the valley of the Salza ; and M. Gumbel has 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



xcvii 



traced a similar formation along the course of that stream westward through 
the Pinzgau, and as far as Rothenburg on the Inn, and eastward to Rad- 
stadt, at the head of the valley of the Enns. They have also been observed 
near the junction of the Miirz with the Mur. No rocks of Silurian or Devo- 
nian age have yet been identified in the Central or Western Alps, but we 
must not, on that account, infer their necessary absence. We may well 
admit, with Murchison, the probability that these earlier strata lie concealed 
among the vast masses of metamorphic rock whose origin still remains 
uncertain. 

Carboniferous Formation. 

To understand the part played by this formation in the Alps, we must 
distinguish its two main divisions — the Mountain Limestone, of marine origin, 
and the Coal Measures. 

Like the Silurian formation, the Mountain Limestone is at present known 
only in the Eastern Alps. It was first detected by Messrs. Murchison and 
Verneuil, in examining a collection of fossils from Bleiberg in Carinthia which 
included specimens of productus and other characteristic species. It has been 
since recognised in the Gailthal, and on a more considerable scale in Friuli, 
where the Austrian geologists distinguish two subdivisions : the lower, 
schistose ; the upper, true limestone. 

While the marine division of this formation is confined to the Eastern 
Alps, the overlying Coal Measures are mainly, if not exclusively, confined to 
the Central and Western Alps, where they are developed on a very consider- 
able scale. Beds of anthracite and true coal belonging to this formation, 
have long been known and worked at various points in Switzerland and 
Savoy ; as, for instance, at Chandolin near Sion, at Coupeau near Chamouni, 
in the valley of the Isere, and that of the Arc. These beds are associated 
sometimes with schist, sometimes with grit or conglomerate, which may all 
be safely referred to the same formation. This occupies a considerable 
space in the provinces of Maurienne and Tarentaise in Savoy, and by its 
singular relations to the lias at Petit Cceur, the Col des Encombres, and 
other localities, has caused much controversy among geologists. In some of 
these cases there has been not only a complete inversion of the natural 
order of position, but this has been followed by a folding together of the 
beds, so that the older and newer deposits appear to alternate the one with 
the other. The impressions of ferns and other plants known to belong to 
the coal measures have been the guides to a recognition of this formation in 
other parts of the Alps, as in the Val d'Aosta and the Maritime Alps. 

The identification of a certain conglomerate of Val Orsine, on the way 
from Chamouni to Martigny, by the impressions of Sigillarice, has been of 
great value, as this conglomerate, when traced to a distance, has preserved 
its peculiar character in spite of the alteration of the surrounding rocks. 

Permian Formation. 

The Permian strata have not yet been identified in the Alps with any 
certainty. It is not unlikely, however, that certain rocks hitherto classed 
as verrucano, and distinguished by Frof. Theobald as Talcose quartzite, should 
be referred to this formation. They are found in the Rhsetian range, at 
Davos, in the Engadine, and especially in the Munster Thai. 

9 



xcviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



Indeterminate Transition Rocks. 

The area occupied by the palaeozoic rocks, whose position in the geological 
scale has been tolerably well ascertained, is but small in comparison with 
the large extent of metamorphic rocks, probably all belonging to this series, 
that remain as yet to be accurately determined. In this class we include the 
grey slates and green slates of M. Studer ; a portion of the schists of the 
Grisons — e.g.. those on the rt. bank of the Plessur, erroneously referred to 
the eocene in the geological map of MM. Studer and Escher ; the clay slates 
of the Tyrol and Austrian Alps; the metamorphic rocks of the Graian Alps, 
referred by M. Sismonda to the Jurassic formation ; and a considerable part 
of the zone of metamorphic rocks, connecting the Maritime Alps with the 
Ligurian group. We are disposed to include provisionally, certain igneous 
rocks containing hornblende, as well as some mica-schists, when either are 
found to alternate with crystalline limestone or dolomite. The researches 
of future geologists may refer these rocks to their proper place in the above 
series, or possibly to some earlier group anterior to the Silurian. 

Secondary Series. 
Trias Formation. 

The Trias may be said to be the characteristic formation of the eastern 
half of the Chain of the Alps. On crossing the Rhine we not only find it 
largely developed in the Vorarlberg, Algau, the Bavarian and Tyrolese Alps, 
and in the districts of Salzburg and Admont, but also in the interior valley 
of the Inn, and on the S. side of the main chain, where it extends as far west 
as the Lake of Lugano. We shall see farther on that, though occupying a 
much less area, it is not wanting in the Western Alps. 

The geologist who has studied this formation in England or France, or in 
Germany where it is most fully developed, and who is familiar with its three 
well-marked divisions, known in ascending order as the New Red Sandstone, 
the Muschelkalk, and the Keuper, is led to expect that no great difficulty 
can be found in identifying deposits which elsewhere retain their general 
character with such constancy over a wide area. In point of fact, however, 
this is precisely the least easy to recognise and identify of all the Alpine 
sedimentary formations. Laborious and patient research was needed before 
it could be ascertained that the bituminous limestone of the Lake of Como, 
as well as a great portion of the dolomite of the Eastern Alps, are the 
equivalents of the Muschelkalk. and, stranger still, that the Keuper is repre- 
sented by compact limestones in the Tyrol. Not only are the representa- 
tives of these deposits widely different from the ordinary forms known 
elsewhere, but they vary in a perplexing manner in different parts of the 
Alps, so that the identification of a particular rock in one district offers no 
clue to the determination of another coeval formation in another district, 
where it is utterly different in its external characters. 

It is only by careful search, and minute examination of the very scanty 
remains of animal or vegetable life, that the principal members of this 
formation have been recognised under the various disguises which they have 
assumed. Many of these determinations must be regarded rather as reason- 
able conjectures than as proved results. There is ample room for further 
research, which will doubtless serve to modity and complete the views now 
held by Alpine geologists. 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



XC1X 



On the northern side of the great chain we find the New Red Sandstone, 
represented in the Austrian Alps by red and green slates, known as the 
Schists of Werfen. Farther W., in the Grisons, and on the shores of the 
Lake of Wallenstadt, certain sandstones, and a red conglomerate, are the 
equivalents of the same deposit. These have been improperly called Verru- 
cnno from their supposed identity with the rock forming the Verruca, and 
the greater part of the Monte Pisano, in Tuscany. The true Verrucano 
belongs to the carboniferous formation, while the Grisons rock is undoubtedly 
triassic. In Lombardy certain coarse conglomerates are immediately overlaid 
by an argillaceous slate of variable colour, called Servino, which appears to 
be a minor subdivision of this group. 

The sandstones and conglomerates representing the lowest member of this 
formation are covered in the southern Tyrol and in Bavaria by calcareous 
rocks, which in some places are associated with vast masses of dolomite. 
Doubts have long existed, and still survive, in regard to the exact limits to 
be assigned to the limestones and dolomites that are developed on a vast 
scale in the region between the Adige and the Piave, but it is certain that a 
considerable portion belongs to the Muschelkalk. In Carinthia this division 
of the trias is represented by the Guttenstein limestone, while in Lombardy 
it corresponds to the so-called inferior Dolomite, and to beds of bituminous 
limestone, rich in remains of fish, reptiles, and fossil shells, known as the 
Varenna and Perledo Beds. 

Great difficulty has been found in the attempt to distinguish the Alpine 
equivalents of the Keuper from the underlying deposits representing the 
Muschelkalk on the one hand, and from the lowest stage of the Lias on the 
other. It may now be considered as decided that the Raibl Limestone of the 
Austrian geologists and the St. Cassian beds of the S. Tyrol belong to the 
Lower Keuper ; and to the same stage may be referred the Schists of 
Partnach, and the Hallstadt Limestone. 

Above the Lower Keuper we find vast masses of dolomite, known in 
Bavaria and the Vorarlberg as the Chief. Dolomite. This corresponds to 
the Middle Keuper, and is probablj* represented in the Jura by the dolomite 
beds that separate the Lettenkohle, or clay coal of Wurtemburg, from the 
Upper Keuper. 

Above the Middle Keuper, represented by this great extension of dolomite, 
are a series of deposits which are most fully developed in the Rhajtian Alps, 
and have been therefore called the Rhsetian group. They include two prin- 
cipal members : at the base are the Kossen beds, the equivalent of the beds 
with Avicida contorta of many geologists, and probably also of the English 
bone-bed; and above these is the Dachstein limestone. Some geologists refer 
this series to the Keuper : others, especially M. Stoppani, class it as a distinct 
member at the base of the next formation, under the name Infra Lias. The 
latter writer has traced in Lombardy the equivalents of most of the members 
of the Keuper as well as the Rhsetian group. 

M. Alphonse Favre has succeeded in tracing the trias throughout a con- 
siderable portion of the Western Alps, and points out as especially well- 
marked the quartzites of the St. Bernard. In contrast to the opposite end 
of the chain, where it forms massive peaks, it is here usually limited to a thin 
band, a few feet in thickness, extending along the line of junction of the 
lias with the carboniferous formation, but representing an almost incal- 

9°- 



c 



INTRODUCTION. 



culable lapse of time. More recently, M. Lory has been led to refer to the 
trias a series of deposits, including gypsum, and grey sandstone passing into 
quartzite, extensively developed near Briancon, and previously included in 
the lias. The same formation probably extends through the Vaudois Vallevs 
of the Cottian Alps, and may be found to include the dolomite of Mont 
Cenis. 

Lias Formation. 

The Lias usually presents itself in the form of marly deposit?, -which, even 
when consolidated in the form of rock, display little solidity. Hence in the 
Jura the outcrop of this formation, instead of being marked by eminences, 
usually corresponds to depressions, locally known as combes. The case 
is otherwise in the Alps, where it usually appears as a hard and compact 
limestone : but the fossils being for the most part identical, leave no doubt 
that the one is geologically the representative of the other. 

The Lower Lias has been identified chiefly in the central and western 
parts of the Alpine chain. Thus a limestone deposit near Meillerie, on the 
Lake of Geneva, containing Ammonites BucMandi, has been referred to this 
stage of the formation, to which also belong the calcareous schists of Petit 
Coeurin Tarentaise. apparently intercalated in the midst of the Coal Measures. 
Certain slates of the Oisans district, and limestones of the neighbourhood of 
Brian£on, have been referred hither by M. Lory ; and to the same stage 
Messrs. Stoppani and Ragazz mi refer a series of rocks that have been 
traced along the S. side of the Lombard Alps from the Lake of G-arda to 
that of Lugano, and which are especially developed about Sal trio and 
Arzo. 

The Upper Lias is represented on the S. side of the Alps by a well-known 
rock, the Caleare Rosso Ammonitifero of Italian geologists, especially 
developed about the Lake of Como. and near Erba, in Brianza. The name 
is jnstified by the extraordinary abundance of ammonites, yet is open to 
objection as not being exclusively appropriate to this formation. M. Ton 
Hauer distinguishes two divisions of this deposit, one of which he refer; :: 
the upper lias, the other to the oolite. Some of the Lombard geologists 
contest this division, and maintain that the fossils supposed to characterise 
each formation are found associated together in the same beds. The matter 
deserves further investigation. 

The same stage of the lias is represented in the Austrian and Bavarian 
Alps bv several groups of deposits, of which the most important are the 
Adneth Limestone, corresponding to the Caleare Ammonitifero and the 
Spotted Marls of Algau (Fleckenmergel). 

The Upper Lias is" also found in the Western Alps, as in Tarentaise. below 
the Col des Encombres, and in the Bernese Alps, near Chatel St. Denis, 
near Blumenstein in the Stockhorn range, and above Bex. The fossils 
found in the two last localities seem to show that the Middle Lias, not 
identified elsewhere in the Alps, is there present, as well as the upper and 
lower members of that formation. 

Oolite Formahon. 

The name Oolite has been objected to, with some reason, as being suitable 
onlv to certain members of this formation ; but to the name Jurassic forma- 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



CI 



tion there is the stronger objection that this is vague in its limits, the term 
having been applied by some writers to the oolite, and by others to the oolite 
and lias collectively. We retain provisionally the older designation. The 
geologist must not expect to find this important formation so fully developed 
in the Alps as in England, France, or the Jura range, but the chief subor- 
dinate groups have been satisfactorily identified. 

The Inferior Oolite was first identified in the Bernese Alps. It is well 
marked in the two localities above referred to near Blumenstein and 
above Bex, where it is found overlying the Upper Lias and is identified by 
fossils of which Belemnites giganteua is one of the most, conspicuous. It 
has been traced SW. through the Canton of Vaud, and NE. to the foot of 
the Titlis, and by the flanks of the Glarnisch to the Lake of Wallenstadt. 
In Savoy its presence has been recognised near the Col d'Anterne, between 
Sixt and Servoz, and elsewhere in the same district. It has been found in 
the Grabachthal (Vorarlberg) by M. Escher, and in the Vicentine and 
Veronese Alps by M. de Zigno. 

The Middle Oolite, or Oxfordian of foreign geologists, plays a more 
important part in the Alps than either the upper or lower members of this 
formation. It is to this that we refer the enormous masses of limestone 
which formerly, along with other members of the Jurassic System, passed 
under the vague name of Alpine limestone. It is in the chain of the Bernese 
Alps that this attains its maximum development; it there forms the grand 
peaks of the Altels (11,923'), Blumlis Alp (12,041'), the outer peak of the 
Wetterhorn (12,1490, and - tne Titlis (10,620')- The same formation con- 
stitutes much of the mountain country between the Lake of Thun and the 
Lake of Geneva. It is probable that the limestone which makes up a great 
part of the Windgelle, the Scherrhorn, the Clariden Grat, and the Todi, 
belongs to the same stage of the oolite. It usually appears as a brittle hard 
rock, sounding under the hammer like glass, with finely granular crystalline 
fracture, and treacherous to the climber, as it is usually traversed by 
fissures along the line of stratification. This rock often exhibits a curious 
phenomenon known by the name of Karrenfelder (Fr. lapias). Considerable 
surfaces of bare rock are traversed by parallel fissures or grooves, separated 
by narrow and sharp edges. A good example may be seen near the 
Dauben See at the summit of the Gemmi Pass. 

Fossils are rare in this rock ; a few belemnites and ammonites are seen at 
intervals, the characteristic species being Belemnites hastatus and Ammonites 
tortisulcatus. The belemnites are often traversed by veins of quartz or 
calcareous spar, while the ammonites are distorted in a manner that shows 
the action of enormous pressure. 

The Echini lately discovered by M. Favre in the Val Ferrex on the S. 
side of Mont Blanc prove that this stage of the oolite formation is present 
there ; and a continuous zone of the .same rock may be traced along the 
W. side of the Dauphine Alps, from Gap to the neighbourhood of Grenoble. 

The Oxfordian deposits exhibit somewhat different characters on the 
south side of the Alps. In the Alps of Vicenza, M. de Zigno assures us 
that beds with impressions of plants of the oolitic period are covered by a 
yellowish limestone containing characteristic Oxfordian fossils, while this in 
its turn is overlaid by the red and yellow limestone which has passed in the 
Venetian Alps for the Calcare Rosso Ammonitifero. It is, however, a 



Cll 



INTRODUCTION. 



different rock from that bearing the same name in Lombardy, which, as we 
have already _ seen, belongs to the upper lias, while that now in question 
contains species peculiar to the middle oolite; e.g., Ammonites plicatilis, 
A. tatricus, A. anceps, along with equally characteristic species of Aptyclius. 
The Oxfordian Limestone may be traced along the Venetian Alps to the 
Italian Tyrol, where it is seen near Trent and Eoveredo, whence it extends 
to Lombardy, appearing near Brescia in the form of a red siliceous lime- 
stone. 

It seems probable that the rock indicated by M. Gumbel in his geological 
map of Bavaria under the name Upper Jura Limestone, and which has been 
traced in the Vorarlberg, and as far west as the Calanda near Coire, being 
everywhere distinguished by the prevalence of species of Aptychus, belongs 
to this stage_ of the oolite, though some geologists are disposed to refer it to 
the Kimmeridgian section of the following division. 

Various ferrugineous deposits in the Alps, such as those of Ardon in the 
Valais, and the iron sand of the Bavarian Alps, seem to be the representa- 
tives of the Kelloway rock, and therefore a portion of the Middle Oolite. 
We may perhaps include in the same group the iron deposits containing 
Chamosite at the head of the valley of Chamoson in the Valais, and the 
deposits worked for many centuries at Gonzen near Sargans. 

The Superior Oolite appears to be much less developed in the Alps than 
the preceding group. It is limited to Switzerland, and, so far as we know, 
to the district between the E. end of the Lake of Geneva and the Lake of 
Thun, enclosing the upper parts of the Simmenthal and the valley of the 
Sarine, extending NE. as far as the Baths of Weissenburg, and SE. to the 
Tours d'Ay. On the S. side of the Lake of Geneva, it reappears in the 
province of Chablais, reaching a considerable height in the Cornettes range, 
and the mountains enclosing the head of the Dranse d'Abondance. The 
rock is a dark-coloured limestone of shaly texture. In the last-named 
locality beds of secondary coal are worked for fuel. These beds, as 
well as the associated shales, abound in shells partly fresh water, partly 
marine. The rocks on the Swiss side of the lake should, perhaps, be referred 
to the Kimmeridge Clay ; but the beds above spoken of in the valley of Dranse 
perhaps belong to the Purbeck formation, rather than to any portion of the 
Oolite.* 

Cretaceous Formation. 

It is only of late years that the presence of the principal subdivisions of 
the Cretaceous formation has been clearly made out in the Alps, and 
the Neocomian group, not before known at all, has been shown to be 
the most largely developed. The chief seat of this formation is in the 
Western and Central Alps. The period of its deposition appears to have 
been one of frequent disturbance, so that the series of its members is rarely 
continuous : sometimes one, sometimes another, is entirely absent, leading us 
to infer oscillations of the relative level of land and sea, or else very exten- 
sive denudation at successive intervals. 

The Neoeomian group forms a broad band along the French and Savoy 
side of the Western Alps extending from Provence to the neighbourhood of 

* M. Onpel has recen'ly proposed the designation ' Tithonian Group ' for the beds forming a 
passage between the Oolite and Cretaceous Formations, of which he distinguishes ten subdivisions. 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



CHI 



Chambery, where it forms the range of the Grande Chartreuse. Attaining 
its greatest width in the region enclosing the Lakes of Bourget andAnneey, 
it divides into two branches, the western of which forms a conspicuous por- 
tion of the Jura range, while the eastern branch traverses the province of 
Chablais, and extends right across Switzerland, along the N. side of the 
Bernese Alps, through the Faulhorn and the Brienzer Grat, to the Piiatus 
and the Mythen on the Lake of Lu'cerne, and thence to the loftier peak of the 
Glarnisch. NE. of the Lake of Wallenstadt, it reappears in the range of 
the Churflirsten and the Sentis, and crossing the Rhine is still traced at 
intervals through the Bavarian Alps, and the adjoining portions of the Tyrol 
N. of the Inn. 

This stage of the Cretaceous formation, best known to English geo- 
logists as the Lower Greensand, was subdivided by Studer into two well- 
marked members — the lower, called by him Spatangus -kalk, characterised 
by the prevalence of Spatangus retusus — the upper, called Schratten-kalk : 
equally well marked by the abundance of Caprotina ammonia. Later 
researches have induced geologists still further to subdivide this group, and 
five distinct members are now generally recognised. We shall briefly notice 
them in ascending order. 

The Valangian, whose type is seen in the Jura near Neuchatel, appears 
as a hard siliceous limestone at the E. end of the Lake of Lucerne, in the 
Glarnisch, and the Sentis. 

The True Neocomian, or Spatangus Limestone, is, in the Alps, of dark 
colour and slaty texture, often containing much silex. It is generally poor in 
fossils. Exceptions to this observation are the localities of Bicki and Ro- 
faien above the Axenberg, some points in the Sentis chain, and in the valley 
of the Sihl. Spatangus retusus (Toxaster complanatus, Ag.), Exogyra Couloni, 
and Ostrea macroptera are the characteristic fossils. 

The Crioceras Limestone, so named from the numerous fossils of the 
genera Crioceras and Ancyloceras, or Barremian Limestone, from Barreme 
in the Basses Alps, where, as in Provence, it is extensively developed, has 
been separated as a distinct group. As a compact limestone with a con- 
choidal fracture, of pale grey colour mottled with black, it is found in the 
Voirons near Geneva, at Chatel St. Denis, 1ST. of Vevey, in the Justithal, and 
near the Lake of Thun, in the range of the Stockhorn, where it forms several 
of the highest peaks. 

The Urgonian, or Schratten-kalk, or Caprotina Limestone. This is a 
compact hard limestone, usually paler in colour than the true Neocomian, and 
remarkable for its sterility. It is thus often recognised at a distance, where 
it forms a zone of nearly bare rock on the steep side of a mountain, as, for 
instance, on the slopes of the Hohgant and the Abendberg, near Interlaken. 
In the Entlibuch, where it is extensively developed, the rain-water scoops 
out long tortuous channels — locally named Schratten — on the bare surface. 
Hence the name given to the rock by the Swiss geologists. The charac- 
teristic fossils are Caprotina ammonia and Radiolites neocomensis. In the 
upper zone occur beds formed almost exclusively of Orbitolites lenticularis, 
which serve as guides amid the intricacies of the limestone Alps, where the 
strata have been violently disturbed, and the clue to the true order of 
superposition would otherwise be wanting. These fossils also mark the 
transition to a "succeeding group— the Aptian, or Plicatula clay, of foreign 



civ 



INTRODUCTION. 



geologists— equivalent to the English Lower Greensand. In the Alps this 
is not distinguishable as a distinct group from the Urgonian. 

The Gaulth&s been traced at intervals along the margin of theNeocomian 
deposits from Savoy to the Sentis, and thence into the Vorarlberg and 
Bavarian Alps. It usually presents the appearance of a narrow band of 
green or nearly black sandstone, easily disintegrated. It is often rich in 
fossils, and therefore very important for the determination of the under and 
over-lying strata. Amongst the localities where these fossils are most easily 
found, we may notice the head of the valley of the Reposoir in Savoy, the 
slopes above Sasonnet in the valley of the Arve, and the Meglis Alp and 
See Alp, in the Sentis. 

The upper division of the Cretaceous formation, which is divided by Conti- 
nental geologists into three groups — the Cenomanian, or Upper Greensand, 
the Turonian, or Chalk-marl, and the Senonian, or Flint Chalk, — is far less 
developed in the Alps than the lower division of the same formation. The 
Sewen limestone, which occupies a large space in the NE. of Switzerland, 
where it forms the summits of the Kamor, Hohenkasten, and Sentis, is there 
the only representative of the above deposits. This rock is a' compact, dis- 
tinctly stratified limestone, of pale, or dark, or reddish-grey colour, and 
conchoidal structure. It is sometimes bituminous, and sometimes contains 
flint nodules. In consequence of its close conformity of stratification with 
the underlying Gault, it has been sometimes referred to the Cenomanian, or 
Upper Greensand ; but the presence of Ananchyies ovata, a fossil especially 
characteristic of the true Chalk, appears conclusive proof that it should be 
regarded as the equivalent of that member of the series. 

Certain deposits, developed on an extensive scale at Gosau, in the Salzburg 
Alps, and extending thence eastward into Austria, and SW. into the Tyrol, 
have caused much controversy among geologists. They are very varied in 
composition, including marls, sandstones, conglomerates, and limestones. 
M. Gumbel is disposed to refer these deposits to the Turonian group, to 
which he would also refer scattered patches of cretaceous limestone found at 
several localities in the Eastern Alps, e.g., at the head of the Ammergau. on 
the banks of the Kochel See, and on the 1. bank of the Inn, opposite the 
opening of the ZillerthaL 

The cretaceous formation is not wanting on the S. side of the Alps ; but it 
is a matter of much difficulty to identify the rocks in that region with the 
subdivisions adopted elsewhere, and on that account it has appeared most 
convenient to notice them apart. 

In the Venetian Alps the Oxfordian,or Middle Oolite, is immediately suc- 
ceeded by a white compact limestone, called Biancone, which M. de Zignohas 
positively identified by its fossils with the Neocomian : it is probably to be 
referred to the subdivision above named, Crioceras or Barremian limestone. 

According to M. de Mortillet, the same deposit extends along the S. side 
of the Alps into Lombardy ; but the name Biancone is there exchanged for 
that of Majolica. Geologists are yet undecided as to the true position of the 
majolica. One portion of it appears, like the Biancone, to be in no respect 
different from the Neocomian ; but we are assured by several excellent 
geologists, that in the lower beds of the same limestone there is found a 
mixture of characteristic fossils of the Oxfordian period, along with those of 
the Neocomian. From this fact, M. de Mortillet deduces the important 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



CV 



conclusion that, during the long period occupied elsewhere by the Upper 
Oolite and the Wealden formations, the Oxfordian and Neocomian fauna here 
succeeded each other by a process of slow intermixture, until the former 
was gradually supplanted by the latter. 

The Gault is not wanting in the Venetian Alps ; but as the mineral 
character of the rock is the same as that of the underlying Neocomian, and 
fossils are scarce, the identification is very difficult. The late M. Massalongo 
was the first to establish the presence of the Gault near Tregnago, NE. of 
Verona. M. de Mortillet believes that it is also represented in the sections 
which he has made in the neighbourhood of the Lake of Iseo, but fossils 
are as yet wanting. 

The last-named geologist refers to the Turonian, or Upper Greensand, a 
grey limestone dotted with small crystals of calc-spar, sometimes oolitic in 
texture, and sometimes composed almost exclusively of shells and other 
organic remains, found in several parts of the Venetian Alps overlying the 
Biancone. Numerous hippurites and other fossils were found by him near 
the Lake of Santa Croce, in the province of Belluno, and farther east in 
Friuli. He finds the same fossils in a conglomerate worked at Sirone in 
Brianza, N. of Milan, and between Gorlago and Sarnico in the province 
of Bergamo. 

The equivalent of the Senonian, or Flint Chalk, is known in the Venetian 
Alps by the name Scaglia. It is usually an argillaceous limestone, stratified 
in thin layers, varying in colour from white to dull red, sometimes con- 
taining flint nodules. In Lombardy this stage is represented by beds of 
marly limestone alternating or passing into sandstone. 

Tertiary Series. 

Eocene Formation. 

The Eocene formation is largely developed upon the outer slopes of 
the Alps, and has sometimes been raised to a great height on the 1ST. side 
of the main chain. It naturally forms two groups, which may best be 
noticed separately. 

The nummulitic zone, once in part referred to the Cretaceous formation, 
but now definitively associated with the Tertiary series, of which it marks the 
earliest appearance, is usually a grey limestone, abounding in nummulites, but 
sometimes appears as a green sandstone, or as a ferruginous schist, contain- 
ing many large terebratulse and echinidge. The iron is sometimes so abun- 
dant as to be worked, as, for instance, at Kressenberg in Bavaria. 

On the W. side of the Alps, a large patch of this deposit extends from the 
Durance along the E. side of the Pelvoux group, and is said to attain a height 
of nearly 11,500 ft. in the Aiguilles d'Arves. It reappears in Savoy, where it 
has been lifted up on the ridge of the secondary rocks so as to form many of 
the highest summits of the outer range. Thus, according to A. Favre, it 
reaches 10,433 feet in the summit of the Fointe de Salles, and rises to a 
great height on the N. flank of the Dent du Midi. In the range of the 
Diablerets which links the Alps of N. Savoy to those of the Canton of Berne, 
the same deposits play a still more important part, forming the peaks of the 
Dent de Morcles, the Grand Moevran, and probably also that of the Olden- 



cvi 



INTRODUCTION. 



horn (10,250'). They may be traced along the summit of the range thence 
to the Gemini, and then along the valley of the Kander to the Lake of 
Thun and the Lake of Lucerne. A parallel band extends to Rosenlaui, form- 
ing the passes of the Wengern Alp and the Scheideck. The same band, 
apparently, reappears at Altdorf, mounts through the Schachenthal, and 
extends along the range of the Clariden Grat and the Todi to the Baths of 
PfafFers, showing itself on the summit of the range at the Kisten Pass, 
Panixer Pass, and Segues Pass. 

The same deposits are developed very extensively in the Canton of 
Schwytz, where the rock changes its mineral character, becoming a green 
sandstone, very like the Gault, except from its fossils. They are also seen in 
Appenzell on both flanks of the Sentis ; but they do not reappear E. of the 
Rhine until we reach the Styrian Alps, where they are found in several 
places. 

On the S. side of the Alps the nummulitic deposits are largely developed, 
and acquire special interest from their fossil remains, both animal and vege- 
table. The fossil shells of Ronca and Castel Gomberto, the Crustacea and 
echinidas of the neighbourhood of Verona and Schio, and above all the 
fossil fish of Monte Bolca, and the magnificent fossil flora with its palms, and 
monstrous fruit of various Fracastorise of the same neighbourhood, have 
made us unusually well acquainted with the conditions of life at the period 
when these rocks were deposited. They speak of a shallow sea existing 
along a pre-existing line of coast, and subjected to considerable but not 
violent changes of level, the movement of subsidence being that which pre- 
vailed, and to which we owe the preservation of so many memorials of the 
period. M. de Zigno has pointed out the existence in the Venetian Alps, 
of certain beds of marly limestone interposed between the Scaglia, or Upper 
Chalk, and the nummulitic limestone. These beds contain in their lower 
part, corals and terebratulse of Cretaceous aspect, and in their upper por- 
tion pass into a calcareous grit containing nummulites, and apparently con- 
stitute a link between the two formations, as though in this region the 
succession from the one to the other had proceeded without interruption. 

In the Maritime Alps, where the Oolite and Cretaceous formations are 
altogether wanting, the Eocene beds are found resting on metamorphic 
rocks now referred to the Trias. On the N. side of the main range these 
may be traced from near Cuneo along the Stura, and over the Col de la 
Madeleine to the Ubaye and the Durance. 

Fly sch or Macigno. — This is one of the most remarkable of the sedimen- 
tary deposits of the Alps. Though it has no representative in the neighbour- 
ing mountain districts of the Jura, the Vosges, or Bohemia, it is developed 
in the Alps on a great scale, forming masses several thousand feet in thick- 
ness. With the exception of a few localities, no animal remains whatever 
are found in it, and the only organic remains are those of fuci, which are 
sometimes very plentiful. This is the more remarkable, as the deposit 
appears to have been formed slowly and tranquilly, under conditions 
favourable for the development of animal life. 

The usual form of the Flysch is a fine-grained grey shale, of little solidity, 
and disintegrating rapidly by exposure, forming a soil very favourable to vege- 
tation. Whenever in the Swiss Alps steep cliffs are seen to produce abundant 
vegetation, there is reason to suspect that they are composed of this deposit. 



GEuLOGi* OF THE ALPS. 



CVI1 



The base of such cluTs is usually covered by huge piles of debris, which soon 
become covered with herbage. It is to the Flysch that the Gruyere district 
owes the excellence of its pastures. Occasionally the rock becomes harder, 
and is fit for use as slate. It is worked for that purpose in Savoy, at the 
Niesen, at Pfeffers, and at Glarus, where these slates are well known for their 
fossil fish. Sometimes again the Flysch appears in the form of a dark- 
green sandstone, mottled with spots of lighter colour. This modification is 
called Gres de Taviglianaz, from a place of that name on the way between 
Bex and Anzeindaz. 

The grit of Ralligen, on the shore of the Lake of Thun, appears to be 
a lacustrine deposit of the age of the Flysch. It contains impressions of 
plants similar to those of Sotzka, in Styria. 

In spite of the apparent differences between this and the underlying 
nummulitic deposits, the fact that they are frequently seen associated 
together in conformable stratification, and that it is not rare to find a 
gradual transition between them, leaves no doubt that they are closely 
connected together. The Flysch being the more easily disintegrated, it less 
often remains upon the exposed summits of the exterior ranges of the Alps. 
It is in the district between the Rhone and the Aar that the Flysch has 
been most largely developed, so much so that M. Studer has distinguished 
six distinct zones, which it is unnecessary to enumerate in this brief sketch. 

Certain phenomena that have been pointed out in that district deserve 
especial notice. 

The point at which the Flysch deposits attain their greatest dimensions is 
in the pyramidal peak of the Niesen, well known to travellers who pass the 
Lake of Thun. The base of the mountain is formed of a black shale, the 
upper part of a peculiar grit called Gres du Niesen. The presence of 
characteristic fuci leaves no doubt but that the whole mass belongs to the 
same deposit. It is very remarkable that, although the mountain rises so 
boldly, nearly from the shore, no trace of the Niesen grit should yet have 
been discovered on the opposite side of the Lake of Thun. 

Near Sepey, in what M. Studer has called the Sinunenthal zone of this 
deposit, is a conglomerate composed of angular blocks of protogine, gneiss, 
mica-schist, and quartz confusedly mixed together, and apparently cemented 
together by the Flysch. 

In the valley of Habkeren, on the N. side of the Lake of Thun, the Flysch 
contains enormous angular blocks of a granite apparently different from any 
yet found in situ in the Alps. The origin of these blocks has naturally been 
an object of discussion among geologists, but as yet it remains a mystery. 

Miocene Formation. 

Under the name of Molasse this formation, including both marine and 
freshwater deposits, occupies the entire plain of Switzerland between the 
Alps and the Jura. It forms the subsoil of the plateau of Bavaria, and 
extends eastward within a narrower zone to the neighbourhood of Vienna. 
Bending round the E. extremity of the chain, it spreads out, near Gratz, 
into a plain that separates the mountains of Waradin from the outer ramifi- 
cations of the Carinthian Alps. With a slightly altered aspect, it reappears 
in Friuli, N. of Udine and near Gorz, the lower beds containing many fossil 



CVU1 INTRODUCTION. 

remains, and among others opercularia and true nummulites, on which 
account Massalongo proposed to distinguish these deposits by the name Oligo- 
cene. The existence of Miocene deposits in Lombardy has been suspected, 
but not clearly made out. In Piedmont this formation is nowhere seen on 
the slopes of the Alps, but only in the low hills that rise in the centre of the 
valley of the Po, and on the flanks of the Apennine chain. 

It is important to note that, with the exception of two or three low valleys 
at the E. extremity of the chain, the Molasse nowhere penetrates into the 
interior, but remains everywhere on the outer margin of the Alps, which it 
nearly encompasses. This arrangement leads to the inference that the Alps 
formed dry land during the Miocene period, while we have direct evidence 
that during the preceding period, while the Jura and central Germany were 
above the sea-level, a great part, if not the whole of the Alps, lay at a depth 
which could not be less than 12,000 ft. below the present level, and probably 
exceeded that amount. It appears that a vast oscillatory movement preceded 
the upheaval which gave to the chain of the Alps its present form. 

Although limited to the outer zone, the Miocene has undergone a great 
amount of disturbance. Its beds are not only twisted, folded, and set on 
end, but in some cases huge masses, forming entire mountains, have been 
turned over so as to have the natural order of superposition reversed. Thus, 
at the Rigi Scheideck we see the Cretaceous and Eocene rocks resting on the 
Miocene conglomerate ; and a similar reversal of the natural order is found 
in the Speer, and other mountains lying on the outer margin of the Alps. 

On the northern and western slopes of the Alps no instance has yet been 
observed of a transition from the Eocene to the Miocene ; and in some 
instances it is asserted that the beds lie in unconformable stratification. 
On the S. side, in the Venetian, and also in the Styrian Alps, we have 
evidence of the same gradual passage which existed, as we have seen, 
between the Oxfordian and the Cretaceous formation, and between the 
latter and the Tertiary series. 

Pliocene Formation. 
The Pliocene is entirely wanting on the northern and western flanks of 
the Alpine chain, but it has been detected in Lombardy and Piedmont by 
the active geologists who have thoroughly examined the margin of the valley 
of the Po, which during some portion of this period must have formed the 
bed of a shallow sea. The localities of these deposits are Castenedolo near 
Brescia, Nese NNE. of Bergamo, La Folia dTnduno near Varese, and 
Ma?serano and San Martino near Pavone. Near the latter town, 
M. de Mortillet has found a littoral deposit of rolled pebbles, containing 
masses of lignite arising from the accumulation of floating wood. The same 
geologist attributes the fact that the Pliocene is thus limited to a few 
scattered patches, to the action of denudation upon incoherent deposits, 
incapable of resisting the prolonged action of the elements. 

Pleistocene Period. 

The geological period which commenced with the establishment of the 
present fauna and flora has by some writers been elevated to the rank of an 
epoch, equivalent to those marked by the commencement of the Secondary 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



cix 



and Tertiary Series, and therefore styled Quaternary Series, while others of 
high authority have refused to admit its claim to be counted as more than a 
subordinate member of the Pliocene. It seems most convenient to use a 
term which does not prejudge the question in dispute, calling the interval 
since the deposit of the Pliocene, with its proportion of extinct organic 
being, by the name Pleistocene Period. 

The deposits formed during this period are in most districts so insignificant 
in extent that they might be passed over without notice, were it not for the 
special interest that attaches to the history of the operations that progressed 
in the Alps during the interval. 

These operations, whatever they may have been, have resulted in the 
transport of enormous quantities of solid matter from the inner and higher 
parts of the chain to the lower channel of the main valleys, and to the low 
country surrounding the base of the Alps. This transported matter is of 
three kinds, each of which deserves a brief notice. 

1. The Ancient Alluvium. — This is present to a greater or less extent on 
all sides of the Alps, and in the bottoms of most of the great valleys, but is 
mainly developed on the S. side of the chain, and may there be studied to 
the best advantage. To this is referred the masses of rolled stones, com- 
posed of crystalline or harder sedimentary rocks, that at a slight depth 
beneath the surface are seen to spread along the valley of the Po, extending 
to a variable distance from the foot of the mountains, and along the course 
of the wider and deeper valleys. A deposit of similar character, covered only 
by a thin skin of vegetable soil, covers the plain of Friuli, from the Piave 
to the Isonzo, and, in some places at least, forms beds of considerable depth. 

2. Moraine Deposits. — In a subsequent page the reader will find a brief 
notice of the geological action of glaciers, where the nature of those masses 
of mineral matter which are borne down from the upper regions of the Alps 
to the lower valleys, and are known by the name of moraines, is more fully 
described. At many points in valleys, where from other evidence we know 
that glaciers formerly extended, mounds of transported matter, including 
large angular blocks irregularly dispersed through gravel and fine soil, still 
exist, and at the opening of the great valleys on the S. side of the Alps similar 
mounds appear on a great scale, sometimes forming hills of considerable 
height. Those which surround the S. side of the Lake of Garda are fully 
35 miles in length, and some of them, as that of Solferino, are nearly 500 ft. 
in height. These ancient moraines have been carefully studied by excellent 
geologists, such as MM. Studer, Eseher, Guyot, Martins, Gastaldi, Omboni, 
Villa, De Mortillet, &c, and their conclusion that these masses are true mo- 
raines, which must have been deposited in their present position by glaciers 
that once descended to the plain, is now generally accepted by geologists. 
Important consequences have been made to turn upon the question whether 
or not the ancient alluvium owes its origin to the same operation which 
transferred the great moraines from the upper ridges to the foot of the 
Alps. 

In support of the affirmative opinion, it has been urged that the materials 
of the alluvium and those of the moraines are identical in composition, the 
main if not the only difference being that the former have undergone the 
action of water, while the latter remain in their original position. An inter- 
mediate condition, where the materials of a moraine have been attacked by 



cx 



INTRODUCTION. 



streams and partially stratified, is occasionally seen, and has been appealed 
to in evidence. 

Those who affirm the existence of an essential difference between the 
alluvium and the moraine, point out various characters by which it is thought 
that they may be distinguished. The alluvium is composed of rounded 
blocks of moderate size, never ice-worn, never mixed with earth, and lying 
in a position of stable equilibrium. The whole mass shows more or less 
traces of stratification, and the materials are sorted stones of about the same 
size usually lying together. In the ancient, as in modern moraines, the 
materials are mixed pell-mell ; they include angular blocks, with edges little 
or not at all worn, and the smaller stones are often scored and striated. The 
greatest stress is laid upon the fact that the moraines are constantly found 
resting upon the ancient alluvium, which must have been deposited in its 
place, and in some degree consolidated before their arrival. 

3. Glacial Silt. — The action of glaciers in pulverising the underlying 
rocks and transporting the materials to a distance in the form of extremely 
fine mud, has been referred to in Art. XIII. (On Glaciers). Accurate 
measures are wanting to show the amount of solid matter thus annually 
transported from the Alps to the lower valleys, to the bottom of lakes, and 
to the sea. Whatever that amount may be, it must have been much greater 
during the period when all the valleys of the Alps were traversed by 
glaciers, and an extent of surface was exposed to the grinding action of those 
glaciers 20 or 30 times as great as the beds of existing ice-streams. A 
large share of this deposit must have been carried into the valley of the Po, 
and when beyond the reach of the ancient alluvium this must be the 
chief constituent of the subsoil. Researches are yet wanting into the extent 
of the deposit, but they may hereafter throw some light on the history of 
the so-called Glacial Epoch. 

Relations between the Geology and the Orography or the Alps. 

The aspect of a mountain country is mainly determined by the nature of 
the valleys and depressions of the surface. In considering the causes which 
may have operated in giving its actual form to the chain of the Alps, it is 
desirable to point out that the valleys may be reduced to four types having 
a very different geological significance, and that the passes, or cols, which 
present a marked break in the continuity of the range, also partake of the 
characteristics of some one of these types. 

The four types to which the Valleys of (lie Alps may be reduced, are those 
of disruption, of outcrop, of depression, and, finally, of erosion.* 

Valleys of Disruption are evidently produced by rents that have torn asunder 
ranges once continuous. The ordinary character of such a valley is that of 
a narrow defile, enclosed between steep walls of rock, and traversed by a 
torrent which often leaves little room for a passage. The harder the rocks 
through which it lies, the steeper are the walls. When they are formed of 
soft strata, the common causes of destruction act upon them, and the opening 
is enlarged, but the essential character remains the same. To the eye of the 

* The French terms used by the Author are respectively cluse, combe, and matt. There being 
no exact English equivalents, the Translator contents himself with explaining the Author's mean- 
ing, without attempting to coin new terms to express it. — [Ed.] 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



cxi 



geologist, it is always recognisable by the correspondence of the strata on the 
opposite sides of the valley. 

To this type of valley belong most of those famous for the boldness of the 
scenery. Well-known examples are, the valley of the Rhone between Bex 
and Martigny, and that of the Arve between Cluses and Sallenches ; 
the valley of the Hinter Rhein above Coire, including the famous defile of 
the Via Mala, and the middle part of the valley of the Salza. Examples 
are still more numerous on the S. side of the main chain, in the tributary 
valleys of the Po. 

Valleys of disruption are less common amongst the crystalline masses of 
the Alps than in the sedimentary strata. Few instances can be cited in the 
Central Alps, save the valley of the Reuss from Fluelen to Andermatt, partly 
traversing stratified and partly crystalline rocks ; the valley of the Tessin, 
lying altogether through the crystalline nucleus of the Tessin group ; and 
the course of the Dora Baltea from Chatillon to St. Martin. The crystalline 
group of the Belledonne in the Western Alps is cut through by four valleys 
of disruption — those of the Romanche, Arc, Isere, and Doron. It will be 
remarked that of all the crystalline masses of the Alps, that of the Belledonne 
is one of the longest and narrowest. 

The numerous cases of clefts which have cut into, without cutting through 
a mountain range, must not be confounded with true valleys of disruption, 
although they sometimes produce very similar effects on the scenery. 

Valleys of Outcrop. — By this not very intelligible name we designate the 
type of valley which is formed parallel to the line of strike of a mountain 
range, either owing to a disruption of continuity, or to denudation which 
has acted extensively upon one deposit, while the under or over-lyinii strata 
have been comparatively unaffected. Such a valley usually occurs along the 
line of junction between crystalline or other hard rocks, and softer strata. 
The only example, if such it be, of a valley of this description lying al- 
together amidst crystalline rocks, is the middle portion of the valley of the 
Adda, between Tirano and Sondrio. Many of the greater valleys of the 
Alps belong to this type, as, for instance, the upper valley of the Romanche, 
a portion of the valley of the Rhone, the valley of the Inn from Landeck to 
Innsbruck, the Pinzgau, and the Gail Thai. The essential character of 
these valleys is their want of symmetry. A traveller passing through one of 
them will constantly find himself proceeding along the line of outcrop of some 
formation, with the older rocks on the one hand, and the newer on the other. 

Valleys of Depression. — These valleys, which have far greater geological 
importance than those above described, have been spoken of in the first por- 
tion of this essay, under the name of troughs. They are depressions between 
adjoining crystalline masses, characterised by the synclinal disposition of the 
strata. It not rarely happens, however, that there is great difficulty in 
tracing the original synclinal stratification. These depressions usually give 
evidence of excessive lateral compression, and the strata comprised within 
them have often been set vertically on end, and sometimes reversed in position. 

There are other cases in which there is neither depression nor synclinal 
stratification, but where the presence of fragmenxs of stratified rock between 
adjoining crystalline masses is evidence of what may be called an ideal 
trough, which has for the geologist the same significance as if the trough 
were a real one. Thus it sometimes happens, either through subsequent 



cxii 



INTRODUCTION. 



disturbance or extensive denudation, that what was originally the bottom 
of a trough is now found on the flank of a mountain, nay, even on the 
summit of a hill or projecting eminence. M. Lory, in his ' Description 
Geologique du Dauphine,' has given an illustrative section of the hill 
crowned by the village of St. Sauveur, on the way to Gap. 

It must be admitted that cases sometimes occur where it is difficult to 
classify a valley under any of the types above described. The valley of the 
Rhone above Martigny is in part a valley of outcrop, but instead of follow- 
ing the course of the softer strata, it cuts at an oblique angle the beds of 
harder rock near the Baths of Saxon. 

Valleys of Erosion. In comparison with those already described, valleys 
of this type are of secondary importance in the physiognomy of the Alps. 
There is, however, one form of erosive action that justly attracts the 
attention of all travellers, and which produces some eminently striking and 
picturesque effects. These are exhibited in those deep and very narrow 
clefts where a torrent is heard to roar, while still engaged in deepening the 
chasm which it has cut. Among the best-known examples are the Via 
Mala and the gorge of the Tamina at PfeS'ers. These are at once recognised 
by the smooth and polished surfaces on either side resulting from the action 
of water. The name Rofla has been given to such clefts from the gorge of 
the Rofla near Andeer. 

Most of the passes of the Alps belong, geologically speaking, to the type 
of troughs. They correspond to depressions between adjoining crystalline 
masses, probably reduced in height by denudation of the sedimentary strata 
which once filled the gap. Two exceptions will occur to Swiss travellers. 
The passes of the St. Gotthard and the Simplon both lie across the axis of 
a crystalline group. In the first case it seems natural to admit that the 
break in the continuity of the range, which is indicated by the pass, is not 
unconnected with the deep rents that traverse the contiguous crystalline 
masses, and form the valleys of the Reuss and the Tessin. The Simplon 
Pass is similarly connected with the valley of the Diveria, and the pass with 
its approaches may be considered as an imperfect valley of disruption. 

The Lakes of the Alps may, in a similar way, be classified by the character 
of the valleys in which they lie. 

To the first class belong the Lakes of Como and Iseo, and the Traunsee, 
Attersee, and Tegernsee, in the German Alps. 

To the second class, characterised by the contrasted scenery of their 
opposite shores, may be referred the Lakes of Brienz and Wallenstadt. 

Of the third class it is not easy to cite any well-known example. The 
only instances that occur are some small lakes in the Sentis, and the Mond 
See in the Salzkammergut. 

Of Lakes of Erosion, there are examples only on the skirts of the Alpine 
chain. Such are the Sempacher See, the Chiem See, the Wurmsee, and 
probably the Lake of Constance. 

A separate class of lakes requiring notice are Moraine Lakes. These are 
lakes near the mouths of certain valleys. They owe their existence solely to 
the waters being retained by the remains of ancient moraines. Several small 
lakes in Piedmont belong to this category, and most of the larger Italian 
lakes probably owe their present form and dimensions to moraines that have 
raised the water above what would otherwise be its natural level. 

Some of the larger lakes of the Alps are formed by the union of several 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



cxiii 



distinct valleys belonging to different types. The Lake of Lucerne, for 
instance, lies in a valley of disruption from Fluelen to Brunnen, in a valley 
of depression between Brunnen and Burgen, and, perhaps, in a valley of 
erosion at the end near Lucerne. 

Small lakes, or tarns, such as are seen at the summit of many passes of the 
Alps, lie in mere accidental depressions or undulations of the surface. 

Sketch of a Geological History of the Alpine Regions. 

A complete history of the portions of the earth's surface now occupied by 
the Alps would extend back to a period long antecedent to the existence of 
a mountain chain. Before that period a succession of distinct genera and 
species of animals and vegetables lived and perished on ground that some- 
times remained for ages at the bottom of a deep sea, sometimes was raised 
to about the sea-level, being alternately estuary, or marsh, or freshwater 
lake, and may sometimes have remained at a higher level where the remains 
of organised life are with difficulty preserved. 

In the present brief sketch we shall merely glance at this early phase of 
the history of the Alps, before passing to the period of their final upheaval. 

Period preceding the Upheaval of the Alps. 

Without attempting to penetrate the obscurity that rests over that 
portion of the early history of the earth where no fossil remains have yet 
been found to guide the geologist, it will be sufficient to note the existence 
of evident traces of the earliest fossiliferous formation in the Eastern Alps. 
Elsewhere the Silurian rocks are found in continuous masses, covering a 
wide area, and it is highly improbable that they should have been deposited 
in the Alps only in the few places where they have yet been identified. 
This consideration has led to the conjecture that the metamorphic rocks so 
extensively developed in the central region of the Alps may be, at least in 
part, the representatives of the Silurian formation. In their existing condi- 
tion it is little likely that satisfactory evidence will ever be forthcoming to 
enable us to attribute these metamorphic rocks to their true place in the 
geological scale. In the absence of fossils we have no means of distin- 
guishing them from the older azoic sedimentary rocks. Some geologists 
are inclined to believe that a large portion even of the so-called crystalline 
rocks of the Alps may be merely old stratified rocks in a highly altered 
condition. The only source from which positive evidence is ever likely to 
arise is from the occasional discovery of organised remains. It should be 
generally known to Alpine travellers that the rudest traces of animal or 
vegetable life seen in any of the crystalline or semi-crystalline rocks may be 
of the highest value to geologists, and should, therefore, be carefully 
preserved with a note of the exact position where they may be found. 

During the incalculable lapse of time occupied by the Silurian and 
Devonian Periods, and the deposition of the Mountain Limestone, we have no 
evidence that the surface whereon the Alps now stand approached or rose 
above the sea-level. The first distinct evidence to that effect presents itself 
when we find that some portions of the Alps, in common with other large 
districts of our continent, produced that abundant vegetation that has been 



cxiv 



INTRODUCTION. 



preserved in the Coal Measures. We have already seen that these are 
present in many of the interior valleys, especially in the Western Alps. 

However long a time may have been occupied by the deposition of the 
Coal Measures, it was short in comparison with the succeeding period, during; 
which the sea probably again covered nearly the entire area. This appears 
to have been the prevailing condition from the date of the deposition of the 
upper portion of the Coal Measures to the commencement of the Lias. 
There is reason to believe that the latter epoch was preceded and accom- 
panied by considerable oscillations of level, and that from thence we may 
date the commencement of a continuous barrier of dry land, separating the 
seas that flowed on its north and south sides.* The labours of the Italian 
geologists, and especially those of M. Stoppani, have brought to light the 
contrast which exists between the earlier rocks, whose fossils on both flanks 
of the chain are identical, and those from the Lias upwards, which through- 
out the remainder of the Secondary Period present marked differences in 
their fossil remains on the opposite side of the Alps. 

That the change of level throughout the Secondary Period was in the main 
one of continuous elevation, is rendered probable by the disposition of the 
strata, which usually succeed each other with tolerable regularity. But it 
is certain that great oscillations of level frequently recurred ; and from the 
complete absence of some important deposits in one or other part of the 
chain, we infer the probability that the same tract which at one time 
was raised above the sea-level was subsequently submerged during the 
deposition of a succeeding formation. As illustrations of this conclusion 
we may cite the absence of the Superior Oolite in the Tyrol and Grisons, 
that of the Upper Greensand in the Swiss Alps, and that of the Oolite and 
Cretaceous rocks in South Savoy. 

The commencement of the Eocene Period was marked by considerable 
changes of level, and especially by the depression of the valley of the Stura 
between the Cottian and Maritime Alps. The opening of a strait, com- 
municating between the narrow sea on the N. side of the chain and the 
wide expanse extending at least as far as from the Alps to Africa, led to an 
assimilation of the marine fauna and flora of this period on the opposite 
sides of the chain. 

The Miocene Period was marked by a further depression of the low 
country on either side of the range of the Alps. The plain of Switzerland 
was submerged to a depth which permitted the accumulation of vast masses 
of conglomerate and of Molasse, and at the eastern extremity of the Alps the 
sea reached districts which apparently had not been touched by it since the 
Palaeozoic Epoch, and formed the deposits of Molasse, which we still see in 
the valleys of the Mur and the Drave, in the valley of Lavant, &c. To judge 
from the organic remains of the Miocene Period, the conditions of life were 
not then widely different from those that now obtain in the same region. 
The climate seems to have been slightly warmer, corresponding nearly to 
that of Central Italy. (See Die Urwelt der Schweiz, by Prof. O. Heer.) 

* To the same epoch may probably be referred the first formation of the basin of the Valley of 
the Po, caused by the upheaval of a continuous series of crystalline masses, extending in a circular 
arc from the Ligurian Apennine to the group of the Adula— an operation which, as M. Studer has 
pointed out, appears not only in the general form of the mountain masses, but in the direction of 
the stratification in the separate portions of the chain. 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



Epoch of the Final Upheaval of the Alps. 

We have seen that at a remote geological period some portion of the Alps 
was uplifted from the bed of the sea, and that certain small districts may 
probably have subsisted since that time as islands, but that the formation of 
a continuous range, capable of forming a barrier between the sea to the 1ST. 
and that on the S. side, probably dates from an early portion of the Secondary 
Series. This suffices to show that it is an error to speak of the upheaval of the 
Alps as if it were a single geological event, accomplished by an agency which 
continued to operate from the time when it commenced to the period of its 
completion. It is nevertheless true that the final period of upheaval, com- 
mencing after the deposition of the Miocene strata, is that which gave to the 
Alpine chain its existing form. Although many of the folds and undulations 
of the surface appear to date from this recent period, there is reason to think 
that some of the main features of the physiognomy of the Alps were already 
defined, and that the chief change was to increase very much the mean height 
of the entire chain. In the Kigi, and other exterior mountains of Northern 
Switzerland, we find the Miocene rocks raised to a height of nearly 6,000 
English feet above the sea-level ; so that we are led to infer that the amount 
of upheaval in this latest period nearly equalled the combined effects of all 
the antecedent periods of elevation. 

Considering the extent and importance of the changes effected in recent 
times, and the copious evidence of them that is forthcoming in most parts of 
the Alps, it is not surprising that geologists have given more attention to 
this than to the earlier oscillations of level, and have sometimes spoken of 
the final, or Post Miocene, upheaval, as if it were, in an exclusive sense, the 
period of upheaval of the Alpine chain. To this period seems especially to 
belong the fissures, which are seen to traverse all the formations, from the 
most ancient to the most recent — sometimes forming valleys of disruption, 
sometimes lesser indentations in the chain, and which may without difficulty 
be distinguished from the mere action of streams that have, not unfrequently, 
deepened the channel of a pre-existing fissure. 

It is clear that a series of changes, which included the rupture of mountain 
masses, and disturbances of stratification that led to the actual reversal of the 
natural position of the beds, could not have been accomplished without a 
corresponding disturbance of the conditions of animal and vegetable life. It 
was natural that the theory which affirmed a connection between the up- 
heaval of mountain chains and the transition bet ween the fauna and flora of 
successive geological epochs, should seek a confirmation of that conclusion in 
the Alpine region, whose elevation has had so vast an influence on the destiny 
of our continent. 

If the organised creation was not entirely destroyed by so great a cata- 
strophe, it is at least certain that in the centre and north of Europe this 
was connected with great changes in the relative distribution of land and 
sea, and with that general emersion of a large portion of our continent, both 
north and south of the Alps, that marked the passage from the Tertiary to 
the present period. These changes of themselves imply the destruction or 
displacement of vast numbers of species, and the substitution of others in their 
place. 

The study of all the phenomena connected with the upheaval of the Alps 



cxvi 



DTTE0DUCT10N. 



on the north side of the main chain has led geologists to establish with great 
certainty two conclusions. First, the extensive disturbance of the Miocene 
strata, seen to rest conformably on the older Tertiary rocks, proved that the 
upheaval commenced after the deposition of the Miocene. Secondlv, the 
close conformity of the channels of the ancient glaciers with the existing 
form, and the relative level of the surface, show that the period of dis- 
turbance must have ceased before the Glacial Period. But during the long 
interval between these two geological dates, occupied elsewhere by the 
deposition of the whole mass of the Pliocene strata, there is nothing to 
fax the epoch of upheaval. 

The Pliocene formation, as we have already seen, has not been traced on 
the north side of the Alps, but has lately been recognised at the southern 
base of the chain in a few isolated stations. Had the formation been more 
fully developed, if it were possible to compare the stratification with that of 
the older Miocene deposits, we should be able safely to conclude whether the 
upheaval had preceded or followed its deposition. The negative evidence, 
which as yet is all that is forthcoming, points to the former inference ; but 
this does not justify any positive decision. 

It is well known that the greater part of the Apennines have been up- 
raised since the deposition of the Pliocene, whose beds are often seen tilted 
up at a high angle. For the present it must remain uncertain whether the 
last great upheaval of the Alps, and the elevation of the Apennines, were 
contemporary events. 

Glacial Period. 

As we have already seen, the relative level of the different portions of the 
Alpine chain has undergone no considerable change since the close of the 
Tertiary Period. Events not less interesting and important have occupied 
this latest portion of the history of the Alps, which is marked by the extra* 
ordinary extension of the glaciers. 

It is impossible here to enter into any detail of the evidence upon which 
the present conclusions of geologists have been based, and still less to refer 
to the prolonged discussions to which at every step they were subjected — 
discussions which ultimately served to establish the new theory upon fuller 
enquiry, and more decisive proof, than if it had been more easily accepted. 

In the brief description which has been given (Art. XIII.) of the pheno- 
mena of existing glaciers, it has been shown that amongst other operations 
they transport large quantities of mineral matter from the upper ridges of 
the Alps to the lower valleys; that this transported matter consists in part 
of large blocks, partly of smaller stones and gravel. It was seen that a 
portion of these blocks are stranded upon the bank of the glacier, while 
others are carried down to its lower end, where, if the shape of the ground 
be favourable, and the glacier remain long enough stationary, they enter pell- 
mell, along with the rest of the transported materials, into the formation oi 
a terminal moraine. Again, it was seen that by the passage of a glacier, 
the bottom and sides of the valley are subjected to a peculiar process of 
smoothing and polishing, that leaves its tokens permanently impressed on 
the general form of the rocks, and on the condition of their surface. 
Finally, it appeared that the pressure of the glacier against the bottom 
and sides of the valley reduces the rocks and gravel that find their way to the 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



CXV11 



bottom partly to fine mud, and partly to flattened pebbles, scored by the 
friction they have encountered in the rocky bed of the glacier. 

It was long known that blocks of stone, sometimes of great dimensions, 
and composed of rock utterly different from that of the district in which 
they are found, are scattered through the lower parts of the main valleys of 
the Alps, and over the low country at their base. Such blocks, with their 
edges still fresh, and without trace of violent transport, are seen resting on 
steep slopes. Further enquiry showed that in the places where these blocks 
were deposited, the rock in situ is often rounded and grooved — nay, even, 
that when hard enough, it has preserved the finer striae and polish which we 
see under the beds of existing glaciers. One after another the moraines, 
the glacial mud, and the scored pebbles, were discovered at vast distances 
from the present limits of the glaciers, but associated with the distribution 
of the erratic blocks ; and these appearances were shown not to be confined 
to the Alps, but to be equally distinct in other mountain districts, as, for 
instance, in the British islands, during the same recent geological period. 

Sustained by able and zealous supporters, foremost amongst whom must 
be reckoned the late M. Charpentier, the theory which accounted for the 
dispersion of the erratic blocks by the agency of extinct glaciers encoun- 
tered much opposition. It has perhaps suffered more from the exaggerations 
of some of its supporters than from the criticism of its opponents. At 
present the original controversy is nearly set at rest. The absolute identity 
of the operations of existing glaciers with the facts traceable throughout 
the Alps, and other mountain countries, has overcome the reluctance of 
many eminent geologists to admit the new theory, and the former extension 
of glaciers over a wide area in the Alps, and elsewhere, is now one of the 
admitted data of geological science. 

The evidence is in some respects more complete and convincing on the 
southern than on the northern side of the Alps ; and it is probable that if 
the phenomena had been sooner studied in that region, the period of resist- 
ance to the new theory would have been abridged. It has been fully proved 
that nearly all the secondary valleys that open into the valley of the Po 
were traversed by great glaciers which extended down as far as the opening 
of the valley, and in some instances were protruded into the plain. The 
greatest of these was the glacier of the Adige, which filled the basin now 
occupied by the Lake of Garda, and after a course of about 170 miles, left 
in the plain S. of the lake a series of terminal moraines, extending in an 
arc 35 miles in length, and in some places attaining a height of fully 500 feet. 

On the north side of the Alps the area occupied by the ancient glaciers 
was even more extensive. The glacier of the Rhone, with a vast number of 
affluents poured into it from the tributary valleys of the Pennine and 
Bernese Alps, not only filled the basin of the Lake of Geneva, but covered 
a great portion of the plain of Switzerland, and reached to a considerable 
height on the flanks of the Jura. 

A map showing the distribution of the erratic blocks in Switzerland has 
been published by M. Escher von der Linth ; a similar map, including the 
Alps of Lombardy and a part of Piedmont, accompanies a memoir by M. 
Omboni in the 2nd volume of 'Atti della Societa Italiana di Scienze jSTaturali.' 

In the 3rd volume of the Acts of the same society, M. G. de Mortillet has 
published a more complete map of the ancient glaciers of the Italian side of 



3XFHJ 



rsTEODucnox. 



the Alp?, with an interesting memoir, in which he discusses at length various 
questions to which in this brief essay it is impossible to do justice. The 
latest speculations upon the part played by glaciers in the past history of 
the Alps lead to conclusions that have not as vet gained the general agree- 
ment of geologists. M. de Mortillet. M. Gastaldi, and other distinguished 
Italian geologists, hold that during the period preceding the utmost exten- 
sion of the glaciers, the Italian lakes were filled with the waterworn materials 
that constitute the so-called ancient alluvium, and that the cavities so filled 
were scooped out by the action of the glaciers when they descended into the 
lake-basins. Other theorists, and amongst them an eminent English geolo- 
gist. Mr. Ramsay, have gone further still, and have sought to prove that the 
ancient glaciers were competent not only to clear out the bed of a lake, 
supposing it filled with alluvium, but to excavate the rock-basin itself. 
"When we recollect the depth of the Italian lakes, which vary from 900 feet 
in the Lake of Lugano, to over 2,600 feet in the Lago Maggiore, we feel 
that more cogent evidence than any yet produced is required before we can 
admit the probability of even the more moderate of these hypotheses. The 
subject is interesting from its novelty as well as its geological importance : 
hut, pending its further discussion, we concur in the objections to the new 
theories urged by Mr. Ball in the 4 Philosophical Magazine ' for February and 
December 1863, and we continue to regard the extension of the so-called 
ancient alluvium as one of the series of phenomena which accompanied the 
former extension of the glaciers. On somewhat similar groun is we can 
give no credence to the supposed operation of glaciers in the excavation 
of the valleys of the Alps, while we admit the probability that the acton of 
ice has, along with other agents, bad a large share in modifying the dietails, 
and^shaping the minuter features, of the surface of the Alpine valle;. s. 

Notwithstanding the labour that has been bestowed by geologists upon 
the study of the glacial period in the Alps, there remain many branches of 
enquiry which are far from being exhausted. One of these relates to the 
probable oscillations in the extent of the glaciers. The great moraines which 
are so remarkable on the S. side of the Alps prove that the glaciers 
must have remained for a long period at or about the limit which they indi- 
cate, and that that limit has not since been surpassed ; but this does not 
imply that at an earlier date the great ice-streams may not have flowed far- 
ther into the plain, without remaining long enough to leave such moraines 
as would survive to the present period. One of the difficulties found in 
studying the glacial phenomena in that region arises from the fact that 
during the period of the retirement of the glaciers, and since that time, the 
materials of the ancient moraines have been constantly attacked by torrents, 
sometimes transported to a distance, and partially stratified. The region of 
ancient moraines along the southern base of the Lombard Alps is extremely 
interesting from its diversified scenery, and the small lakes formed by the 
mounds of moraine matter add much to its beauty : but laborious and 
patient study is necessary for those who would unravel the phenomena. 

Another branch of enquiry connected with the same subject regards the 
effects of the glacial period in the Alps upon animal and vegetable life. It 
is probable that at the period of the utmost extension of the glaciers, life had 
ceased to manifest itself, and that the present fauna and flora began to appear 
:l i-i t^zjn ::" tie :Liin c-> as tie glaciers retired to :Le uppet Ya.lrys. 



GEOLOGY OF THE ALPS. 



cxix 



Among the mammalia whose remains belong to that period are a few now 
extinct species. There is nothing to show that the new inhabitants appeared 
simultaneously, but some reason to hold the contrary opinion. The fish, 
insects, and mollusca that inhabit the Alpine lakes could have made their 
appearance only after these were clear of ice, a period which must be sepa- 
rated by a long interval from the commencement of the retirement of the 
glaciers. Amongst the latter species are several that are peculiar to these 
lakes ; and those who are averse to admit the theory of special creation have 
not yet satisfactorily accounted for the appearance of these animals within 
so recent a period. 

On the questions concerning the antiquity of man, which now so much 
interest geologists, the glacial deppsits of the Alps have hitherto been silent, 
and there is nothing to show whether the earliest human inhabitants may have 
witnessed the presence of great glaciers in the lower valleys of the Alps. 



Authorities to be consulted on the Geology of the Alps. 

Readers who may wish for fuller information respecting Alpine geology 
will find much matter of a general character in the works of Saussure, 
Schlagintweit, Forbes, Agassiz, and Desor, enumerated in Art. XV. The 
following list includes most of the more important works and memoirs on 
the subject recently published, along with a few of ear lier date, and a notice 
of the geological maps most useful to the student. 



General Works and Maps. 

Bach (H.) Geologische Karte von Central 
Europe, 1859. 

Euel — Ueber den Bau der Erde in den Alpen- Ge- 
birgen, 1808. 

Murchison (Sir R. I.) On the Geological Struc- 
ture of the Alps, the Apennines, and the 
Carpathians, &c. ' Quart. Journal Geol. 
Soc. of London,' vol. v. p. 187. 

Same Work, translated into Italian, with 
an Appendix on the Geologvof Tuscany, by 
P. Savi and G. Meneghini, Florence, 1851. 

Riitimeyer (L.) Ueber Thai- und Seebildung. 
Basel, 1869. 

Studer (B.) Geologische Uebersichtskarte des 
Alpensystems, 1851. 



Western and Central Alps. 
Baretti(M.) Alcune Osservazioni sulla Geologia 

delle Alpi Graje. Bologna, 1867. 
Beaumont (E. de) Fai s pour servir al'Histoire 

des Montagnes de l'Oisans. Annales des 

Mines, 3rne serie, tome v,, Ire livraison ; 

Paris, 1834. 

Beitrage zur geologischen Karte der Schweiz. 

Published at intervals by Dalp, Berne. At 

least nine parts have appeared. 
Charpentier (J. de) Essai sur les Glaciers, et 

sur le Terrain erratique du Bassin du 

Rhone, 1841. 
Collpgno— Sur les Terrains stratifies des Alpes 

Lombardes. ' Bull. Soc. Geol. de France,' 

2e serie, vol. i. 
Dausse — Sur la Forme et la Constitution de la 

Chaine des Rousses, en Oisans. ' Mem. Soc. 

G£ol. de France-,' vol. ii. p. 125. 
Escher v. d. Linth (A.) Ueber Contact- Verhalt- 

nisse. ' Nouv. Mem. Soc. Helv.' vol. iii. 1839. 



Favre (A.) Recherches geologiques dans les 
parties de la Savoie, du Piemont, et de la 
Suisse voisines du Mont Blanc. 3 vols. 
Geneva, 1867. 

Founiet — Recherches sur la Geologie de la 
Partie des Alpes comprises entre le Valais et 
l'Oisans. 'Ann. Soc. d'Agric. de Lyon,' 1845. 

Gastaldi (B.) Sugli Elementi che compongono 

1 Conglomerati Mioceni del Piemonte. 
Turin, 1861. 

Gras (S.) Sur la Constitution geologique du 
Terrain Anthracifere Alpin, &c. ' Bull. Soc. 
Geol. de France,' 2e serie, vol. xii. 

Guyot (A.) Note sur la Distribution des Espdces 
de Roches d;ms le bassin erratique du 
Rhone. ' Bulletin de la Societe des Sciences 
Naturelles de Neuchatel,' 1845. 

Note sur la Topographie des Alpes 

Pennines. Same work, 1847. 

Herr (Oswald) Die Urweltder Schweiz. Zurich, 
1865. 

Lory (C.) Description Geologique du Dauphine, 

2 vols. Grenoble, 1860. 

(The same author has published several 
valuable memoirs.) 
Martins (Ch.) et Gastaldi (B.) Essai sur les 

Terrains Superficicls de la Vallee du Po. 
Mortillet (G. de) Geologie et Mineralogie de la 
Savoie, J 858. 

1 Terrains du Versant Italien des 

Alpes. ' Bull. Soc. Geol. de 
France,' 2e serie, vol. xviii. 

— Sur la Carte des Anciens 

Glaciers du Versant Italien 
des Alpes. ' Atti Soc. Ital. Sc. 
Nat.' vol. iii. 
(Cited amongst many other memoirs by 
the same author.) 



cxx 



INTRODUCTION. 



Omboni (G.) Serie des Terrains sedimentaires 
de la Lombardie. 'Bull. Soc. Geol. de 
France,' 2e sdrie, vol. xii. 

(With several other memoirs.) 

Rendu (Monseigneur) Theorie des Glaciers de 
la Savoie. ' Memoires de la Societe Royale 
Acad£mique de Savoie,' tome x. Cham- 
bery, 1841. 

Rozet — Memoire geologique sur les Alpes 
francaises. 4 Bull. Soc. Geol. de France,' 
2e se>ie, vol. xii. 
Ru'timeyer (L.) Ueber das Schweizerische Num- 
mtilitenterrain. ' Nouv. Mim. Soc. Helv.' 
vol. xi. 1850. 
Sismonda (A.) (Among the numerous memoirs 
of the learned author, the follow- 
ing, all taken from the 2nd series 
of the ' Memoirs of the Royal 
Academy of Turin,' maybe cited.) 

— Osservazioni Mineralogichee Geolo- 

giche,per servire alia Carta Geolo- 
gica del Piemonte, vol. ii. 1840. 

Sui Terreni Stratificati delle Alpi, 

vol. iii. 1841. 

Osservazioni Geologiche sulle Alpi 

Maritime, vol. iv. 1842. 

Notizie e Schiarimenti sulla Co- 

stituzione delle Alpi del Piemonte, 
vol. ix. 1847- 
— Classificazione dei Tereni Stratifi- 
cati delle Alpi, vol. xii. 1852. 
Stoppani (A.) Studii Geologichi e Paleontolo- 

gichi sulla Lombardia, 1857. 
Studer (B.) Geologie der Schweiz. 1853. 

(A large number of valuable memoirs by 
the same author deserve to be enumerated, 
since nothing that he has published is un- 
important.) 

Theobald (Prof. G.) Beitiage zur geologischen 
Karte der Schweiz. Herausgegeben von 
der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft. 



Carta Geologica di Savoja, Piemonte, e Liguria. 

A. Sismonda, 1863. 
Carte geologique de la France, par Dufrenoy et 

E. de Beaumont, 1841. 
Carte geologique des Parties de la Savoie, &c, 

voisines du Mont Blanc, par A. Favre, 18G2. 
Carte geologique de la Suisse, par B. Studer et 

A. Escher, 1853. 
Geologische Uebersichtskarte der Schichtenge- 

birge der Lombardei. V. Hauer, 1858. 



Eastern Alps. 
Buch (L. v.) Geologische Beobachtungen auf 
Reiseu, 1802. 



Emmerich— Ueber den Alpen-Kalk. • Zeitsch. 

Deutsch. Geol. Ges.' vol. i. 
Uebersicht iiber die Geognostischen 

Verhalti.isse Siid-Tyrols, 1845. 
Fuchs — Die Veneticnischen Alpen, 1844. 
Giimbel — Geologie des Konigreichs Bayern, 

1861. 

— — — — Geognostische Beschreibung des Bai- 
rischen Alpengebirges, und seiner 
Vorlands. 1 vol. Perthes, Gotha, 
1862. 

Haidinger — Naturwissenschaftliche Abhand- 

lungen. (Various.) 
Hauer (v.) Ueber die Gliederung des Alpen- 
Kalkes in den Oestlicheu Alpen. ' Neu. 
Jahrb.' 1850. 

Geologische Uebersichtskarte der Oest- 

I erreichischen Monarchie. Sheets v, 
and vi. include the whole of the Eastern 
Alps. 

Klipstein (V.) Beitragezur Geologische Kennt- 

uiss der Oestlichen Alpen, 1843. 
Richthofen (F. v.) Die Kalkalpen von Vorarl- 

berg und Nord Tyrol. 

'Jahrb. der kk. Reichsanst.,' 

vol. x. 

GeognostischeBeschreibungder 

Umgegend von Predazzo, 
St. Cassian, und der Seisser 
Alp, in Siid Tyrole. With 
map. Perthds, Gotha, 1862. 
Schafhautl— Beitrage zur Kenntniss der Bayern. 

Voralpen, 1854. 
Schauroth (K. v.) Uebersicht der Geognosti- 
schen Verhaltnisse der Gegend von Re- 
coaro ira Vicentinischen. 'Jahrb. der kk. 
Reichsanstalt.' Vienna. 
Sedgwick and Murchison — On the Geology of 
the Eastern Alps. ' Trans. Geol. Soc. 
Lond.' 2nd series, vol. iii. 1832. 
Sonklar (Karl v.) Die OetzthalerGebirgsgruppe, 
mit besonderer Rucksicht auf Orographic 
und Gletscherkunde, 1 vol. Atlas. Perthes, 
Gotha, 1860. 

Die Gebirgsgruppe der Hohen Tauern, 

mit besonderer Rucksicht auf Oro- 
graphic, Gletscherkunde, Geologie und 
Meteorologie. 1 vol. with 4to. Maps. 
Vienna, 1866. 



Geognostische Karte Tirols, 1849. In 10 sheets, 
published by the Montanistischer Verein. 

Geologischer Atlas der Oesterreichischer Mo- 
narchie. Published by the Reichsanstalt. 

Giimbel — Geognostische Karte des Konigreichs 
Bayern. 

Morlot — Uebersichtskarte der Nordostlichen 
Alpen, 1847. 



Art. XV.— Books connected with the Alps : Alpine Maps. 

In the first edition of this work an attempt was made to give a complete 
list of books of various classes connected with the Alps. Although the 
titles of more than 200 works were thus enumerated, the list remained very 
incomplete ; while it included many works of but slight and purely local 
interest. It has appeared more convenient to give in this place a list con- 



BOOKS. 



cxxi 



fined to works ot a somewhat general character, likely to interest various 
classes of readers, either as narratives of travel and adventure, or as illus- 
trative of the natural phenomena of the Alps, or as useful works of reference. 
Lists of books of a more local character are added to the Preliminary 
Notes prefixed to each part of this work. 



Agassiz (L.) Etudes sur les Glaciers, 1 vol. and atlas, Neuchatel, 1840. 

Systeme Giaciaire, ou Nouvelles Etudes et Experiences sur les 

Glaciers Actuels, 1 vol. and atlas, Victor Masson, Paris, 1847. 
Alpine Club — Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers, 1st series, 1 vol. Longman & Co. 185J> 

Traveller's edition, 1 vol. 1860. 

■ 2nd series, 2 vols. Longman & Co. 1862. 

The Alpine Journal (Quarterly), edited by Douglas W. Freshfield, 

M.A. Longman & Co. 



Baedeker (K.) Die Sehweiz, die Italienischen Seen, Mailand, Turin, Genua, 
Nizza; Handbuch fur Reisende, 15 th edition, 18 f 3. 

Ditto (English edition). 

Bakewell (R.) Travels in the Tarentaise, &c, in the Years 1820, 1821, 1822, 

2 vols. Longman & Co. 1823. 
Banck (Otto). Apenbilder. Leipzig, 1863. 

Beattie — The Waldenses, or Protestant Valleys of Piedmont, Dauphine,&c, illus- 
trated by Brockedon, Bartlett, Stanfield, and Harding, 1 vol. Virtue & Co. 
London, 1838. 

Beaumont (Jean Francois Albanis de) Travels through the Maritime Alps, 

London, 1795. 

Voyage pittoresque aux Alpes Pennines, fol. col. pi. 

Geneve, 1787. 

' Description des Alpes grecques et cottiennes, Ire 

partie, 2 vols. Paris, 1802. 

2me partie, 2 vols. Paris, 1806. 

Berghaus (Herm.) Hohentafel von 100 bekannteren Gebirgsgruppen der Erde, 

besonders der Alpen, ' Geographisches Jahrbuch,' 1 band. Gotha, 1866. 
Berlepsch (H. A.) The Alps ; or Sketches of Life and Nature in the Mountains. 

Translated by the Rev. L. Stephen. 1 vol. Longman & Co. 
1861. 

Die Alpen in Natur- und Lebensbildern dargestellt, 1 vol. 

Costenoble, Leipzig, 1861. 
1 vol. (Traveller's 

edition), 1862. 

Schweizer-Kunde, Land und Volk, lte Abtheilung, Schwet- 

schke und Sohn, Braunschweig, 1859. 
Bonney (Rev. T. G.) The Alpine Regions of Switzerland and the neighbouring 

Countries. Cambridge and London, 186S. 
Bourrit (M. H,) Description des Glacieres et Amas de Glace duDuche de Savoy e, 
12mo. Geneve, 1773. 



CXX11 



INTRODUCTION. 



Bourrit (M. H.) (English translation) A Relation of a Journey to the Glaciers 
in the Dutchy of Savoy, 2nd edition, 1 vol. G. Robinson, 
London, 1776. 

Nouvelle Description des Glacieres, etc., nouvelle edition, 3 vols 

12mo. Geneve, 1785. 
Brockedon (W.) Illustrations of the Passes of the Alps, 2 vols. London, 1828. 

Journals of Excursions in the Alps, 1 vol. J. Duncan, 1843. 

Browne (Rev. G. F.) Ice-caves of France and Switzerland. London, 1865. 



Carlini, Plana, &c. — Operations Geodesiques et Astronomiques pour la mesure 
d'un arc du parallele moyen, executees en Piemont et en Savoie par nne 
commission composee d'officiers de l'Etat Major General et d'Astronomes 
Piemontais et Autrichiens en 1821-2-3. 2 vols, and atlas, Milan, 1825. 

Club Alpino Italiano, Bollettino del. A part, including from 60 to 150 pages, 
appears every three months. E. Loscher, Firenze e Torino. 

Coleman (E. T.) Scenes from the Snowfields, being illustrations from the Upper 
Ice-world of Mont Blanc, fol. London, Longman, 1859. 

Corabceuf — Notice sur une Mesure Geometrique de la hauteur au-clessus de la 
mer de quelques sommites des Alpes. Recueil de voyages et de memoires 
publie par la Societe de Geographie de Paris, tome ii. Paris, 1855. 

Cotta (Bernard) Die Alpen, 2te Ausgabe. Weigel, Leipzig, 1851, 1 vol. 



Decandolle (Alphouse) Hypsometrie des Environs de Geneve dans un espace de 
25 lieux autour de laville. 'Mem. dela Soc. de Geneve,' viii. 2me partie, 1839. 
Deluc (Jean- Andre) Recherches sur les Modifications de 1' Atmosphere, 2 vols. 
4to. Geneve, 1772. 

■ Geological Travels, 3 vols. 8vo. London, 1811. 

Desor (E.) Excursions et Sejours dans les Glaciers etles Hautes Regions des Alpes 
de M. Agassiz et de ses compagnons de voyage, Neuchatel et Paris, 
1844. 

Nouvelles Excursions, do., do., Neuchatel, 1845. 

Deutschen Alpenvereins, Zeitschrift des. Munich. Published periodically 
since 1869. 

Dollfuss- Ausset — Materiaux pour 1'etude des Glaciers, 8 vols, in 12 parts, — not 
concluded. Paris. 

Durheim (C. J.) Sammlung trigometrischer und barometrisch-bestimmter abso- 
luter Hohen der Schweiz, 1 vol. Bern, 1850. 



Forbes (Sir J.) A Physician's Holiday, or a Month in Switzerland in the Summer 
of 1848. 1 vol. 3rd edition. Orr & Co., London, 1852. 

Forbes (J. D.) Travels through the Alps of Savoy and other Parts of the Pen- 
nine Chain, with Observations on the Phenomena of Glaciers, 
1 vol. 1st edition, A. & C. Black, Edinburgh, 1843 ; 2nd do. 
A. & C. Black, Edinburgh, 1845. 



BOOKS. 



cxxiii 



Forbes (J. D.) The Tour of Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa (abridged from 
the author's ' Travels through the Alps of Savoy,' &c.) 1 vol. A. & C. 
Black, Edinburgh, 1855. 

. Journals of Excursions in the High Alps of Dauphine, Berne, and 

Savoy ; appended to ' Norway and its Glaciers,' 1 vol. 
A. & C. Black, 1853, 

Occasional Papers on the Theory of Glaciers, 1 vol. A. & C. 

Black, Edinburgh, 1859. 
Freshfield (Douglas W.) Across country from Thonon to Trent. London, 
1865. 

Frobel (Julius) Reise in die weniger bekannten Thaler auf der Nordseite der 
Penninischen Alpen, 1 vol. Reimer, Berlin, 1840. 



George (H. B.) The Oberland and its Glaciers explored and illustrated with ice- 
axe and Camera. London, 1866. 

Godeffroy (Ch.) Notice sur les Glaciers, les Moraines, et les Blocs erratiques des 
Alpes, 1 vol. Cherbuliez, Paris, 1846. 

Griiner — Die Eisgebirge des Schweizerlandes, 3 vols. Bern, 1760. 



Hinchliff (T. W.) Summer Months amongst the Alps, 1 vol. Longman, 1857. 
Hogard (H.) et Dollfuss-Ausset — Materiaux pour servir a 1'Etude des Glaciers. 
Principaux Glaciers de la Suisse imprimes en lavis aquarelle, with fol. atlas 
of 16 pi. Simon, Strasburg, 1854. 
Hopkins (William) On the Motion of Glaciers, first Memoir, ' Transactions of the 
Cambridge Philosophical Society,' vol. viii. Cambridge. 
1864. 

Do. second Memoir, do. 

Do. ; with two Ascents of Monte Rosa, 2nd 

edition, Longman & Co. 1856. 
Hugi (J. J.) Naturhistorische Alpenreise, 1 vol. Amiet Lutiger, Solothurn, 1830. 



Illustrirter Alpen-Fiihrer (200 illustrations) 1 vol. Weber, Leipzig, 1854. 



Joanne (Adolphe) Itineraire Descriptif et Historique de la Suisse, du Jura 
Francais, du Mont Blanc, et du Mont Rose, 4me edition. 
Hachette, Paris. 



cxxiv 



INTRODUCTION. 



Joanne (Adolphe) Itineraire Descriptif et Historique de la Savoie, 1 vol. 
Hachette. Paris. 

Do. du Dauphine, Ire partie (Isere), Hachette, Paris. 

Do. do. 2me partie (Drome et Hautes Alpes), 

Hachette, Paris, IS 63. 

Do. de l'Allemagne du Sud, 1 vol. Hachette, Paris. 

La Suisse ('Guides Diamant') 3rd edition, Paris, 1872, Very compact 

and accurate. 



Keller (Dr. F.) Lake Dwellings of Switzerland and of other parts of Europe. 

Translated by G. J. E. Lee. London, 1866. 
King (Rev. S. W.) The Italian Valleys of the Pennine Alps, 1 vol. Murray, 1858. 
Kohl (J. G.) Naturansichten aus den Alpen, 2te Auflage, 1 vol. Leipzig. 1862. 



Ladoucette (J. C. F.) Histoire, Topographie, Antiquites, Usages, et Dialectes des 

Hautes Alpes ; avec atlas et notes. 2 vols. Gide, Paris. 1848. 
Latrobe (C. S.) The Alpenstock. 2nd edition. London, 1839. 
Liebeskind (A. G.) Kalender und Xotizbuch fur Alpenreisenden. Leipzig, 

1873. Contains much useful information in the pocket-book form. 
Lory (Prof. Ch.) Tableau des Positions geographiques et Hauteurs absolues 

des Points principaux du Departenient de Tlsere et des Localites envi- 

ronnantes. 1 vol. Maisonville, Grenoble, 



Meyer — Physik der Sehweiz. Leipzig, 1854. 

Monson (Lord) Views in the Department of the Isere and the High Alps, chiefly 
designed to illustrate the Memoirs of Felix Neff, by Dr. Gilly, 1 vol. Lon- 
don, 1840. 

Moore (A. W.) The Alps in 1864. London, 1867. Not surpassed for vividness 

and accuracy of description by any similar work. Unfortunately, this is not 

published, being printed for private circulation. 
Morell ( — ) Scientific Guide to Switzerland. London, 1866. 
Mortillet (G. de) Guide de l'Etranger en Savoie, 1 vol. Perrin, Chambery, 1855. 
Mousson (A) Die Gletscher der Jetztzeit, 1. vol. Schulthess, Zurich, 1854. 
Murray (J.) A Handbook for Travellers in Switzerland, the Alps of Savoy, and 

Piedmont, 1 vol. 9th edition, Murray, 1861. 
Muston (A.) Histoire complete des Vaudois, du Piemont, et de lews Colonies, 

4 vols. Meyreuls, Paris. 



Oesterreichischen Alpen- Vereins, Mittheilungen des, vols, for 1863, 1864. 
Vienna. 



BOOKS. CXXV 

Oesterreichischen Alpen-Vereins, Jahrbuch des. A volume has appeared yearly 
since 1865. Vienna. 

Osterwald (J. F.) Recueil des Hauteurs du Pays comprisdans le cadre de la carte 
generale de la Suisse, 1 vol. Wolfrath, Neuchatel, 1844-7. 



Parrot (Friedrich) Ueber die Schneegrenze auf der mittaglichen Seite des 
Rosagebirges und barometrische Messungen. 4 Schweigger's Journal fiir 
Chemie und Physik,' xix. Band, Nurnberg, 1817. 
Plantamour (Prof. E.) Mesures hypsometriques dans les Alpes, executees a 
l'aide du barometre, Fick, Geneve, 1860. 

et Burnier (F.) Nivellement du Grand St. Bernard. 

4 Bibliotheque Universeile de Geneve/ Oct. 1855. 



Rambert (Eugene) Les Alpes Suisses. Deux Series. Paris et Geneve. 
Revue des Alpes, Maisonville, Grenoble. 

Ruskin(J.) On Mountain Beauty, vol. iv. of 'Modern Painters,' 8vo. London, 1856. 
Ruthner (Dr. A. von) Berg- und Gletscherreisen in den Oesterreichischen 
Hochalpen. Vienna, 1864. 



Salis (J. von) und Steinmiiller — Alpina. Eine Schrift der genaueren Kenntniss der 

Alpen gewidraet, 4 Bande. Winterthiir, 1806-9. 
Saluzzo (Annibale di) Le Alpi ehe cingono 1' Italia. Parte prima, volume primo, 

1 vol. and atlas. Mussano, Turin, 1845. 
Saussure (H. B. de) Voyages dans les Alpes, precede d'un essai sur l'histoire na- 
turelle de Geneve,4 vols. Fauche-Borel, Neuchatel, 1803-6. 
Saussure (A. B. de) Partie pittoresque des Ouvrages de H. B. de Saussure, 1 vol. 

Cherbuliez, Paris and Geneva, 1852. 
Schaubach (R.) Die Deutschen Alpen. 2nd edition, 5 vola. Jena, 1865-7J. 
Scheuchzer (J. J.) Itinera Alpina, 4 vols. P. Vander, Leyden, 1723. 
Schlagintweit (Hermann und Adolph) Untersuchungen iiber die physicalische 

Geographie der Alpen, 1 vol. and 
atlas. Barth, Leipzig, 1850. 
— , . . , Neue Untersuchungen iiber die physica- 

lische Geographie und die Geologie 
der Alpen, 1 vol. and atlas. Wei gel, 
Leipzig, 1854. 



CXXV1 



INTRODUCTION. 



Schott (A.) Die deutschen Kolonien in Piemont; ihr Land, ihre Mundart und 
Herkunft, Stuttgart, 1842. 

Schuckburgh (Sir George, Bart.) Observations made in Savoy in order to ascer- 
tain the Height of Mountains by means of the Barometer; being an examina- 
tion of M. de Luc's rules, delivered in his ' Recherches sur les Modifications 
del' Atmosphere.' ' Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society ' for 1777, 
vol. lxvii. pt. 2. 

Schweizer Alpen-Club, Jahrbuch des. An annual volume published at Berne, 

commencing with 1864. Since 1867 a French edition has appeared similar 

in form to the German edition. 
Simler (J.) Vallesise et Alpium Descriptio, Lugd. Batav. 1633. 
Sonklar (Karl von) Allgemeine Orographie, die Lehre von den Relief-formen der 

Erdoberflache. Wien, 1873. 
Stephen (Leslie) The Playground of Europe. Longmans, 1871. 
Studer (Bernard) Geschichte der physischen Geographie der Sehweiz bis 

1815, 1 vol. Stampfii. Bern, 1863. 
(Gottlob) Ueber Eis und Schnee. Die hochsten Gipfel der Sehweiz, 

und die Geschichte ihrer Besteigung. ^ Abtheilungen. Dalp, Bern. 



Toppfer (A.) Premiers Voyages en zigzag, ou Excursion d'une Pension en Va- 
cances, 1 vol. 5me edition, Garnier Freres, Paris, 1859. 

Nouveaux Voyages en zigzag, 2me edition, Garnier Freres. Paris, 

1858. 

Tourist, der, Organ fur Natur-und Alpenfreunde. An illustrated periodical, 

edited by G. Jager, published at Vienna. 
Troyon (F.) Habitations Lacustres des Temps anciens et modernes, 1 vol. Bridel, 

Lausanne, 1860. 

Tschudi (Dr. F. von) Thierleben der Alpenwelt, 1 vol. 6th edition, Weber, 
Leipzig, 1861. 

— = — Les Alpes ; Description pittoresque de la nature et de la 

faune alpestres (authorised French translation), 1 vol. 
Dalp, Berne, 1859. 

Sketches of Nature in the Alps (English translation, 

abridged), 2 parts of ' Traveller's Library,' Long- 
man, 1858. 

(Iwan). Schweizerfiihrer, new edition. St. G alien, 1871. 

Tyndall (Prof. J.) The Glaciers of the Alps, 1 vol. Murray, 1860. 
. Hours of Exercise in the Alps. Longmans, 1871. 



Ule (Otto). Bilder aus den Alpen. Halle, 1866. 



Vogt (C.) Im Gebirg und auf den Gletschern, 1 voL Jent & Gassmann, Solo- 
thurn, 1843, 

Weber (J. C.) Die Alpenpflanzen Deutschlands und der Sehweiz. Coloured 
figures and text, 4 vols. Munich, 1867-8. 



books. cxxvii 

Weilenmann (J. J.) Aus der Firnenwelt. Gesammelte Schriften. Liebeskind, 

Leipzig. Two volumes have appeared. 
Whymper (Edward) Scrambles amongst the Alps in the Years 1860-1869. 

Murray, 1871. 

Wills (Alfred) Wanderings among the High Alps, 1 vol. Bentley, 1856. 



Ziegler (J. M.) Sammlung absoluter Hohen der Schweiz und der angrenzenden 

Gegenden der nachbarlander, 1 vol. Zurich, 1853. 
Zurlauben — Tableaux topographiques, pittoresques, physiques, historiques,moraux, 

politiques, et iitteraires de la Suisse, 3 vols, folio, Paris, 1780. 
2nd edition, 12 vols. 4to. Paris, 1784. 



A list of the more important works and memoirs connected with Alpine 
Geology is annexed to Art. XIY. 

The want of convenient works including the entire chain of the Alps is 
much felt both by zoologists and botanists, who are forced to depend either 
on books of a general character, needlessly bulky, and wanting in local 
information, or else confined to a small portion of the Alpine region. Nearly 
all the plants of the Alpine chain are described in Bertoloni's ' Flora Italica/ 
a work consisting of ten 8vo. volumes. An English work by the late Mr. 
Joseph Woods, entitled ' Tourist's Flora,' 1 vol., London, includes all except 
a few recently-discovered species of the Alpine Flora ; but the descriptions 
are so meagre, that it cannot be much recommended to those not already 
pretty well acquainted with the objects described. By far the best botanical 
work on the Flora of Switzerland and the Eastern Alps is Koch's 'Synopsis 
Florse Germanicee et Helvetica?,' 3rd edition — a work of high authority, 
written in Latin, and well known to all botanists. This, however, does not 
include the species of plants peculiar to Piedmont and the Western Alps. 

The chief works connected with the controversy as to Hannibal's Passage 
of the Alps are enumerated in page 56 of the first part of this work. 

The only general Map of the Alpine Chain deserving serious notice is that 
of J. G. Mayr, entitled ' Atlas der Alpenlander, Schweiz, Savoyen, Piemont, 
Sud-Bavern, Tirol, Salzburg, Erzhth, Oesterreich, Steyermark, Illyrier, 
Ober-Italien, &c, 457^00, 9 Blatter, Perthes, Gotha, 1858-62.' The execu- 
tion is very unequal, and there are many serious errors. It is, however, 
much to be preferred to a series of maps on a larger scale by J. E. Wori, 
entitled ' Atlas von Siidwest Deutsehland und dem Alpenlande, 2oMoo> 
48 Blatter, Freiburg, 1838 these must be pronounced very unsatisfactory, 
and are likely to mislead a pedestrian who puts his trust in them. An 
admirable map, but on rather a small scale, is that of Scheda of Vienna, in 
course of publication, under the title, ' General Karte des Oesterreichichen 
Kaiserstaates, mit einem grossen Theile der angrenzenden Lander.' Scale, 
zriodo- The sheets including the Alpine chain as far west as Monte Rosa 
and the Lake of Thun are all published, and may be had separately. The 
only serious errors which the writer has detected occur in the Val Maggia 
and its tributaries, in the Canton Tessin, where, as in most other maps, 
excepting that of Dufour, the true position of the valleys and the villages 
are completely misrepresented. 



cxxviii 



INTRODUCTION. 



The following list includes the maps of most reputation relating to the 
principal portions of the Alpine chain : — 

List of the principal Alpine Maps. 

Ravmond (J. B. S.) Carte topograph] que militaire des Alpes. comprenant le 
Piemont, la Savoye, le Conite de Nice, le Valais, le Duche de Genes et le 
Milanais, et Partie des Etats limitrophes. 200 L 000 . Paris, 1820. 

Etat-Major piemontais et Etat-Major autriehien — Carte chorographique d'une 
Partie du Piemont et de la Savoie, comprenant le reseau trigonometrique fait 
pour joindre la Grande Triangulation de France avec celle de lTtalie, OQ0 1 G00 
(attached to the ' Operations pour la Mesure d'un Arc du Parallele moyen 
Milan, 1825. 

Etat-Major piemontais — Carta degli Stati di Sua Maesta Sarda in Terra ferma 
(6 sheet Sardinian map), n5 o 00 s - Turin, 1841. 

Do. (91 sheet do. * )•'?-''- 7- Turin. 

Do. ■YsMao C not published). Turin. 

Chorografia delle Alpi dall' Mediterraneo all' Adriatico, 600 1 000 

(attached to ' Le Alpi che cingono 1' Italia '). Turin, 1845. 

Bourcet— Carte geometrique du Haut Dauphine et de la Frontiere ulterieure, levee 
par ordre du Boi pendant les annees 1714 jusquen 1 754 (about S5 ;,., 0 ). Paris. 

Etat-Major francais — Carte de France, 80 o GO - The sheets including Dau- 
phine hare all appeared, and those of Savoy are in course of publication. 

Mieulet (Capit.) Carte du Massif du Mont Blanc. Paris, 1865. 

Reilly (A. A.) Map of Mont Blanc. London, Longmans. 

Map of Valpellina and Southern Valleys of Monte Rosa. 

London, Longmans. 

Lory (C. ) Carte geologique du Dauphine. Merle et Cie., Grenoble, 1858. 

Delacroix — Carte de la Drome, dressee par M. Morel, et publiee dans la 
Statistique de M. Delacroix. 

Perrin — Atlas de Savoie, tfooooj ^ cartes. Chambery. 

Chaix (Paul ) Carte du Duche de Savoie et des Vallees qui l'avoisinent. 
Geneve, 1846. 

Societe geologique de Paris, Carte geologique de la Savoie. Bulletin de la 

Societe geologique de Paris, 1855. 
.Favre (A.) Carte des Parties de la Savoie, du Piemont, et de la Suisse voi- 
sines du Mont Blanc, 150 1 000 . Wurster et Cie., Winterthur. 186L 
Do., coloured geologically, do., 1862. 

Payen (J. F. ) Carte topographique et routiere de la Vallee de Montjoie et des 
Environs des Bains de St.-Gervais. A. Goujon & P. Jannet. Paris, 1857. 

Briquet, Rives du Lac de Geneve, Chamouni, Mont Blanc, et Vallees inter- 
mediaires. Briquet et Fils. Geneve, 1860. 

Dufour (Genl. ) Topographischer Atlas der Schweiz, 100 t 00 Q, 25 Blatter. 

Alpine Club Map of Switzerland, London, Longmans. 

Leuthold (H. F.) Reisekarte der Schweiz, Zurich. 

Studer (B.) u. Escher von der Linth — Carte geologique de la Suisse. 

Wurster & Cie,, Winterthur, 1853. 
TVeiss (J. H.) Atlas Suisse, etc., 115 1 g00 , 15 Blatter. Aarau, 1786-1802. 
Studer (Gottlieb ) Xarte der siidlichen Wallisthaler, 100 1 000 . 
Schlagintweit ( A. H.) Karte der Monte Rosa und seinen Umgebungen im 

Jahre 1851 entworfen. Weigel, Leipzig, 1854. 



maps of eastern alps. 



CXX1X 



Ziegler (J. M.) Topographische Karte der Kantone St. Gallen mid Apnenzell, 
_i_ 16 Bl. Winterthur u. Berlin, 1852-55. 

-Karte des Kantons Glarus, j^qq, 2 gr. Bl. Wurster & Cie., 

Winterthur, 1882. 

Ueber topographische Karten, mit 4 reducirten Karten voni 

Kanton Glarus, 4 BL, ^ooo- Wurster & Cie., Winterthur, 1862. 

Wurster u. Cie. — Karte dea Kantons Graubiindten, 1 Bl. Wurster 

& Cie., Winterthur, 1862. 

Michaelis (E. H.) Carta della RepublicaeCantone delTicino,^ 5 o 1 o 53 ,lB1.1847. 

Ziegler (J. M.) Karte des Kantons Tessin, j^oo) 1 Bl. Wurster & Cie., 
Winterthur. 

Topographische Atlas der Schweiz. The mountain sheets, 55^. In course 
of publication. 

List oe Maps oe the Eastern Alps. 

Anich (P.) and Huber (Bl.) — Tyrolis sub felici regimine Marise Theresise, 

&c. joo 1 ^, 22 sheets. Vienna, 1774. 
Burgalz (F.) — Hohenkarte von Vorarlberg nach den Bestimmungen des K. 

K. Quartiermeisterstabes und den Messungen des Herrn Schmidt. 

Wagner, Innsbruck. 
Foetterle'(F.) — Geologischer Atlas des Oesterreichis/jhen Kaiserstaates. Perthes, 

Gotha. 

Freyer (H.) — Special-Karte des Herzogthums Krain, ^ihoof 16 sheets. Miiller, 
Vienna, 1844-45. 

General-Quartiermeister-Stab — General-Karte des Herzogthums Salzburg, 

28s5oo» 1 sheet. Militar-Geographisches Institut, Vienna, 1810. 
Karte des Herzogthums Salzburg, -^^q, 15 sheets. Militar- 

Geographisches Institut, Vienna, 1810. 
General-Karte vom Kaiserthum Oesterreich, ge^, 9 sheets, 

Vienna, 1822. 

Karte der gefiirsteten Grafschaft Tyrol nebst Vorarlberg und 

dem angrenzenden Fiirstenthum Lichtenstein, i±£ 0Q0 , 24 sheets. 
Militar-Geographisches Institut, Vienna, 1 825—31.* 

Ditto, 2W5 0 o, 2 sheets, ditto, Vienna, 1831. 

General-Karte des Herzogthums Steyermark, asgooo, 4 sheets.' 

Militar-Geographisches Institut, Vienna, 1842. 
Topographische Karte des Lombardisch-Venetianischen Konig- 

reichs, §etoo' 42 sheets. Milan, 1833-38. 
General-Karte des Lombardisch-Venetianischen Konigreichs, 

asBooo* 4 sheets, Milan, 1838. 
■ Karte des Konigreichs Illyrien und des Herzogth. Steyermark 

nebs t dem Konigl. Ungarischen Littorale, ^Voo' 37 sheets. 

Militar-Geographisches Institut, Vienna, 1834-41. 
General-Karte des Konigr. Illyrien nebst dem Kgl. Ungar. Lit- 
torale, ggiooo, 4 sheets. Militar-Geogr. Institut, Vienna, 1843. 
Karte des Erzherzogth. Oesterreich ob und unter der Enns, 

i^ooo* 31 sheets, Militar-Geographisches Institut, Vienna, 1813 

and 1843 (2nd edition). 

General-Karte des Erzherzogthums Oesterreich ob und unter der 

Enns, 288000' 2 sheets, Vienna, 1823 and 1843 (2nd edition). 
Geologische Uebersichtskarte der Oesterreichischen Mouarchie, nach den 
Aufnahmen der K. K. Geologischen lieichs- Anstalt bearbeitet von Franz 



cxxx 



INTRODUCTION. 



Ritter von Hauer, 57fi ^ 00 , 12 sheets. (Two sheets, V. and VI., are already 

published, and comprise the vrhole of the Austrian Alps.) Beck, Vienna. 
Heyberger (J.) — Topographische Special-Karte der Alpen Bayerns und Nord- 

Tirols von der Zugspitze his zum Kaisergebirge ^qoqq . Mey und Wid- 

mayer, Munich, 1862. 
Keil (Fr.) — Topographische Reise- und Gebirgs-Karte der Umgebung von Salz- 
burg, 7 2 0 oo < chromolith. Glonner, Salzburg, 1867. 
Topographische Reliefkarten aus den Deutschen Alpen, 48 o 00 , 8 Re- 
liefs mit Begleitkarten. Mayr, Salzburg, 1862. 

Relief des Gross- Glockner und seiner Umgebung, ^oo' m ^ -^e- 

gleitkarten. Mayr, Salzburg, 1862. 
Mayr (J. G.) — Spezielle Reise- und Gebirgs-Karte vom Lande Tyrol, mit den 

angrenzenden Theilen von Sud-Bayern, Salzburg, der Schweiz und Obc- 

Italien, ^^ 00 , 4 sheets. 
Mey and Widmayer — Maps of the Bavarian Highland, 1862 (lithographed 

from the Government Survey). 
Pauliny (J. J.) — Special-Karte des Salzkammergutes, yi^W' Lechner, Vienna, 

1861. 

Karte des Herzogthums Kiirnten, gj^^. Leon, Klagenfurt. 1860. 

Relief-Karte der Orteler Spitze, ^ood ' w ^ two ma P s an( ^ text ' 

Vienna, 1861. 

Richthofen (F. Frhr. von) — Geognostische Karte der Umgegend von Predazzo, 

St. Cassian, und der Seisser Alp in Sud-Tirol. Perthes, Gotha, 1862. 
Sonklar (K. A. von) — Uebersiohtskarte des Oetztbaler Gletschergebietes, ■ 14 ^ 00Q . 

Perthes, Gotha. 1860. 
Wiedenmann, Karte der Glockner-Gruppe, Miinchen, 1871. 
Worl (J. E.) — TopogTaphischer Atlas von Bayern, von dem Konigl. 

Baverichen-Gen.-Quartierineister-Stab, 113 sheets. Munich, 

1812-56. 

Zollikofer (Th. von) and Gobanz (Dr. J.) — Hypsometrische Karte der Steier- 
mark, herau?gegeben von der Direction des 2eogr. montan. Vereines 
fur Steiermavk, Gratz, 1864. 



LOXDOS : PEETTED BY 
PrOmSTTOODE AXD CO., yEVT-STB.-E.ET SQCABE 
AXD PASUAHZ5T STREET 



THE 

ALPINE GUIDE. 



WESTERN ALPS. 



ABBREVIATIONS AND EXPLANATIONS 



The following are the chief abbreviations used in this work : — 

hrs., m. — for hours and minutes. When used as a measure of distance, one 
hour is meant to indicate the distance which a tolerably good walker will traverse 
in an hour, clear of baits, and having regard to the difficulty of the ground. In 
cases where there is a considerable difference of height, the measure given is in- 
tended as a mean between the lime employed in ascending and descending, being 
greater in the one case and less in the other. 

ft., yds. — for feet and yards. The heights of mountains, &c, are given in Eng- 
lish feet above the level of the sea, and are generally indicated in the manner 
usual in scientific books, by the figures being enclosed in brackets, with a short 
stroke. 

m. — for mile. Unless otherwise expressed, distances are given in English statute 
miles. 

rt., 1. — for right and left. The right side of a valley, stream, or glacier, is that 
lying on the right hand of a person following the downward course of the stream. 

The points of the compass are indicated in the usual way. 

Names of places are referred in the Index to the pages where some useful 
information respecting them is to be found. 

Throughout this work the reader is frequently referred for further information 
to the Section and Route where this is to be found. "When the reference is made 
to a passage occurring in the same Section, the Route alone is mentioned. 



ALPINE GUIDE. 



CHAPTEE L 
MAEITIME ALPS. 



Section 1. 
tenba district. 

Route A — Turin to Nice — Col di Tenda . 
Route B — Cuneo to Baths of Valdieri 
Route C — Baths of Valdieri to Nice, Col 

delle Cerese .... 
Route D — Cuneo to Nice, Col delle 

Fiuestre 

Section 2. 
argentiere district. 

Route A Cuneo to Barcelonette, Col d'Ar- 



gentiere 



Route B 



Route C- 
Route D • 



Route A- 



Cuneo to Barcelonette, by Val 

Maira 13 

• Cuneo to Prazzo, by Val Grana 15 
- Saluzzo to Barcelonette— Val 
Vraita 15 

Section 3. 
basses alpes. 



Nice to Barcelonette — Valley of 
the Tinea . 
Route B — Nice to Colmar — Valley of the 

Var 

Route C — Colmar to Barcelonette 
Route D — Barcelonette to Gap or Embrun 
— Valley of the Ubaye 



. 19 



1e the reader will cast his eyes upon a 
map of the region where the great chain 
of the Alps approaches the shores of the 
Mediterranean, he will observe that, from 
a point about 1 5 miles S. of the Monte \ 
Viso, a number of valleys diverge in 
many directions, like the spokes of a 
wheel. These correspond to as many I 
mountain ridges, which do not actually j 
radiate from the same mountain, but 
which all converge towards the Mont 
Enchustraye, or Cima dei Quattro Veseo- 
vadi (9, 747'), a peak lying immediately 
S. of the Col del! a Maddalena (§ 2). 
On the W. and NW. side of that peak 
are merely short outlyers, between which 
three mountain torrents run down to 
the Ubaye, one of the chief affluents of 
the Durance. To the SW. a much 
more considerable" ridge extends to- 
wards the Mediterranean, drained on 
f PART I. 



the W. side by the Verdon, on the E. by 
the Yar. It will be observed that both 
these streams are turned from their 
southward course by the comparatively 
low ranges of limestone hills which run 
from W. to E across the Department 
of the Var, in France, The Verdon is 
diverted to the W. till it joins the 
Durance, while the Var makes a wide 
bend to the E. till it meets the Tinea 
and the Vesubia, N. of Nice. Between 
the head waters of the Var and those 
of the Tinea, a high range, with two 
peaks exceeding 9,000 feet, extends for 
about 25 miles nearly due S. from the 
Mt. Enchastraye. By far the most con- 
siderable of the ranges that diverge 
from that mountain is, however, that 
which, extending at first SE., and then 
nearly due E., separates the sources of 
tie Tinea from those of the Stuxsu 



2 



MARITIME ALPS. § 



1. TENDA DISTRICT. 



It is characterised by an axis of crys- 
talline rocks, which are developed on a 
large scale ; and this circumstance, along 
with the height of many of the peaks, 
exceeding 10,000 feet, and the extent of 
perpetual snow, have obtained for this, 
rather than any other of the ranges 
above spoken of, the distinction of being 
considered the true prolongation of the 
main chain of the Alps. Extending in 
a direction parallel to the shores of the 
Mediterranean, it is ultimately merged 
in the Apennine which, under one or 
another denomination, reaches to the far- 
thest extremity of the Italian peninsula. 

It is not easy to determine where the 
limit between the Maritime Alps and 
the Ligurian Apennine should be fixed. 
That great master of practical geogra- 
phy, Napoleon, placed the boundary at 
the pass NW. of Savon a, traversed by 
the road from that city to Moudovi ;- 
and there are geological reasons which 
favour that division, wdiich corresponds 
to the limit between the meiocene and the 
metamorphosed secondary rocks. The 
Piedmontese War Department in a work 
to which reference must often be made 
hereafter — Le Alpi che cingono V Italia 
— adopt the Monte dello Schiavo, NW. 
of Albenga, several miles west of the 
above-named limit, as the E. extremity 
of the Maritime Alps. In the present 
work it is thought better to regard the 
wants of the class of travellers for whom 
it is intended, rather than any scientific 
definition ; accordingly, that portion of 
the chain only is included which, in 
common parlance, may be called alpine 
in character ; namely, that where the 
height of the mountains is sufficient to 
maintain considerable masses of per- 
petual snow. The limit to which that 
definition applies is exactly fixed by the 
pass of the Col di Tenda, traversed by 
the high road from Nice to Turin. E. 
of that pass the mountains are Apennine 
in character, being covered with vege- 
tation to their summits ; while in the 
opposite direction we at once find that 
combination of rock and snow, or ice, 
which we are used to associate with the 
idea of Alpine scenery. Following the 



i example of ordinary geographers, we 
shall place the N. limit of the Maritime 
Alps at the Col de Longet, connecting 
the Val Yraita with the Ubaye, imme- 
diately to the S. of Monte Yiso. The 
chain connecting tr> at magnificent peak 
with the Mont Enchastraye supplies, on 
its W. flank, numerous torrents which 
feed the head waters of the Ubaye, but 
in the opposite direction sends out two 
considerable ridges parallel to the main 
range of the Maritime Alps. The most 
southerly of these divides the valley of 
the Stura from that of the Maira; the 
other separates the Maira from the 
Yraita. A much shorter ridge, a mere 
buttress of the Rioburent, divides the 
two mountain glens whose combined 
streams form the Vraita. The western 
limit of the Maritime Alps is naturally 
formed by the valleys of the Ubaye, 
the Verdon, and the-Var, taking tne 
W. branch of the latter stream, called 
La Yare. 

It is not, perhaps, generally known 
that in the close neighbourhood of a 
place so frequented by strangers as Nice, 
and easily reached by railroad on its 
northern side, via Turin and Cuneo, 
there is an Alpine range, not indeed 
rivalling in grandeur the great snow- 
clad peaks of the central Alps, yet full 
of wild and varied scenery, and pos- 
sessing the great advantage of being 
accessible some weeks earlier in sum- 
mer, and at least a month later in 
autumn, than those districts which are 
not, as this is, directly within the 
influence of the Mediterranean climate. 



SECTION 1. 

TENDA DISTRICT VALDIKR1. 

The town of Cuneo, or Coni, stands at 
the SW. corner of the great plain which 
extends through Piedmont, Lombardy, 
and Yeiietia, from the foot of the Cot- 
tian Alps to the Adriatic, on a high, ter- 
race at the confluence of the rivers Stura 
and Gesso. The Stura, running due 
W. from the Col d'Argentiere, or Col 



ROUTE A. TURIN TO NICE. 



3 



della Maddalena, drains the W. ex- 
tremity of the Maritime Alps ; the 
Gesso, with its affluent the Vermenagna, 
carries down the waters from the north- 
ern side of the chain lying S. and SW. 
of Cuneo. Corresponding to the Gesso 
and Vermenagna are the Vesubia and 
Roja torrents, on the S. side of the same 
range. These do not, however, join 
their streams ; the Roja, after a short 
course of about 35 miles, falls into the 
Mediterranean at Ventimiglia, where it 
has formed the political boundary be- 
tween France and Italy, since the recent 
dismemberment of the ancient county of 
Nice, extorted from the king and people 
of Italy by their generous ally. The 
Vesubia, bending to the W., joins the 
Var a few miles N. of Nice. 

The portion of the Maritime Alps 
here described lies between the Col di 
Ten da, traversed by the high road from 
Turin to Nice, and the Mont Enchas- 
traye. The only other pass that is at 
all frequented is that of the Col delle 
Finestre, about 13 miles W. of the Col 
di Tenda. The principal summits are 
the Mont Clapier, whose highest peak 
is the Cima dei Gelas (10,433'), the 
Rocca deW Argentera, or Monte della 
Stella (10,617'), the crowning point of 
this range, the Monte Matto (10,230'), 
and the Mont Tinibras (10,223'?). 

Excellent head quarters for explor- 
ing this district are to be found at the 
Baths of Valdieri (Eoute B), and there 
is a well-managed inn at Limone. 
With these exceptions, the accommoda- 
tion to be found in these valleys is poor 
enough. In every village, however, an 
inn of more or less humble pretensions 
is to be found ; and, though the first 
impressions may be very unfavourable, 
the writer [Ed.] has usually obtained 
food and a bed such as a mountaineer 
need not despise. The language is, in 
places unfrequented by strangers, con- 
fined to the native dialect, which seems 
to be intermediate between Piedmontese 
and Provencal. For those unacquainted 
with both, French is rather more service- 
able than Italian,- though neither are 
generally spoken. 



Apart from the advantage of being 
accessible at seasons when travellers are 
shut out by climate from most other 
Alpine districts, this offers special at- 
tractions to the naturalist. Within a 
narrow range may be found a con- 
siderable number of very rare plants, 
several of which are not known to exist 
elsewhere. The geology is also inter- 
esting, and would probably repay further 
examination. A crystalline axis is 
flanked on both sides by highly- inclined 
and much- altered sedimentary rocks, 
which probably include the entire series 
from the carboniferous to the cretaceous 
rocks, in some parts overlaid by num- 
mulitic deposits. 



Route A. 

TUKIN TO NICE — COL DI TENDA. 

Eng. Piedm. Ital. 

m. m.* posts. 

Cuneo (railway) . 54 35 (from Cuneo 

Robillante . . 11| 7£ 1| 

Limone . . , 9| 6 1 

Tenda ... 27 a 18 3 

Giandola . 18§ 12 2 

Sospello . . lgi 12 2 

Scarena . . . 18| 12 2 

Nice . . .23 15 2| 

180$ 117| !3| 

From Turin to Cuneo, rail in 3 to 4 h. 
four times a day. Malleposte from Cu- 
neo to Nice in -22 h. ; longer when snow 
lies on the pass, when it is crossed in 
carriages laid upon sledges. In posting 
the distances charged are greater than 
those here set down, while the pedestrian, 
following the short cuts, may often re- 
duce them by nearly one-half. 

The railway from Turin to Cuneo 
runs nearly due S. along the nearly level 
plain skirting the base of the Cottian 
Alps, and frequently commanding views 
of the snowy range crowned by the peak 
of Monte Viso. For those intending to 
approach that noble mountain through 
the valley of the Po, or the Val Vraita, 
there is a convenient branch-line from 
the Savigliano station to Saluzzo (§ 4). 

* See Introduction. 1 Piedmontese mile = 
1A English mile and 57 yards. I Italian post 
— 8 geogr. miles — 9 Eng. miles and 362 yardsi 



I 

i 



MARITIME ALPS. § 1. TEND A DISTRICT. 



4 

Cuneo (Inns : Hotel de la Poste — ■ 
best (?) ; Barra di Ferro — frequented, 
pretty good cookery) lies nearly at the 
head of a narrow inlet from the great 
plain of the valley of the Po, enclosed 
on either side by the outlying ridges 
from the Maritime and Cottian Alps. 
The fortifications, once thought very 
strong, were destroyed by the French. 

Along the narrow tongue of land 
separating the Stura and the Gesso, at 
whose N. extremity Cuneo is built, the 
Mgh road is carried for about six miles 
through level, richly-cultivated ground, 
to Bergo S. Dalmazzo, a, large village 
at the very foot of the mountains, op- 
posite to the junction of the Verme- 
nagna torrent, flowing from the S., 
with the valley of the Gesso coming 
from the 3 W. As the high road to 
Tenda follows the former stream, it here 
crosses the Gesso above the junction, 
and commences to ascend the pictu- 
resque valley of the Vermenagna, pass- 
ing Roccavione, and the post station of 
Robillante. After gradually mounting 
about 1,500 feet, the valley opens out a 
little below 

Limone (Inns : Hotel de la Poste, at 
the N. end of the village, good and 
reasonable; Europa, and another at the 
S. end, seem inferior), the best head- 
quarters (3,340') for anyone wishing 
to explore the neighbourhood. It is a 
walk of about 3 hours (?) across the 
ridge E. of the village to the Certosa di 
Pesio. This ancient monastery (founded 
1173) has of late years been converted 
into a hydropathic establishment, said 
to be well conducted (food and accom- 
modation are favourably reported of), 
in a picturesque position, warmer than 
the baths of Valdieri, and by some pre- 
ferred on that account. The Pesio 
torrent descends into the plain at La 
Chiusa, not far from Cuneo, and the 
Certosa is accessible by a carriage-road 
in 2j hrs. from the railway station. 

Besides other rare plants mentioned 
below, the botanist may find near 
Limone Arabis serpyllifolia, Genista 
cinerea, Astragalus purpureus and A. 
depressus, Lamium longiflorum, &c. 



The pedestrian wishing to vary the 
way to Tenda, may follow a stream 
which fails into the Vermenagna from 
the SE., and pass by the Col di Boaira, 
or the Col di Framosa, into a branch ! 
of the valley of the Roja. called the 
Vallon di Rio Freddo, which joins the 
Roja close to the village of Tenda. i 
Besides other rarities, such as Iberis 
garrexiana, Phyteuma Balbi.sianum, &c. T i 
the botanist may find the extremely 
scarce Moehringia ■papulosa on the lime- 
stone rocks by a house (? hermitage) 
scooped out of the face of the moun- 
tain on the left side of the valley, about 1 
two miles above Tenda. 

A more interesting excursion may be 
made from Limone by following up the 
main stream of the Vermenagna to its 
source in a wild glen (called Valle dell' 
Abisso) under the peak of the Rocca j 
dell Abisso (9,193'). On the way are \ 
many interesting plants — e.g., Silene i 
campanula, Primula marginita. Satu- 
reja. piperella, Achillea kerba rota, and 
Saxifraga pedemontana. At the head 
of this glen is a depression in the chain, 
approached through a hollow filled with 
huge fallen rocks and patches of snow, 
a resort of chamois. Clouds having 
come on, the writer [Ed.] was unable 
to ascertain whether the descent on the 
S. side of this wild pass is practicable. 
To reach Tenda from thence is not 
difficult, as, on returning a short dis- 
tance (less than one hour) towards 
Limone, a pass is seen on the right 
hand (? Col della Margaria) ap- 
proached by steep grassy slopes, which 
crosses the main chain, and leads clown 
to the high road near the S. foot of the 
Col di Tenda. 

The road from Limone to the pass 
mounts in long zigzags by a spur of 
the mountain, which projects between 
two deeply-cut branches of the main 
valley. The road on both sides of the 
pass is narrow, the turns sharp, and in 
but few places is there the slightest 
barrier, so that nervous persons should 
pass in the dark. There is no real 
danger with horses used to the work. 
From one or two points on the N. 



i 



ROUTE A. COL DI TENDA. 



5 



sicLs the peak of Monte Viso may be 
seen to the NW., towering over the 
intermediate ranges. The actual pass 
(6,158') commands a distant view of 
the Graian Alps, and leads at once to 
the long and steep descent overlooking 
the bare rocky ranges which enclose 
the head of the valley of the Roja, 
with a single glimpse of the Mediter- 
ranean. There is, perhaps, no other 
carriage road over the Alps which en- 
counters a continuous slope so long and 
so steep as that on the S. side of the 
Col di Tenda — little if at all less than 
3,000 feet. This is surmounted by a 
seemingly endless succession of short 
zigzags, passing on the way several 
houses of refuge, which are often 
needed in winter, when the storms are 
so violent that neither man nor beast 
can make way against them. In the 
last century, the Duchess Anna of 
Savoy adopted a project, for that period 
a very bold one, of piercing the moun- 
tain by a tunnel two miles in length, 
at about half the height of the final 
slope. The works, of which the remains 
may yet be seen, were interrupted by 
the Piench occupation in 1792. After 
fifty turns the road gains the level of 
the Roja, and follows it for several 
miles through a narrow rocky valley, 
till it reaches 

Tenda (Inns: Poste — tolerable for a 
mountain inn, but not good: there is 
a rival house — Hotel Imperial (?)) a 
small village very picturesquely situ- 
ated under a rock, crowned by the 
ruins of the castle which once belonged 
to the unfortunate Beatrice di Tenda. 
The inferior accommodation, and less 
agreeable situation, in a hot valley 
(2,680'), make this a less eligible spot 
for a halt than Limone; but the neigh- 
bourhood is full of interest to a natu- 
ralist or geologist. Among other very 
rare plants to be found on the rocks 
over the village, Silene cordifolia, Aspe- 
rula hexaphylla, Saxifraga diapensioides, 
and S. cochlearis, with Passer ina dioica, 
may be especially noted; the two first 
are not known to grow out of this 
district. 



Three or four miles below Tenda is 
a large modern-looking building, now 
occupied as a hydropathic establish- 
ment, once the Abbey of San Dal- 
mazzo. The position is hot and con- 
fined, and, except to a botanist, less 
agreeable than Pesio. At this point 
two lateral valleys join the Roja: that 
on the E. side, leading to the village 
of Briya, and abounding in rare plants, 
is inconsiderable; but in the opposite 
direction a more copious torrent de- 
scends from the Valle della Miniera. 
[About six miles up this valley are the 
mines known for many centuries, rich 
in argentiferous sulphuret of lead, and 
alternately worked and abandoned, as 
circumstances have rendered them pro- 
fitable. Near to the works the valley 
forks. The NW. branch leads to the 
valley of the Gesso by the Col del 
Sabbione (7,704'); or, following up the 
torrent to its source S. of the Mont 
Clapicr, to a more difficult pass, at 
least 9,000 ft. in height, called Passo 
di Valmasca. (No information as to 
either of these passes.) The W. branch 
of the Valle della Miniera leads over 
a steep ridge to a lateral valley of the 
Vesubia.] 

Below S. Dalmazzo, the high road 
passes for several miles through a nar- 
row gorge between steep massive Avails 
of igneous (? porphyritic) rock, with 
here and there an opening which some 
torrent has cut through the mass. The 
bold forms of the rocks, and the luxu- 
riant vegetation which crowns every 
height and fills every hollow, make the 
scenery of this road worthy to compare 
with almost any other more famous 
Alpine pass. The botanist will remark 
with interest, beside the saxifrages and 
other Alpine plants that have descended 
from the surrounding Alps, many species 
of warmer latitudes, and especially the 
Cineraria maritirna, which, save in gar- 
dens, is seldom seen except in the warm- 
est situations on the shores of the Medi- 
terranean. Here, between the villages 
of Pontan and Breglio, is almost the 
only habitat of the curious plant, Ballot.a 
spinosa. 



6 



MARITIME ALPS. § 



1. TEND A DISTEICT. 



Fontan (a poor-looking inn — rather 
better than it seems) is the frontier 
village on the new French boundary, 
where passports are demanded and 
luggage examined. Below this, on the 
right, is the opening of the Vol de Cai- 
ros, through which the valley of the 
Vesubia may be reached by the Col de 
Runs (6.572'), leading to Eoccabi- 
gliera, or over the Col dell' Ortighera, 
by Bollena, to Lantosca. The high road 
now enters a narrow defile below Saor- 
gio t crossing and recrossing the Eoja 
several times, and then following the 
stream to the post station at 

(liandola (Hotel des Etrangers ; Ho- 
tel de la Poste). From this point the 
Hoja runs in a tolerably direct course 
to Ventimiglia, where it falls into the 
Mediterranean ; but the traveller who 
fancies himself near to Nice is disap- 
pointed to find that he has still to cross 
a succession of steep rocky ridges, sepa- 
rating as many short valleys which in- 
tervene between the Roja and the Pa- 
glione torrent, on which Nice is built. 
The first of these, the Col de Brcuis, in- 
volves an ascent and descent of about 
1,500 feet to reach 

Sospello (Hotel Marengo, well re- 
commended, the usual halt for vettu- 
rini ; Poste, indifferent), surrounded by 
fig-trees, olives, &c. A still longer and 
steeper ascent over rocky soil, in sum- 
mer nearly bare of vegetation, leads by 
the Col de Braus (3,300' ) to Scarena, 
from whence, by crossing another less 
troublesome ridge, the road attains the 
Pagiione torrent, often nearly dry in 
fine weather, and following its left bank 
reaches 

Xice (Inns: Hotel Victoria; Hotel de 
France — both first- class ; Hotel de l'Uni- 
vers, near the diligences — well-kept, 
cooler in summer r than most of the 
others ; Hotel des Etrangers; Hotel des 
Princes; Hotel Chauvain; Grande Br e- 
tagne ; Angleterre ; Europe ; Paradis ; 
2sord). 



Route B. 

CUXEO TO THE BATHS OF VALDIERI. 

Eng. ra. Piedm. m. 

Village of Valdieri . 14 

Baths of Valdieri . 10 J>i 

24 lof 

In 1866 an omnibus went once a day 
from the Barra di Ferro at Cuneo to the 
Baths, and carriages (at 20 fr.) were em- 
ployed by the company who manage the 
Baths to convey parties from the railway 
station thither. The new road to the 
Baths, only completed in 1859, is now 
in good order. Travellers arriving in 
the height of the season should not omit 
to write beforehand to secure rooms. 

From Borgo San Dalmazzo (see last 
route) the road follows the left bank of 
the Gesso to the village of Valdieri 
(2,493'), the last in the main valley, 
which here expands into a small plain 
about a mile wide. On the S. side is 
the opening of a considerable lateral 
valley, in which stands, about two miles 
distant, the village of Entracque (see 
Rte. D). From this point to the Baths 
the new road mounts continuously 
through a narrow glen, where the Gesso 
brawls its way amidst huge blocks of 
gneiss and granite. Save a shooting- 
lodge of modest dimensions, used by 
King Victor Emmanuel -when not en- 
camped on the neighbouring Alps, and 
a few houses clustered round a saw-mill 
at the junction of the Meiris torrent, 
scarcely a single house is seen ; and the 
traveller is surprised to find himself thus 
near to the shores of the Mediterranean, 
amid scenery as wild as any in the Alps, 
especially when, as often happens till 
mid- July, large patches of snow lie un- 
melted in hollows beside the torrent. 
Xo token of civilised life meets the eye 
till, after two hours' constant ascent, a 
turn of the glen shows a handsome new 
bridge, and behind it is a massive stone 
building with a few ruinous-looking old 
houses about it, which till lately were 
the only resort for visitors. 

The Baths of Valdieri have enjoyed 
local celebrity in Piedmont for manv 



ROUTE B. BATHS OF VALDIERI. 



7 



centuries, and were not unknown to the 
Romans ; but until very lately the diffi- 
culty of access and want of accommo- 
dation much restricted their use. Their 
position on the N. side of the Maritime 
Alps, even more than their height 
(4,426'). make the climate very cool — 
too much so, indeed, for the comfort of 
many invalids. For a mountaineer, 
however, they afford excellent head- 
quarters. 

The whole place is now in the hands 
of a company represented by a director, 
and a resident manager. In addition 
to the old comfortless buildings which 
previously existed, there are four or 
five neat wooden houses in the Swiss 
style, called chalets, and a very large 
stone building, opened for the reception 
of visitors in 1861. It includes a long 
dining-room — a room which is lighted 
up in the evening, and often used for 
dancing ; a cafe on the ground floor ; 
and a large number of bed-rooms. The 
charges are rather high — in the chalets 
4 fr. a- day for a small room with one 
bed — and the management is not 
very efficient ; but, considering the dis- 
tance from supplies, the table d'hote is 
well kept. The society is almost ex- 
clusively Piedmontese, and, for a water- 
ing-place, may fairly be called select. 
One of the visitors is elected as repre- 
sentative of the rest, to make known 
any cause of reasonable complaint, and 
to make arrangements for the general 
convenience. 

There are many mineral springs here, 
of which three are used. 1. A very hot 
sulphureous spring, issuing from the 
rock at about 145° Fahr. 2. A sul- 
phureous spring containing organic mat- 
ter, called Acqna di Santa Lucia, cele- 
brated for its efficacy in ophthalmic 
complaints ; temp, 95° Fahr. 3. A sa- 
line spring, a mild purgative. But the 
most singular curative agent here arises 
from the growth of a cryptogamic plant 
— the Ulva labyrinthiformis of Allioni — 
on the surface of the rock over which 
the thermal waters trickle down to the 
bed of the Gesso. This forms gela- 
tinous masses, three or four inches 



thick, in which, under the microscope, 
minute insects are seen to thrive at a 
temperature of 135° Fahr. Large strips 
of this matter are taken off and applied 
to the body, being found very useful in 
some cases of internal disease, for old 
wounds, &c. 

This valley of the Gesso, and that of 
the Gesso di Entraeque (lite. D), are 
the favourite resort of King Victor Em- 
manuel, who is passionately fond of 
chamois hunting. To suit his con- 
venience, many paths have been cut 
nearly to the top of the highest peaks. 
The mountaineer when following them 
must be on his guard against the natural 
conjecture that such paths lead to prac- 
ticable passes. He will often find them 
come to an end in some wild spot, from 
whence there is no other apparent exit. 
The narrow glen of the Gesso at the 
i Baths lies between two lofty peaks, the 
Monte Matto {_ 10,230') to the N.W.,and 
the Rocca dell' Aryentera to the SE. 
The former may be ascended in from 
four to five hours from the Baths. The 
latter, also known as Monte delta Stella 
(10,617'), was first climbed in 1871 by 
a member of the Italian Alpine Club. 
The summit of the Cima dei Gelas 
(lite. D), formerly regarded as the 
highest of the Maritime Alps, falls 
short of this by 184 feet. 

Immediately above the Baths, the glen 
of the Gesso, entering the protogine 
granite, divides into two branches : the 
S. branch leads to the Col delle Ce- 
rese (Rte. C), while the other, mount- 
ing nearly due W. to a small lake, is 
called Vallasco, and is the frequent ob- 
ject of short excursions from the Baths. 

This neighbourhood has long been 
celebrated for the beauty and rarity of 
its flora, and even the least botanical 
visitor is attracted by the variety and 
brilliancy of the flowers which may be 
found within a short stroll from the 
Baths. Conspicuous amongst these are 
Lychnis fios jovis, Saponana ocymoidea, 
Potentilla valderia, Viola cenisia, Para- 
disia liliastrum, Lilium bidbiferum, Achil- 
lea herba rota, Nasturtium pyrenaicum, 
and several Alpine species of Primula. 



8 



MARITIME ALPS. § 1. TEXDA DISTRICT. 



The Alpine laburnum, Cytisus alpinus, 
is extremely common, and ascends be- 
yond the limit of other trees to a great 
height on the mountains, gilding the 
dark rocks with its profuse masses of 
brighj yellow flowers. In mossy places 
Cardamine asarifolia,nn& Tozzia alpina, 
are abundant. The Vallasco glen, which 
is also interesting through its memorials 
of former glacial action, is particularly 
rich. On the rocks and slopes upon 
either side may be found Arabis allionii, 
Silene cordifolia, Saxifraga Jiorulenta, 
and iS 1 . pedemontana, Cephalaria alpina, 
Pedicularis incar?iata,a,nd. other very rare 
plants. From the upper end of Val- 
lasco are two practicable passes — that 
to the left leads through the Vallon di 
Rio Freddo to the village of Vinadio, 
in the valley of the Stura (§ 2) ; that to 
the right, called Col del/e Portette, com- 
municates with the valley of the Tinea 
(§ 3 ) through a lateral valley, the Val- 
lon de Molieres. 

There is a tolerably good path, di- 
verging from the road close to the new 
bridge below the Baths, which leads 
over the shoulder of the Monte della 
Stella to the Valle della Rovina, a 
branch of the Gesso di Entracque. 
This affords a way of varying the 
route in returning from the Baths to 
Cuneo. 

When the king is hunting in this 
neighbourhood, a mountaineer bent on 
exploring the neighbouring peaks will 
do well to arrange his excursions so as 
not to frighten the game from the 
quarter in which the royal sportsman is 
engaged. 



Route C. 

BATHS OF VAEDIERI TO NICE — COL 
DELLE CERESE. 





Hours' 


Eng 




walking 


m. 


San Marti no di Lantosca 


. 6 


15 


Village of Lantosca 


• ? 


10i 






15 






23 




21 


~63* 



This is an interesting pass, leading 



through fine scenery, but on the S. 
side the valley of the Vesubia is hot. 
From Scarena to Nice, most travellers 
will prefer to take a vehicle rather than 
walk, half-broiled, by the dusty high 
road. The distances above given have 
no pretension to accuracy. 

From the Baths of Valdieri a path 
in the right bank of the stream leads 
to the S. branch of the valley, called 
Valletta, and in less than an hour 
passes a spot where the king often 
pitches his tent when on a hunting 
excursion. Near this, on the bank of 
the torrent, Senecio balbisianus grows 
abundantly, and the bouquets of Alpine 
flowers which His Majesty sometimes 
presents to the ladies at the Baths are 
in great part made up of this extremely 
rare species. The upper end of the 
Valletta glen is bare and wild. On the 
W. side it is bounded by a flat-topped 
ridge, over which lies a path, practi- 
cable for mules, by the Col di Frema 
Morta (8,839'), to the Vallon de Molieres, 
a tributary of the valley of the Tinea. 
This is said to be a dreary and unin- 
teresting pass. At the head of the 
Valletta valley is a high peak, partly 
snow- covered, with a depression on 
each side, either of which might be 
taken for the pass. That seen to the 
left, looking up the glen, is said to be 
impracticable ; the right-hand depres- 
sion is the Col delle Cerese. Crossing 
the torrent, the track mounts by a steep 

| rocky slope, and among huge frag- 

[ ments of rock, till it attains a wild 
hollow, enclosed on either side between 
steep rocks, which mounts for a con- 
siderable distance in a direction some- 
what east of S. When the writer 
passed, on July 17, the bottom of 
this hollow way was filled with snow 

[ for its entire length; but before the 
close of ordinary summers, most of 

j this is melted. On the rocks and 
steep slopes of debris to the W. are 

! many rare plants ; e. g. Viola, num- 
mular is folia, Saxifraga retusa. Sec. In 

| about 3^ hrs. from the Baths, the 

I summit of the Col (8,412') is attained. 

j The desc.eut on the S. side, far steeper 



ROUTE C. VALLEY OF THE VESUBIA. 



9 



than the ascent, though no way diffi- 
cult, is down a ledge against the face 
of the rock, and soon attains a little 
tarn lying on a shelf of the mountain. 
The effect of southern exposure is seen 
in the abundant vegetation which flou- 
rishes at this great height, while at the 
N. side a few peculiar species can alone 
manage to exist amidst the almost per- 
petual snow. The track becomes more 
and more faint as it descends into a 
beautiful upland glade, where bright 
green pastures, rich in flowers of every 
hue, are here and there broken by rock 
and pine forest. It seems probable that 
the true way here makes a considera- 
ble sweep to the right, before descend- 
ing into the main valley, which lies at 
a great depth below. The writer, in 
taking a more direct course, found 
that a pine forest through which he 
descended came to an end at the brink 
of a range of precipitous rocks, but on 
bearing somewhat to the left, he effected 
a very steep, but not too difficult, de- 
scent into the extreme N. branch of 
the valley of the Vesubia, along which 
a very tolerable path led in about three 
miles to the village of San Martino di 
Lantosca (3,209'). The inn, to which 
he was directed by a French douanier, 
was very forbidding in appearance, but 
he found no reason to complain of 
his supper and bed. There is a more 
attractive hostelry at Roccabigliera ; 
but the village inns in this valley seem 
much on a par in point of accommo- 
dation. 

S. Martino stands at the junction of 
the N. branch of the Vesubia with a 
lateral valley which mounts nearly due 
E. to the pass of Le Finestre (Rte. 
D). The path down the main valley 
passes through extremely rich and 
picturesque scenery : by an early 
start, the sunshine, here extremely 
hot in summer, may be avoided for 
nearly all the way — about 2 hrs. — 
to Roccabigliera, where the path to 
Lantosca crosses from the 1. to the 
rt. bank of the Vesubia. A little 
lower down, the Gordalasca torrent 
joins the Vesubia from the NE. It leads 



up to the Cima dei Gelas (10,433'), 
the second summit of the Maritime 
Alps, and by a snow, or glacier (?), 
pass, the Passo dei Gelas, communicates 
with the valley of the Gesso di En- 
tracque (Rte. D). [A much easier 
pass, the Col de Raus, leads from 
Roccabigliera to the valley of the 
Roja (Rte. A) — one track descending 
through the Val de Cairos to Saorgio ; 
another, along the ridge of the mountain, 
reaches S. Dalmazzo, below Tenda.] 
In descending from Roccabigliera to 
the village of Lantosca (about If hour), 
the change of climate becomes manifest 
in the more and more southern character 
of the vegetation. Cistuses, Centaureas, 
and other Mediterranean species, make 
their appearance, and the jujube tree, 
Zizyphus vulgaris, appears perfectly wild 
on the stony slope of the valley. 

Beneath Lantosca, where there is a 
tolerable village inn, the Vesubia has 
cut a deep channel with vertical walls 
of calcareous rock, over which the new 
carriage road, intended to reach S. Mar- 
tino, is carried at a great height above 
the torrent. A little below the village, 
on the left bank of the stream, is a lofty 
wall of rock, along which the old road, 
a mere horse track, was carried. Here 
are ' found Potentilla saxifraga and 
Saxifraga lantoscana — plants known 
only in two or three spots in this neigh- 
bourhood — along with Plagius agera- 
tifolius, Genista cinerea, Juniperus phoe- 
nicea, and other rarities. 

Erom Lantosca, the pedestrian has 
a choice of three roads to Nice. The 
easiest is to follow the valley of the 
Vesubia to Levenzo, a village on the 
1. bank, from whence a low pass leads 
due S. along the Rio Secco torrent to 
Nice. A second way is to turn out of 
the V. Vesubia, about 3 miles below 
Lantosca, and ascend through the Val 
del Infernet, to a pass called Col delle 
Porte, E. of the Rocca Seira (5,006'). 
From hence he may keep along the 
ridge of the mountain above the Pa- 
glione torrent, descending to the high 
road, about 12 miles from Nice. The 
third, and most expeditious, course is 



10 



MARITIME ALPS. *§ 2. 



ARGEXTI ERE DISTRICT. 



to descend from the Col delle Porte to 
the high road of the Col di Tenda at 
Scarena (Ete. A), and there hire a 
vehicle, or take the diligence, to Nice. 



Route D. 

CUNEO TO NICE, BY EKTRACQTJE AND 
COL DELLE FLSTESTRE. 

Hours' Eng. 

walking m. 

Valdieri . . 4 14 

Col delle Finestre . . .6 !S 
S. Martino di Lantosca . 3 8 

Nice (Route C) . . . 15 4Sf 

*28~ 851 

As mentioned in Ete. B, the main 
valley of the Gesso receives a con- 
siderable affluent a little above the 
village of Valdieri. This is called the 
Gesso (T Entracque, and is formed by 
the union of the numerous torrents 
which drain the N. side of the Mont 
Clapier and the adjoining protogine 
peaks, the highest in this part of the 
chain of the Maritime Alps. A char- 
road runs up the valley for about 3 m. 
to the village of Entracque. where 
there is a tolerable inn, placed, as the 
name indicates, at the junction of two 
streams, where the Sabbione torrent is 
united to the Gesso. A track leading 
up by the former to the Col del Sab- 
bione, communicates with the Valle 
della Miniera, near Tenda (see Ete. 
A ). Through the main branch of the 
valley a path, practicable for horses, 
leads to the Col delle Finestre. About 
1 hr. above Entracque, a lateral 
valley opens to the STV., closed at its 
upper end by a difficult snow, or gla- 
cier, pass — the Col della Ruina — lead- 
ing to the TS. branch of the Vesubia, 
near to the foot of the Col delle Cerese 
(Ete. C). The main branch, now 
called Valle delle Finestre, mounts due 
S., passing but one or two huts in the 
ascent. Another tributary torrent falls 
in from the SE., descending from the 
glaciers of the Mont Clapier, over 
which lies a glacier pass — Passo dei 



Gelas — leading through the Val Gor- 
dalasca, a branch of the Vesubia, to 
Eoccabigliera (Ete. C). 

The Col delle Finestre (8,189') is 
somewhat frequented by the country 
people of this district, on account of a 
sanctuary, called La Madonna delle 
Finestre, which stands about half an 
hour below the summit, on the S. side 
of the pass. Near to it is an inn, where 
a mountaineer will find tolerable quar- 
ters, except about the middle of August 
when it is overcrowded. Many rare 
plants are found here, especially the 
remarkable Saxifraga florulenta, con- 
fined to the ridges of rock above the 
sanctuary. The descent to San Mar- 
tino di Lantosca is easy, and the way 
to Nice is described in Eoute C. The 
N. and highest summit of the Cima 
dei Gelas ( 10,433') was attained in 
1864, by Count Paul de St. Eobert, in 
5 hrs. from the inn. The final ascent 
is by a couloir overlooking a small 
lake at the head of the Val Gordolasca. 
[Further information as to the passes 
between the Col di Tenda and the Col 
delle Cerese is much desired.] 

SECTION % 

ARGENTIERE DISTRICT. 

Lv this section are included the Pied- 
montese valleys N. and E. of the 
Maritime Alps, with that portion of 
the main chain which lies between the 
Monte Viso and the Mont Enchastraye. 
The highest point in this range is the 
Grand Rioburent (11,142'). The French 
engineers have lately ascertained that 
the Aiguille de Chambeyron, lying SW. 
of the Eioburent, and a little TV. of the 
watershed, is higher by 13 feet. Of the 
many passes by which the main chain 
may be traversed, there is but one easy 
of access, and therefore frequented — 
the Col d'Argentiere, or Col della Mad- 
dalena. The ranges separating the 
valleys of the Stura, Maira, andVraita, 
are of considerable height, but are ac- 
cessible in most directions by passes of 



EOUTE A. COL 

no difficulty. There is no point in this 
district which can be recommended as 
affording to a mountaineer convenient 
and comfortable head-quarters. There 
is an inn at Bersesio, in the valley of 
the Stura (height about 4,500') which is 
said to be tolerably well-kept, and in the 
Val Maira, the accommodation found 
at Prazzo or Acceglio might serve for 
a few days; but in the upper part of 
the Val Vraita there is no halting- 
place deserving of even this moderate 
praise. 

Route A. 

ccneo to barcelonette — col 
d'argentiere. 

Hrs.' Eng. 

walking miles 
Borgo S. Dalmazzo . If 5 
Demonte . . . . 3£ 12 

Vinadio 2± 7£ 

Bersesio 4£ 13^ 

L'Arche .... 3 9 
Barcelonette . . . . 4£ 14i 

19£ 6li 
A new line of road connecting Cu- 
nco with the valley of the Durance is 
in progress, and nearly complete, on 
the French side. At present there is a 
tolerable road traversed by omnibus as 
far as Vinadio — mule-path thence to 
the Col, and char-road to Barcelonette. 

At San Dalmazzo (§ 1, Rte. A), the 
road to Vinadio turns to the W. at 
right angles to the high road leading 
to Nice, and enters the valley of the 
Stura, sometimes called, to distinguish 
it from the river of the same name 
NW. of Turin, Stura di Demonte, pass- 
ing the hamlet of St. Martino ; soon 
after the Stura appears in its deep 
course in the valley ; and beyond it, 
rising abruptly amidst some pinnacled 
rocks and precipices, lies the village of 
Rocca Sparviera. A little farther on, 
the road winds down to the river, crosses 
the Stura, and continues on its left bank 
almost throughout the valley. The cul- 
tivated land which borders the Stura is 
very rich and luxuriant : the chestnut 
trees are of great magnitude ; and the 
forms of the adjoining mountains highly 
picturesque. 



, DARGENTIERE. 11 

About eight Piedmontese (12 English) 
miles from S. Dalmazzo the road reaches 
Demonte (Inn: 'Fleur de Lys; poor' — 
[ M.]), the principal place in the valley, 
close to the junction of the Arma torrent 
with the Stura. From the head of the 
glen of the Anna a pass called Col del 
Mulo (8,422 ) leads either to the Val 
Grana, or to a lateral valley of the Val 
Maira which joins the main stream op- 
posite to the village of Prazzo (Rte. C). 

On a mound in the centre of the 
valley by Demonte, between the road 
and the river, are the ruins of a fort, 
once considered very strong, which 
guarded this entrance into Piedmont, 
and w T hich, after undergoing many 
vicissitudes, was finally destroyed by the 
French, 1801. The scenery of the valley, 
rich in fine timber, backed by bold rocky 
summits, continues to preserve the same 
character from Demonte to Vinadio 
(Inn: LaVittoria?), where the char-road 
comes to an end. A short distance 
above the village, on the right bank of 
the river, two converging lateral valleys 
pour their torrents into the Stura nearly 
at the same point. Through the eastern- 
most of these — the VallundiRio Freddo 
— there is a pass to Vallasco above the 
Baths of Valdieri, and another, called 
Col delta Lombar da (7,858'), leading to 
the head of the Vallon di Castiglione, 
a lateral branch of the valley of the 
Tinea. The other lateral valley, V. di 
Santa Anna, affords a more direct com- 
munication with the Tinea by the Col 
di Sta. Anna (8,009'). 

About an hour's walk above Vina- 
dio, at a hamlet called Pianche, another 
ravine opens on the right bank of the 
Stura, through which, ascending con- 
stantly for an hour, is the path to the 
Baths of Vinadio. There is room here 
for about 100 guests, besides quarters for 
invalid soldiers; but the accommoda- 
tion is said to be very inferior to that 
found at the Baths of Valdieri, and the 
situation, in a narrow glen, 4,183 feet 
in height, is cold and comfortless except 
in the finest weather. There are several 
picturesque waterfalls in the glen, one 
of them near to its opening in the val- 



12 



MARITIME ALPS. § 2. 



ARGENT 1 LRE DISTRICT. 



ley of the Stura. By a pass called Colla 
Lunga (8,573'), only about 500 feet 
below the easily accessible summit of 
the Monte della Guercia, the valley of 
the Baths communicates with that of 
the Tinea. 

' Above Vinadio, the change is rapid 
to wild and Alpine scenery, varying 
from a road by the stream which rip- 
ples through quiet meadows, to nar- 
row paths which overhang the course 
of the torrent — a course too narrow in 
the ravine for a path by the river : it 
is therefore carried on ledges of the 
precipices above, and forms, in some 
places, fearful mule-paths for the travel- 
ler's ascent of the valley. Such scenes 
are observed near Sambuco. Above are 
the villages of Pied de Port and Pont 
Bernardo. At a place called the Bar- 
ricades — a narrow defile where defences 
of the valley were formerly erected, and 
which was often the scene of desperate 
conflicts — the road is carried along a 
shelf of rock above the river, and has 
been cut out of the precipices which 
darken and overhang the ravine, and 
offer an almost impregnable barrier to 
the passage of the valley. Above the 
Barricades the road, or rather path, lies 
amidst the debris of the mountains which 
bound the valley, and offer a scene of wild 
desolation.' — [M.] 

In this part of the valley the geologist 
will not fail to observe that the course 
of the Stura follows pretty closely the 
line of junction between the gneiss and 
the metamorphic slates. 

From the village of Pietra Porzio 
(3,855') there is a pass to the N., lead- 
ing to Prazzo in Val Maira by the Col 
del Vallonetto (8,412'). On the opposite 
side of the Stura three narrow glens 
open in succession, leading to as many 
snow-passes over the main chain of the 
Maritime Alps, whose highest summit in 
this portion of the range is the Mont Ti- 
nibras (10,220' ? — perhaps excessive). 

Bersesio, about hrs. above Vi- 
nadio, 4 has a very tolerable mountain 
inn.' — [M.] The head of the valley of 
the Stura here presents very wild rock 
6cenery. South of the pass which lies I 



in front is the Mont Enchastraye (9,7 47'), 
and in the opposite direction the Monte 
della Sca/etta (9,508') separates the head 
waters of the Stura from those of the 
Maira. From the village of Argentera 
(5,596'), where there is a poor inn, the 
passes of Pouriac (8, 360') and Scaletta 
(8,619'), which lie respectively close to 
the above-named peaks, lead — the first 
into the head of the valley of the Tinea, 
the second into the Val Maira by Ac- 
ceglio, its highest village. 

Having passed Argentera, the path 
mounts direct to the Col, before reaching 
which it skirts a small lake or tarn, 
Lago della Maddalena, the source of the 
Stura, supposed to be at the same time 
the source of the Ubayette, which bursts 
out from the side of the mountain on the 
French side, a short distance below the 
summit of the pass. 

The Col de V Argentiere, called also Cot 
della Maddalena (6,545'), the lowest and 
most accessible passage over the Alps 
between the Mont Genevre and the Col 
di Tenda, has been the scene of events 
of some historic interest. In 1513, 
Francis I. succeeded in conducting his 
army over this pass from France into 
the plains of Piedmont, and this was pro- 
bably the first occasion on which can- 
non were transported aci'oss an Alpine 
pass inaccessible to wheel-carriages. In 
1744, the passage was again effected by 
a more considerable army, consisting of 
French and Spanish troops, under the 
command of the Prince de Conde and 
Don Philip of Spain. 

The view from the summit is rather 
extensive on the side of France. On 
the farther side of the valley of the 
Ubaye, a lofty chain, including the 
Grand Berard (9,997'), comes into view. 
Many rare plants are found in the im- 
mediate neighbourhood of the Col. in- 
cluding Eryngium alpinum, Campanula 
AUionii^&ndBracocephaluniruyschianum. 
It is an easy descent from the summit to 
L'Arche (5,568'), the frontier village of 
France, with two inns (H. des Alpes, 
and H. dTtalie). There is (or was for- 
merly) better accommodation at Mey- 
ronne, 1 hr. below L'Arche. The new 



ROUTE B. — VAL MAIRA. 



line of road is open from Earcelonette 
to L'Arche, which is ultimately to be 
carried through the valley of the Stura 
to Cuneo. [Mountaineers who wish for 
a less easy and unexciting route than 
the beaten way over the Argentiere, 
may take a track which mounts from the 
village of Argentera to the Col de Bio- 
burent (8,267'), and descends by a some- 
what circuitous way to L'Arche. It is 
used only by chamois-hunters and smug- 
glers.] From L'Arche, or Meyronne, 
the Val Maira (Rte. B) may be reached 
by the Col delle Monie, or the Col 
Saatron ; the former is the easier and 
more frequented of the two passes. ' At 
Meyronne there is an excellent guide to 
the neighbouring Alps, named Dumas.' 
— [M.] A short way farther down the 
valley is the junction of the Ubayette 
with the more considerable stream of 
the Ubaye. Above the junction rises 
the strong fortress of Tournoux, in- 
tended to guard this entrance into 
France. The track now follows the 
course of the Ubaye, at first S., and 
then SW., to 

Earcelonette (Inns : Lionne ; H. Berlie ; 
H. Arnaud), a small town of 2,200 in- 
habitants. 3,717 ft. above the sea. The 
town is more spacious and better built 
than might be expected in a position so 
remote and unfrequented. [The passes 
from hence to the neighbouring valleys 
are noticed in § 3 J 



Route B. 

CUNEO TO BARCELONETTE, BY VAL 
MAIRA. 







Hours' 


Eng. 


Dronero . 




walking 


m. 




. H 


11 


San Damiano . 




If 


6 


Prazzo 




4 


10 


Aceglio . 




• jU 


H 
1H 


M.iurin 




. H 


Earcelonette . 




/| 


22£ 






23 


G7i 



There is a good carriage-road from 
Cuneo to S. Damiano, and a rough 
mule-path from thence to Majasset. 



A char- road leads from that village to 
Barcelonette. Acceglio is the best stop- 
ping-place in the Val Maira above S. 
Damiano. 

Whoever has looked across the plain 
of Piedmont from an Alpine eminence 
must have noticed the range of the 
Monferrat Hills, lying immediately east 
of Turin, on one of whose outlyers 
stands the famous church of the Superga. 
At a not distant period — as geologists 
reckon time — when the valley of the 
Po was a gulf from whence the waters 
were slowly retiring towards the Adri- 
atic, these hills formed a group of low 
islands ; and at a still later period, when 
the sea had quitted the surrounding 
plains, they served to separate the 
streams poured out from each of the 
main valleys of the surrounding Alps, 
forcing them into two main channels — 
one flowing to the S., the other to the 
N. of the hills. The first of these is 
that in which the united waters of the 
Stura, Tanaro, and Bormida. with their 
numerous affluents, roll towards the 
Adriatic, beneath the walls of Alex- 
andria. The other and more consider- 
able channel is that of the Po, which, 
issuing into the plain from its parent 
valley, receives a number of affluents 
equal to itself in volume, and, passing 
Turin, sweeps round the northern base 
of the Monferrat range, till all these, 
waters are finally united a few miles E. 
of Valenza. 

The Maira and its affluent the Grana, 
although they enter the plain very near 
to Cuneo, and for some distance run 
parallel to the Stura, join their waters 
to the Po. If the rule which attributes 
to the longest branch of a great river 
the distinction of bearing its name were 
constantly observed, the source of the 
Po would be sought at the head of the 
Val Maira, and that valley would not 
have been so much, and so undeservedly, 
neglected by geographers and by travel- 
lers as it has hitherto been. 

Prom Cuneo to the fine cheerful 
•country town of Dronero (Inn: Corona 
Grossa) the road runs over a tolerablv 
level country, skirting the hills, and 



14 



MARITIME ALPS. § 2. 



ARGENT1ERE DISTRICT. 



crossing the Grana torrent near the 
opening of Val Grana (Ete. C). Those 
who wish to avoid heat and dust, and 
to save time, wiil hire a light vehicle at 
Cuneo, in which they may accomplish 
the distance to San Damiano in about 
3^ hours, or less in descending from 
thence to Cuneo. 

San Damiano (2.477'), with a fair 
country inn (Sole ?), is finely situated, 
in the lower open part of V. Maira, sur- 
rounded by rich cultivation and fine 
trees. Above the village the valley 
contracts, and speedily assumes the 
character which it maintains for a 
great part of its length — that of a deep 
narrow trench cut into sedimentary 
rocks. The similarity of character 
between the main valley and many of 
its tributary glens shows that their 
actual form is due to the mode of dis- 
integration of the strata through which 
they pass. The torrent of the Maira in 
most places runs in a mere cleft at the 
bottom of the trench, between walls of 
rock nearly vertical, so that it is 
scarcely anywhere accessible. The track 
leading to Stroppo is carried along the 
steep X. side ot the valley, often a mere 
notch cut into the rock, which is worn 
into surfaces so slippery as to make it 
surprising that laden mules can safely 
pass. Exposed to the full force of the 
sun in a low narrow valley, the way is 
oppressively hot in summer, and should 
be passed either in early morning or 
towards evening. Above Alma, where 
the valley opens a little, the glen of 
Albaretto on the S. side of the valley, 
leads over the ridge which separates 
this from the Val Grana. Approaching 
Stroppo (3, 057'). where there is a tolera- 
ble inn, the valley becomes still nar- 
rower and wilder. 

[From hence runs a path to the N., 
leading over the Col della Blcocca 
(7,611') to Castel Delfino, in Val 
Vraita. The ravine descending from 
the pass towards the Val Maira is so 
steep and precipitous as to be utterly 
impassable, and the paths from Stroppo 
and from Prazzo wind respectively 
over the slopes of the mountains on j 



the E. and TV. sides of the ravine, to 
gain the upper basin which leads to 
the Col. The track from Stroppo, after 
a rather long and steep ascent, passes 
over a projecting spur of the mountain 
which commands a very fine view to the 
S. of the higher peaks of the Maritime 
Alps, seen beyond the nearer range 
separating the Maira from the Stura. 
From hence there is a gentle descent to 
the village of Elva. Siltne vallesia, and 
Saxifraga diapensioides, with other rare 
plants, are found hereabouts. The 
scenery from thence to the pass is very 
fine, and the peak of the Pelvo di Elva 
(10,115'), rising to the TV. so steeply 
as to leave no resting place for gnow, 
commands a noble view. From the 
summit of the pass a still more re- 
markable object attracts the eyes of 
the mountaineer. Nearly due N., at 
a distance of about nine miles, the 
Monte Viso rises above all intermediate 
objects, and displays in successive tiers 
of rock and ice-slope the summit long 
deemed utterlv inaccessible. This range, 
S. of Castel Delfino (Ete. D), is al- 
most the only quarter from whence it 
is possible to obtain a good view of the 
side of the peak by which alone it has 
been found possible to attack it with 
success. The ordinary path from the 
Col descends to the small village of 
Bellino, about 2 m. above Castel Del- 
fino, There is a more direct way to the 
latter village, not to be found without a 
guide.] 

At Prazzo, the next village in Val 
Maira above Stroppo, there is an inn, 
said to be tolerably good. On the way 
between the two villages, on the S. 
side of the valley, is the opening of the 
Voile della Marmora, whose eastern 
branch leads to the Col del Mulo (Ete, 
C), while the W. branch — Val del 
Preit — is terminated by the Vallonetto 
Pass, above Pietra Porzio. (See Ete. 
A). Among debris above Prazzo is 
found the extremely rare Artemisia 
pedemontana. 

Several passes lead from the head of 
Val Maira to the adjacent valleys of 
j the S;ura, Ubaye, and Vraita. The 



BOUTE D. VAL VtfAITA. 



15 



most direct way to Barcelonette is from 
the village of Acceglio, the last in Val 
Maira, where there is a very tolerable 
inn, to L'Arche (Rte. A), by the Col 
delle Monie or the Colde Sautron, passes 
of about equal height. The distance 
between those villages is about 4 hrs. 
An easier but longer course is that by 
the Col de Maurin (about 8,200'), lying 
in the midst of rugged peaks, and ap- 
proached through very wild and arid 
scenery. The highest summits — the 
Aiguille de Chamheyron (11,155'), to the 
SW., and the Pointe Haute de Mary 
(10,537'), to the N. — are on the French 
side of the watershed. The first com- 
mune on the W. side is Maurin, being 
the last in the valley of the Ubaye. At 
the hamlet of Maj asset accommodation 
for the night may be obtained. Several 
high and rather difficult passes lead 
from Maurin in various directions (see 
§ 4); the only easy exit is by the 
valley of the Ubaye, conducting in 
about 22|- miles to Barcelonette (Rte. 
A). 



Route C. 



CUNEO TO PRAZZO, BY VAL GHANA. 



Qaraglio ... 
Castelmagno 4| 
Prazzo (by Col del Mulo) fif 



Hours' En 
walking m 
2 I 



The Val Grana is a deep indentation 
in the range which separates the valleys 
of the Stura and the Maira, not pene- 
trating, however, so far as the main 
chain from which that range projects. 
At the head of the valley, where the 
ridges which enclose it on either side 
converge, there is a slight depression, 
which is easily accessible from the 
valley of the Stura on the one hand, or 
from the Yalle della Marmora, a tribu- 
tary of Val Maira, on the other. The 
Val Grana is said to be exceedingly 
picturesque, the lower part being open 
and richly wooded; while above Castel- 



magno the track is carried for several 
miles through a narrow cleft between 
precipitous rocks whose summits range 
from 7.000 to 8.000 feet in height. 

Caraglio, at tlje opening of the val- 
ley, connected with Cuneo by a good 
road, is but little above the level of 
the plain of W. Piedmont. There is a 
char-road from Caraglio to Val Gra.ua, 
the chief village in the valley, and from 
thence to Monterosso (2,785'). From 
thence Demonte, in the valley of the 
Stura, may be reached by the Col dell' 
Ortica (5,928'). From Monterosso the 
mule-track to the Col del Mulo follows 
the stream to Castelmagno, the last vil- 
lage, and from thence ascends towards 
the head of the valley. On the right is 
a foot track over the Col de Siboulet to 
the Val Albaretto, a narrow glen open- 
ing upon the Maira, between Alma 
and Stroppo (Route B;. The mule- 
track bears somewhat to the left, and 
finally attains the Col del Mulo (8,422'), 
only about 260 feet lower than the 
adjoining summit of the Cima deW Omo. 
The course to reach the Val Maira now 
turns due N., at right angles to that 
hitherto followed, descending through 
the Voile della Marmora, and joining 
the Maira a short distance below Prazzo. 
From the Col Del Mulo, Demonte may 
be reached in 4 hrs. by following the 
course of the Arma torrent, and it is 
said that another track leads nearly due 
S. to Sambuco. 

[Further information as to the Val 
Grana and the above-named passes is 
much desired.] 



Route D. 

SALUZZO TO BARCELONETTE — VAL 
VKAITA, 





Hours' 


Eng. 




walking 


m. 


Venasca . . 


4 


14 


Sampevre 


3 


f 


Castel'Delfino 


2 




Maurin (by Col d<i 






l'Autaret) . 


6 


15 


Barcelonette . 


. _7_ 


21 




22 


67^ 



16 



MARITIME ALPS. § 2. 



ARGENTIERE DISTRICT. 



Saluzzo (Inn: Corona Grossa — very 
good; 'H. du Coq ' [M.]) is easily ac- 
cessible from all parts of Piedmont 
by a branch-line from the Turin and 
Cuneo railway. It stands at the foot 
of the mountain range which separates 
the head waters of the Po from those 
of the Vraita. There is a carriage- 
road to Sampeyre, in parts very dusty, 
and a char- road from thence to Cas- 
tel Delfino. ' Carriage with two horses 
to Sampeyre, 25 fr. — time, 4^- hrs.' — 
[W. M.] 

To reach the opening of Val Vraita, 
the road runs S. from Saluzzo to 
Verzuolo (1,394') along the base of the 
hills, and beyond that village bends 
to the W. towards the opening of the 
valley, passing Piasco, from whence it 
follows the left bank of the Vraita to 
Venasca (1,768'). Beyond this the road 
begins to ascend, passing the opening 
of the Vallone di Girba, a short tribu- 
tary glen, through which lies a pass 
to Paesana, in the valley of the Po — 
and in the course of the next 10 
miles mounts to Sampeyre (3,205'), the 
principal village of the valley (Inn: 
La Croix Blanche, rough, but tolerably 
good). The Val Vraita presents a 
marked contrast to the neighbouring 
Val Maira, being comparatively wide 
and open, with level ground by the river, 
well planted with walnuts; and moun- 
tains on either side of more gentle 
inclination, covered with pine forests, 
here and there giving way to bright 
green pastures. The rough char-road is 
carried along the valley with a con- 
tinued gradual ascent to Castel Delfino, 
or Chateau Dauphin (4,209'). Two 
or three humble village inns have 
lately been opened ; the best is pro- 
bably that of the Salita del Monviso. 
There is no point in the western Alps 
where good accommodation is more 
needed than at the head of Val Vraita, 
especially since it has been shown that 
the Monte Viso is accessible from this 
side (see § 4.) 

Immediately to the W. of Castel Del- 
fino rises a projecting mountain promon- 
tory, which is connected by a range of 



rugged peaks with the Grand Bioburent 
(11,142'), the highest summit in the 
main chain S. of Monte Viso. On the 
N. and S. sides of this lofty group are 
two Alpine glens, whose torrents, unit- 
ing at Castel Delfino, form the Vraita. 
On a rock rising in the angle betweqn 
these streams stands a ruined castle 
commanding a fine view, which includes 
the peak of the Viso. The more direct 
route to Barcelonette lies through the 
southern branch of the valley, called 
Val di Bellino. It contains but the 
single village of Bellino, about an hour's 
walk from Castel Delfino.. After pass- 
ing Bellino, the scenery of the valley 
increases in grandeur. A steep ascent 
leads to a wild amphitheatre enclosed 
by precipitous rocks. The track to the 
Col de VAutareU which is passable, 
though not easy, for horses, follows the 
torrent which descends from the W. to 
a higher and more contracted basin 
lying in the midst of rugged peaks, 
from whence there is no apparent exit. 
The ascent from hence to the Col is 
pathless, but easy enough until the last 
slope of steep debris. The top is a 
mere ridge. ' I dismounted for the de- 
scent, which commenced without any 
visible path down the loose stones and 
debris, as on the other side, and was 
very disagreeable walking. Below the 
valley opened, and afterwards descended 
sharply through large masses of rock to 
the pastures below. We reached the 
top about 3.30 p.m., and got to Majasset 
about 6, the last part of the way down 
being easy walking. "We went to the 
inn mentioned by Murray, found the 
beds very comfortable, and food good. 
The charges were high.' — [C. L. W] 

Accegho, the highest village in Val 
Maira, may be reached from Bellino by 
the three different passes — Col di Tra- 
versiera, or Terra Eossa, Col della 
Bercia, and Col di Varo. Besides the 
Col della Bicocca, mentioned in Etc. B, 
Elva may be reached by the Col delta 
Sagna. 

The northern of the two valleys 
which meet at Castel DeAfino is called 
Val di Chianale, and the chief village, 



ROUTE A. VALLEY OF THE TINEA. 



17 



If hours above Castel Delfino, is Ponte 
Chianak. Around this point, as a 
centre, the main chain connecting the 
Eioburent with the Viso extends in 
a lofty semicircle of rugged summits 
approaching to 10,000 feet in height. 
Not less than six passes traverse the 
chain, and three of them, the Col de 
Longet, Col di S. Verano, and- Col 
dell'Agnello, are practicable for mules. 
For these passes see § 4, Rtes. E and F. 



SECTION 3. 

BASSES ALPES VALLEYS OF THE 

UBAYEj VERDON, TINEA, AND VAR. 

To judge from the scanty information 
to be found in published works, and 
the equally slight amount which the 
editor has been able to obtain from 
other sources, there is no part of the 
Alpine chain which has been so im- 
perfectly explored as the valleys — all 
now included in French territory — 
which lie between the western and 
southern ramifications of the Maritime 
Alps. The accommodation to be found 
in the village inns is certainly poor 
enough, but not so miserable as in 
Dauphine ; and except at Barcelonette 
and Alios there is no place which 
appears to be well- suited for head- 
quarters. Admitting that the facilities 
for travelling are not such as to attract 
ordinary tourists, it is somewhat sur- 
prising that amongst the many visitors 
to Nice some should not be tempted to 
venture into valleys near at hand, 
abounding in picturesque scenery, and 
accessible throughout the greater part 
of the year. A good deal of valuable 
information as to the geology of the 
valleys of the Tinea and Var is to be 
found, in the memoirs of Professor Sis- 
monda, already referred to, unaccom- 
panied, however, by topographical 
details likely to be of service to a tra- 
veller. No reliable information as to 
distances can be given in regard to the 
following routes, which are indicated 
rather than described. ; 

PART I. C 



Route A. 

NICE TO BARCELONETTE — VALLEY OF 
THE TINEA. 

A rough char-road leads N. from 
Nice along the right bank of the Pa- 
glione to St. Andre. On the way it 
passes, about 2 miles from Nice, the 
very ancient monastery of St. Pons, 
founded in 775, destroyed by the Sara- 
cens in 890, and rebuilt in the tenth 
century. The ruined castle of St. An- 
dre is said to command a fine view. 
Leaving the Paglione, the road con- 
tinues due N. through the narrow defile 
of the Rio Secco to Tourette, a pictur- 
esque village 3 hrs. from Nice, sur- 
rounded by limestone mountains of 
neocomian formation. On the ridge 
sepai-ating this from the next valley of 
Contes is the deserted village of Cha- 
teauneuf, which served in the middle 
ages as a place of refuge to the people 
of Nice when forced to fly from Turkish 
corsairs. It has been deserted owing 
to the want of water, which is very 
generally complained of amongst these 
southern spurs of the Maritime Alps. 

In about 3 hrs. from Tourette the 
mule -track, crossing a low pass at the 
head of the Vol di Rio Secco, reaches 
Levenzo, a village about 1,850 feet in 
height, overlooking the junction of the 
Vesubia with the Var. A steep and 
rough descent leads to a bridge close to 
the junction, over which passes the track 
leading along the left bank of the Var, 
in about 5 m. to the point where the 
Tinea joins that river. Unlike the Var, 
whose general course is serpentine, 
the Tinea flows for many miles in a 
nearly straight channel a little E. of S. 
The upper portion of the valley runs 
parallel to the great mass of meta- 
morphic rocks (gneiss, mica-schist, 
&c), which extends from the Mont 
Enchastraye nearly to the Col di 
Tenda. In the southern part of its 
course between San Salvatore and its 
junction with the Var, the Tinea tra- 
verses a succession of conglomerates, 
more or less altered limestones, and ar- 



18 MARITIME ALPS. 

gillaceous schists, referred by geologists 
to the lias, jura limestones, and the 
inferior members of the cretaceous 
series. The valley is deeply cut into 
these strata, and the villages, which 
occur at rather long intervals, are for 
the most part perched on the steep 
slopes of the mountains. 

The first village of any importance is 
Clanzo (2,293'), standing above the 
opening of a lateral valley, through 
which a torrent descends from the Mont 
Tournairet (6,805'). Next comes the 
village of Maira, and a little beyond 
it to the NE. is the opening of a lateral 
valley called Boulinetta, leading to Val- 
diblora, where are some rich iron-mines. 
On the spur of the mountain, lying 
between the Tinea and the Boulinetta 
torrent, stands Rimplas (3,366'), and a 
few miles farther up the valley of the 
Tinea is San Salvatore (1,709'), the 
best halting-place for a pedestrian be- 
tween Levenzo and San Stefano. Op- 
posite to San Salvatore is a glen, called 
Vallone di Mionieira, leading up to the 
Mont Meunier (9,318'). An active 
mountaineer would probably find no 
difficulty in reaching the summit, and 
descending from thence to Guillaunies 
in the valley of the Var (Rte. B). 

About 4 m. above San Salvadore the 
Vallon de Molieres opens to the E., and 
leads to Valdieri by the Col di Frema 
Morta (§ 1, Rte. C). Nearly 8 m. 
farther up the main valley is Isola 
(2,986'). This village stands at the 
junction with the Tinea of the Vallon 
de Castiglione, which leads by the Col 
di Sta. Anna to the sanctuary of Sta. 
Anna di Vinadio, and by the Col della 
Lombarda to the villageof Vinadio (§ 2, 
Rte. A). From the head of the same 
glen there is a pass leading to the Baths 
of Valdieri by Vallasco. About 12 m. 
beyond Isola is the last village in the val- 
ley of the Tinea— San Stefano (3,848'). 
While the range to the NW. is alto- 
gether composed of gneiss,the mountains 
vn the opposite side of the river show 
a succession of newer strata from the 
iias to the memmulitic limestone. In 
1S65 Count P. de St. Robert ascended 



§ O. BASSES ALPS. 

in 7 hrs. from San Stefano, the Mont 
Tinibras (10,223'?) commanding a view 
that reaches on one side far over the 
Mediterranean, and on the other to 
Monte Rosa. 

In less than 1 hr. above San Stefano, 
the valley of the Tinea divides into two 
branches, by each of which the tra- 
veller may pass into Provence. The 
N. branch descends from the MontEn- 
chastraye, and in that direction one I 
path leads by the Col de Pouriac 
(8,360') to the village of Argentiere | 
(§ 2), and another to the Ubaye by the 
Col des Granges. The descent on the 
French side of the latter pass lies along 
the Versan torrent, which falls into the 
Ubaye about 2 hrs. above Barcelonette. 
The southern of the two branches of \ 
the Tinea traverses a wild dreary glen, 
called Vol di Sestrieres. After passing 
the hamlet of San Dalmazzo il Selvatico, ! 
the mule-track mounts a little N. of 
W. to the Col de Planton, and then fol- 
lows the Bachelard torrent, first to the 
W. and then due N., reaching the Ubaye 
about 2 miles below Barcelonette (§ 2, 
Rte. A). Another more direct track | 
goes to the same place from the hamlet 
of Bellons over the Col de Fours. 

Another way leads in 6 hrs. from San 
Stefano to L'Arche by the Col de 
Lauzanier (about 8,300'), descending \ 
on the N. side by the Lac de Lauzanier 
(7,562'). 

Route B. 

NICE TO COLMAR — VALLET OF THE 
VAR. 

From the junction of the Var and 
Tinea (see last Route) the first-named 
stream preserves a nearly straight di- 
rection from W to E. for about 25 
miles, flowing parallel to the general 
strike of the strata through a narrow 
defile which it has excavated through 
cretaceous and nummulitic rocks. The 
principal villages are Poggetto Teniers^ 
belonging to the county of Nice, and 
Entrcvaux in Provence. From thence 
there is a char-road by Annot and the 



ROUTE D. — VALLEY OF THE UBAYE. 



19 



valley of the Vaire torrent, which reaches 
the Verdon about 12 miles below Col- 
mar. Beyond Entrevaux the valley of 
the Var makes a rapid bend, mounting 
to the NE. for fully 12 miles to Guil- 
laumes (2,697'), the chief village in the 
upper part of the valley. From hence 
are two mountain paths into the upper 
valley of the Tinea — one by the Col de 
Crous (8,316'), passing the mining vil- 
lage of Peon a ; the other by the Col di 
JBal, immediately under the peak of the 
Cima diBal (9, 354'), leads more directly 
to San Stefano. Above Guillaumes the 
Var makes another bend to the NW., 
which leads to the last village, Kn- 
traunes, enclosed on every side by high 
and steep mountain ranges. One pass 
— the Col de Jallorques — leads to S. 
Dalmazzo il Selvatico (see last Koute); 
another due N. reaches the Bachelard 
torrent near Bellons, and thus commu- 
nicates with Barcelonette (Rte. A, § 2); 
while the third, a comparatively fre- 
quented mule - track, leads over the 
range W. of Entraunes by the Col des 
Champs to Colmar, a small fortified town 
near the head of the valley of the Ver- 
don, with two inns (chez Veuve Roux, 
chez Gauthier). 

Route C. 

COLMAR TO BARCELONETTE. 

About 23 Eng. miles. 8£ hrs.' walk. 
On the French side of the range which 
separates the sources of the Var from 
those of the Verdon is a projecting but- 
tress of mountain, crowned by the Mont 
Pela. The district has been scarcely 
visited by strangers, with the exception 
of some French botanists, who have 
reaped a rich harvest of rare plants in 
the neighbourhood of the Lac dAllos. 

The little town of Alios (4.839') 
stands in the valley of the Verdon, about 
5 m. by carriage-road above Colmar ; 
it has a poor but tolerable inn. There 
are two routes leading thence to Bar- 
celonette, by far the more interesting of 
which is that by the Lac dAllos. The 
actual distance does not exceed 7£ hrs.' 
walk, but further time must be allowed 



for seeing the lake. The way lies by the 
hamlet of Champ Richard. The lake 
is one of the largest and most profound 
in the French Alps, though it is situated 
at the height of 7,346 English ft. Its 
form is almost circular, and its circum- 
ference is nearly 4 miles. The Mont 
Pela, which rises in the boldest manner 
from the side of the lake, has an eleva- 
tion of about 8,600 ft. ' There is per- 
haps no spot in the Alps more wild and 
sequestered than the valley of this lake. 
The surrounding mountains are covered 
with snow and a few stunted pines, 
amidst vast precipices and deep ravines. 
The lake is remarkable for its outlet, 
which, after a course under ground for 
1,500 ft., bursts into the valley, and, after 
foaming through a succession of cas- 
cades, meanders in gentleness and beauty 
through pasturages rich in vegetation.' 

A more direct way from Alios to 
Barcelonette. is by the valley of the 
Verdon and the village of La Foax. 
After crossing a stone bridge, the path 
mounts to the Col de St. Peire, which 
divides the valley of Verdon from that 
of Barcelonette. It is a fine pasturage 
to the summit; and from it a charming 
view is suddenly presented on looking 
up the valley of the Ubaye. The de- 
scent to Barcelonette from the Col ia 
exceedingly romantic, leading down 
through a valley of great boldness richly 
wooded. There is an excellent path 
down to the valley of the Ubaye, but 
the descent is steep and fatiguing. 
Barcelonette may be reached on foot in 
7 hours from Alios.' — [M.] There is 
another track from Alios to the valley 
of the Ubaye, which reaches that river 
about 4 miles above Le Lauzet, on the 
char-road leading from Barcelonette to 
Embrun. (.See Rte. D.) 

Route I). 

BARCELONETTE TO EMBRUN — VALLEY 
OF THE UBAYE. 

The Ubaye is formed by the union of 
the numerous torrents that descend be- 
tween the main range of the Alps S. of 
Monte Viso and another high range 



20 



MARITIME ALPS. 



§ 3. BASSES ALFS. 



extending from that mountain to the 
SW., which divides the valleys of the 
Ubaye and the Guil (§4). The former 
flows through a pastoral valley which, 
in summer, supports a vast number of 
sheep that are pastured in winter on the 
plains of Provence, especially that of 
La Crau, near Aries. This poor moun- 
tain district has been the scene of many 
encounters between the troops of the 
Dukes of Savoy and those of France. 
For two centuries it was held by the 
former till exchanged for the valleys of 
Pragelas and Exilles, formerly belong- 
ing to France. From its principal 
source on the W. side of the Rioburent 
to its junction with the Durance, the 
Ubaye has a coarse of about 50 miles. 
The new road which has been for many 
vears in course of construction between 
Barcelonette and the Durance is open 
for traffic, so that the valley is now com- 
paratively easy of access. The various 
mountain passes leading into the val- 
leys of the Stura, Maira, and Yraita, 
have been noticed in § 2; those con- 
necting it with the Tinea, the Var, 
and the Verdon, are referred to in the 
present section; while the passes into 
the valley of the Guil find their place 
in § 4. 

Below Barcelonette the soenery of the 
valley is of a bare and somewhat dreary 
character, owing to the rapid disinte- 
gration of the oolitic rocks. Passing the 
village of St. Pons, where the ruins of a 
castle are finely placed, the road tra- 
verses the more considerable villages of 
Thuiles and Meolans, and reaches the 
opening of a lateral valley, through 
which the torrent of St. Barthelemy flows 
from the S. through nummulitic rocks. 
Through this valley, passing a village of 
the same name, lies a pass to Alios (Rte 
C). 5 or 6 miles lower down the Ubaye 
is Le Lauzet, the most picturesque spot 
in the entire valley. A small lake, said 
to abound in trout, is surrounded by 
wooded slopes and patches of cultivated 
land. Below this point the valley 
resumes its natural wild and barren 
aspect all the way to its junction with 
the Durance. 



Below Le Lauzet the Ubaye passes 
through a narrow defile, and the road 
reaches the lower level of the valley 
by a long series of zigzags skilfully 
constructed amid steep rocks : — ' Below 
these tourniquets the valley offers some 
of its most wild and grand scenes. On 
looking back from the path, carried 
along the brink of the precipices high 
above the torrent, the Ubaye is seen in 
its deep course issuing from the defile of 
La Tour, and beyond, the grand forms 
of the mountain of Cugulion des Trois 
Eveques, which divides the valley of 
Barcelonette from that of the Var; the 
scene is one of savage dreariness.' — 
[M.] If the traveller be bound for Gap 
he should keep to the road which 
mounts on the left bank of the stream 
passing La Breole, until he reaches a 
bridge about 4 miles below the junction 
of the Ubaye with the Durance. From 
thence there is a direct char- road to 
Gap, passing Bemollon. 

Should his destination be to Embrun,it 
is necessary to cross the river by a rapid 
descent below St. Vincent to the village 
of Ubaye, and thence to ascend due N. 
over the shoulder of the mountain range 
which lies in the angle between the 
Ubaye and the Durance. This pass, 
called Col de Pontis, leads to the village 
of Pontis, and from thence to the high 
road from Gap to Embrun, about 7 miles 
below the latter town, where it crosses 
to the left bank of the Durance, opposite 
to the village of Savmes. Embrun 
(Inn : Hotel de Milan, fair) is connected 
with Grenoble by diligence, passing 
through Gap, or by a rather longer 
and more interesting route by Brian- 
con and the Col de Lautaret (§ 8). 

Pedestrians going from Barcelonette 
to Einbrun may avoid the hot and not 
very interesting walk through the lower 
valley of the Ubaye, by leaving the 
char-road near to Revel, opposite the 
village of Meolans. From thence two 
passes of about equal length lead to 
Embrun — the Col de Dormillouse to the 
NW., and the Col de VEyssalette to 
the NE. The latter is 8,271 feet in 
height. 



21 



CHAPTER H. 
COTTIAN ALPS. 



Section 4. 
viso district — valleys of the po 

AND GUIL. 
Route A — Saluzzo to Mont Dauphin— Col 

de la Traversette . . 22 

Route B — Ascent of Monte Viso— Tour of 

Monte Viso . . .27 

Route C — Barcelonette to Guilestre — Col 

de Vars 30 

Route D — Barcelonette to Queyras, by St. 

Veran 30 

Route E — Castel Delfino to Guilestre, by 

Col de Longrit and Col de 

Cristillan . ... 32 
Route F — Castel Delfino to Queyras— Col 

delP Agnello .... 33 

Section 5. 
waldensian district. 

Route A — Pignerol to Mont Dauphin— Val 

di Luserna . . . .34 

Route B — Pignerol to Cesanne — Valley 
of the Chisone — Col de Ses- 
trieres 36 

Route C — La Tour de Luserne to Perouse 

—Val Angrogna - . 37 

Route D — Perouse to Abries, by the Val 

Germanasca . . . .38 

Route E — Perou>e to Pragelas — Val de 

Masse! 38 

Route F — Perouse to Cesanne, by Rodoret 39 



Section 6. 



GENEVRE DISTRICT. 

Route A — Turin to Briancon, by the Mont 

Genevre 39 

Route B — Queyras to Briancon — Col d'l- 

zouard 41 

Route C — Abries to Cesanne . . .41 

Route D — Briancon to St. Michel— Col de 

Galibier 42 

Route E — Briancon to Modane — Mont 

Tabor 43 

Route F— Chambe>y to Turin — Tunnel 

through the Alps . . . 45 

Route G— Modane»to Cesanne . . .46 



Section 7. 



CENIS DISTRICT. 

Route A — Chambery to Turin— Pass of 
Mont Cenis .... 
Route B — Susa to Bessans — Roche Melon 
Route C — Bramans to Susa, by the Col du 
Clapier — Petit Mont Cenis . 
Route D — Bramao* to Exilles— Col d'Am- 

bin — Mont d'Ambin . 
Route E— Bramans to Bardonneche, by 
Rochemolle . 



In the Panorama of the Alps seen from 
the Superga, or any high ground about 
Turin, the most conspicuous objects in 
the western horizon are the peaks of 
the Roche Melon and the Monte Viso. 
The first, 11,621 feet in height, stands 
about WNW. from Turin on the N. 
side of the opening of the valley of the 
Dora Riparia ; the second still more 
commanding peak (12,605') lies about 
due SW. The portion of the main 
chain of the Alps lying between these 
limits forms the range of the Cottian 
Alps. A line drawn along the crest 
of this range marks a deep indentation 



in the general N. and S. direction of 
the main chain between Mont Blanc 
and the Mediterranean. Adopting the 
common simile which likens the Alps 
to a rampart between France and Italy, 
the two peaks above spoken of may be 
considered as the salient angles of two 
great bastions, whose reentering angle, 
looking from the side of France, is the 
peak of the Mont Tabor. From the 
Roche Melon to the Tabor the direc- 
tion is but little S. of W., while from 
thence to the Viso the chain runs about 
due SE. The direction of the valleys 
on both sides of the chain is very 



22 COTTIAN ALPS. § 

irregular, evidencing the action of com- 
plicated causes in the elevation of the 
mass ; but the predominant forces, es- 
pecially on the French side, seem to 
have operated along the line from 
NW. to SE. On the W. side, the 
Cottian chain is separated from the 
Alps of Dauphine by the valley of the 
Durance. The two principal sources of 
that river lie in the range immediately 
W. of the peak of the Mont Tabor 
(10,436'), which is separated from the 
Dauphine Alps by the Col de Galibier, 
the pass which, on geological as well as 
orographic grounds, has been fixed upon 
as the limit of the Cottian Alps in this 
direction . It is not so easy to fix with pre- 
cision the NE. limit of this range. Some 
geographers have selected the imaginary 
peak of the Mont Iseran ; but besides 
the objection derived from the non- 
existence of that mountain, it seems 
natural to regard the point in the main 
chain where it alters its direction from 
W. and E. to N. and S* as the limit be- 
tween the Graian and Cottian Alps. This 
is, therefore, placed at the twin peaks 
of the Roche Michel and Roche Melon, 
overhanging the pass of Mont Cenis. 



SECTION 4. 

VISO DISTRICT VALLEYS OF THE PO 

AND GUIL. 

The want of comfortable accommo- 
dation at any point convenient for moun- 
tain excursions has hitherto withheld 
most travellers from exploring the 
neighbourhood of Monte Viso, but the 
successful ascent of that remarkable 
peak in the summer of 1861, and the 
opening of a tolerable mountain inn at 
Crissolo in the valley of the Po, may 
help to direct new visitors to this dis- 
trict. The peak of Monte Viso is com- 
posed of chloride slates, but on its 
eastern side serpentine appears at a 
great elevation, much varied in struc- 
ture and appearance, and sometimes 
passing into euphotide, the whole 
having been forced through the over- 



4. VISO DISTRICT. 

lying gneiss and mica-schist, which 
are probably altered palaeozoic rocks. 
Secondary rocks of sedimentary origin, 
but so altered as to be scarcely distin- 
guishable as such, have been raised to 
a great height on the N. side of the 
mountain, especially at the head of the 
valley of the Po. The Monte Viso has 
been above compared to the salient 
angle of a bastion projecting from the 
French frontier towards the plain of 
Piedmont ; this angle is so extremely 
sharp, that if a circle be drawn round 
the mountain, more than seven-eighths 
of the circumference will lie on the side of 
Piedmont, while less than one-eighth 
will be included in the narrow valley 
which receives the head-waters ot the 
Guil. The eastern face fronts the valley 
of the Po ; but the peak itself, which I 
rises on the Italian side of the water- 
shed, as well as the southern slope of 
the high range which extends for about 
8 m. to the westward, pour their waters 
into, the Vraita through the Val di 
Vallanta and the Val di Chianale. A 
considerable range extends to the E. 
between the valleys of the Po and ! 
Vraita, and subsides into the plain of 
Piedmont at the city of Saluzzo. An- 
other and loftier range on the W. side 
of the main chain separates the waters 
of the Guil from those of the Ubaye. 
Several points in this latter range rise 
to between 10,000 feet and 11,000 feet, 
but the alleged existence of a peak 
measuring 3,995 metres, or 13,107 Eng- 
lish feet (Poi?ite des Orches, given on 
the authority of Baron Zach), is un- 
founded in fact, the height of that peak 
being probably about 11,000 ft. ^See 
Rte. E.) 

Route A. 



>ALUZZO TO MONT DAUPHIN — 


COL DB 


LA TRAVERSETTE. 




Hours' 


En?. 


walking 


miles 


Paesana. . . 4 


14 


Crissolo . . ^ 


8 


Col de la Traversette 3 


7| 


Abries ... 5 


13 


Queyras . . 21 


8 


Mont Dauphin . 4| 


15 


21 1 


604 



ROUTE A. VALLEY OF THE PO. 



23 



Saluzzo (Inns : Corona Grossa, good, 
II. du Coq) is reached in If hrs. by 
railway from Turin. The town stands 
at the NE. base of the mountain range 
which separates the valley of the Po 
from that of the Vraita, and to enter 
either of those valleys it is necessary to 
wind for several miles round the foot 
of the hills along a hot and dusty road, 
so that it is advisable to hire a carriage 
(charge 20 fr. with two horses, changing 
at Sanfront). An omnibus plies (on 
Wednesdays and Saturdays ?) to Pae- 
sana. By the latter conveyance the 
traveller would probably lose the beau- 
tiful views of the Viso which con- 
stantly recur along the road. About 
half-way to Paesana, at Martiniana, the 
road fairly enters the valley wherein 
the Po has its source. About 2| m. 
farther is the small town of Sanfront, 
and nearly 5 m. beyond, in the midst 
of rich scenery, is 

Paesava (A lber go Araldo, fair; Al- 
bergo della Rosa Rossa), the chief town 
in the valley, 1,778 feet above the sea. 
From hence there is a picturesque road, 
through wooded hills, to La Torre di 
Luserna (§ 5), passing Barge (Inn ; Lion 
d'Or, good and cheap). Above Paesana 
the scenery of the main valley is very 
fine, and the peak of the Viso becomes 
a more and more imposing object when- 
ever it comes into view. Nearly half- 
way to Crissolo is the junction of the 
Lenta, which rises from several small 
lakes at the SE. side of the peak of 
Monte Viso. On the spur of the moun- 
tain, in the angle between the Lenta and 
the Po, is Oncino, finely situated, and 
commanding a noble view. It now pos- 
sesses two tolerable inns. 

Several passes lead from thence to 
the Val Vraita. 

The mule-track to Crissolo keeps to 
the right, along the left bank of the 
valley, which, above the junction of the 
Lenta, changes its character. The 
chestnut trees which have hitherto 
shaded the path disappear as it enters 
a wild gorge, and then emerges upon 
green meadows, bordered by willows 
and alders. Above the hamlet of 



Ostana the Po is joined by a stream, 
which has run for some distance nearly 
parallel to it, being separated by a mass 
of rock, on which stands the church of 
San Chiajjreddo. This is a sanctuary 
whereat a festa is held in the month of 
September. Part of the massive white 
building adjoining the church is used 
as an inn (Albergo della Cernaja) to 
accommodate the numerous visitors who 
gather at that period. When this inn is 
open, and not overcrowded, a traveller 
will fare rather better there than at 
Crissolo. The church, which com- 
mands a beautiful view, is most easily 
reached by a path which mounts in 
10 minutes from the lowest hamlet of 
Crissolo. This is the highest village in 
the valley of the Po (4,544'), and con- 
sists of three hamlets, at the lowest of 
which a small inn was opened in 1860. 
It is recently improved, and here, or 
at San Chiaffreddo, the traveller fares 
better than at any other place near to 
Monte Viso. Those who do not under- 
take the tour, or the still more arduous 
ascent of that mountain, should not fail 
to make an excursion to the E. base of 
the main peak. One of the finest views 
is from a spot called Chincia Pastour, 
near the base of the Viso Mout. (See 
Rte. B.) 

Crissolo is an excellent station for the 
botanist, many rare species being found 
in the immediate neighbourhood, espe- 
cially on the slopes of the mountain 1ST. 
of the village. Amongst others, Cam- 
panula elatines, Vicia ovobrychoides, 
Saxifraga diapensioides, and Sedum al~ 
sinefolium, may be mentioned. 

In the jurassic rocks (?) all of them 
more or less altered by metamorphic 
action, are some extensive masses of 
dolomite inter-stratified with compara- 
tively pure limestone. In one of these 
layers of dolomite is the celebrated 
cave called La Balma di Bio Martino. 
The entrance is on the face of the 
mountain, opposite to Crissolo, and 
about 1 mile farther up the valley. A 
narrow passage leads to a first spacious 
hall, beyond which a second, and then 
j a third, are reached by connecting gal- 



24 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 



4. VISO DISTRICT. 



leries. The whole is lined -with stalac- 
tites, which can he seen to perfection 
only by brilliant illumination. Tbose 
who would enjoy the effect should 
bring Bengal lights, easily procured in 
Turin. Various marvellous stories as 
to the origin and history of the cavern 
are current among the natives. It is 
needless to say that it is merely a spe- 
cimen of a class of phenomena common 
in most limestone districts. Above 
Crissolo are several clusters of wretched 
stone huts, the lowest and most con- 
siderable of which is called Giarumba. 
The valley now becomes thoroughly 
Alpine in character : huge blocks fallen 
from the mountains on either side, or 
borne down by the glacier which once 
filled the entire valley, are strewn in 
wild confusion, but in the midst is a 
small grassy plain, called the Piano di 
Fiorema — the filled-up bed of an an- 
cient lake — which in summer produces 
a rich variety of rare Alpine plants. 
Cardamine ihalictroides may be found 
amongst the debris and the crevices of 
rocks in the ascent to the next and 
highest plateau in the valley — the Piano 
del Re, This is an irregular plain, 
above whose bare dark rocks, inter- 
spersed with patches of verdure, the 
eastern face of Monte ^Viso rises very 
grandly, not presenting the appear- 
ance of a continuous wall of rock, but 
rather to be likened to a range of shat- 
tered towers and pinnacles, with many 
intervening gaps and chasms, increasing 
gradually in height from the N. end, 
over which lies the pass of the Traver- 
sette, to the highest peak, which forms 
the S. extremity of the range visible 
from this point. 

[From hence a pass, bearing on the 
Government map the singular name of 
Col del Color del Forco (9,6040, and 
called by the natives Col del Porco, leads 
direct to the extreme head of the valley 
of the Guil. To the left of the Piano 
del He the largest of the torrents that 
form the Po is seen falling over steep 
rocks. A somewhat arduous ascent by 
a rough path leads on that side to the 
group of small dark lakes that are held 



to be the proper sources of the Po. Prom 
thence a ravine rising rapidly to the 
SW. cuts off the highest peak of Monte 
Viso from the main mass of the moun- 
tain, thus throwing it altogether on the 
Italian side of the watershed. More 
nearly due W. of the highest lake is a 
steep bank of grass- grown fragments 
of rock, looking like an ancient moraine. 
Above and somewhat to the it. of this 
is a couloir or narrow ravine leading 
up to the notch in the ridge, which 
forms the actual Col. On the French 
side, the descent is by a wider and 
longer ravine, the right side of which 
appears the most practicable. It is 
possible to reach the Col de Yallante 
by bearing to the left when on a level 
with that Col, crossing rocky slopes and 
snow beds. 'It is doubtful whether we 
saved time by this, and whether it would 
not have been better to descend lower 
and remount to the Vallante.' Time 
from Piano del Re to Col del Porco, 2 
hrs. s — from Col del Porco to Col di 
Vallanta, if hr.— [W,M.] 

The way to the Col de la Travevsette 
lies away from the lakes to the right, or 
ST. from the Piano del Re ; it is at first 
not steep, but after entering a hollow, 
where snow lies for the greater part of 
the year, the real ascent begins. This 
hollow forms the extreme FW. angle 
of the valley of the Po, and is closed at 
the side by the Monte Meidassa 
( 10,99 1'), which separates it from the 
head- waters of the Pellice. The shortest 
way to the Col now mounts nearly due 
W. over steep slopes of debris or snow, 
according to the season, till the upper 
and steeper part of the ascent is reached, 
where it is necessary to keep to the 
track, which mounts with tolerable ra- 
pidity, but without the slightest real 
difficulty, to the summit. About 300 
feet below the crest of the ridge is the 
remarkable tunnel cut through the 
mountain in 1480, by Ludovico II., 
Marquis of Saluzzo, to facilitate inter- 
course between his territory and the 
adjoining valleys of Dauphine. It was 
not only the earliest work of the kind, 
but still remains one of the most re- 



ROUTE A. — COL BE 



LA TRAVERSETTE. 



25 



markable, the height of the tunnel 
above the sea being 9,564 feet. It has 
been repeatedly closed by the falling of 
rocks, but after a long period of disuse 
was cleared out a few years ago. The 
opening is, however, obstructed by 
snow throughout the greater part of 
the year, which remains, in some cold 
seasons, such as 1860, until the month 
of July. The actual crest of the ridge, 
or Col de la Tracer sette, is about 10,000 
feet in height, according to Professor 
Forbes, 3^ hrs. from Crissolo ascend- 
ing, and about 2^ descending. To those 
who approach from the side of France, 
the view suddenly unfolded at the sum- 
mit, extending, in clear weather, across 
the entire plain of Piedmont as far as 
Milan, is extremely striking. The near 
view is, however, more imposing from 
a point lower down ; where, on turning 
the angle of a rock, the adjoining mass 
of Monte Viso, not seen from the actual 
summit, comes out very grandly. 

The descent on the Prench side is not 
nearly so steep as that towards Pied- 
mont. In parts the ancient paved track 
is visible, but in most places it has been 
destroyed, or covered over by debris. 
Half an hour in the descent — 1 hour 
ascending — separates the barren ridge 
of the pass from Alpine pastures of ex- 
treme beauty, which in the early sum- 
mer are covered with rare and exquisite 
flowers. Here stood a bergerie of larger 
dimensions than usual, but it was crushed 
by the heavy snows of the spring of 
1860, and does not appear to have been 
since rebuilt. Prom hence there is 
a pass into the valley of the Pellice, 
by the Col de Seylieres, accessible in 
f hr. from the old bergerie. Lower 
down in the valley, on the left bank of 
the Guil, are the chalets of La Huine, 
where a traveller wishing to explore this 
side of Monte Viso may obtain very 
tolerable night- quarters. 

The descent from the Col into the 
valley of the Guil is effected by a short 
lateral valley, or hollow, from whence 
there is no view of the peak of Monte 
Viso, and by following the regular track 
that view is not obtained until you are 



already some miles away from the base 
of the peak. Those who do not object 
to less than 1 hour's extra march over 
rough ground, will be well rewarded if 
they will quit the regular track at the 
point where it first enters upon the 
Alpine pastures, and bear away to the 
left towards the head of the valley of 
the Guil, at the actual base of Monte 
Viso. An extremely striking and grand 
scene is here presented. The head of 
the valley, once the bed of a glacier, is 
an irregular nearly level plain, carpeted 
by Alpine plants that vegetate during 
the very short season in which the 
ground is clear of snow. It is obvious 
that a slight change of climate, whereby 
the summer heat, now barely sufficient 
for the purpose, should fail to melt the 
entire mass of snow that accumulates 
every winter, would in a few centuries 
restore the past condition of the valley. 
At the extreme head of the valley rise, 
one above the other, the huge shattered 
masses of rock that make up the peak 
of the Viso. Neither on this nor on 
any other side is there space for any 
considerable accumulation of snow ; 
and on that account, more even than 
because of the milder climate of the 
adjoining valleys, this mountain, unlike 
every other in the Alps at all compar- 
able to it in height, bears on its flanks 
but a few small patches of glacier, 
which do not descend into the higher 
valleys. To the right of the peak lies 
the snowy ridge over which the pass 
of Vallante leads into the Val Vraita 
(Route B), and on the left is the very 
steep and rugged range connecting the 
summit with the Col del Porco and Col 
de la Traversette. 

There is a tolerable horse-track down 
the valley of the Guil to the highest 
hamlet, La Chalpe, and from thence to 
La Monta. About half-way a slight 
bend in the valley cuts off the view of 
Monte Viso, 'and the scenery from 
thence to Queyras is rather tame and 
uninteresting. At La Monta, where 
there is a very poor and dirty inn, the 
path from the Col de la Croix (§ 5) 
joins the present route, and from hence 



26- 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 



4. VISO DISTRICT. 



to the junction of the Guil with the 
Durance there is a tolerable char-road. 
From La Monta it is nearly 4 m. to 
Abries, the highest village in the val- 
ley of the Guil ; the inn fEtoile) may 
be called fair for Dauphine, but is 
neither clean nor quiet. As in most of 
the country inns in this part of France, 
extortion will be attempted whenever it 
is thought likely to succeed, and it is 
prudent to fix prices beforehand if you 
would avoid disputes. It should be un- 
derstood that this place is 5 hours' walk 
from the foot of Monte Viso, and that 
no view of that or any other high moun- 
tain is to be obtained near to the village ; 
so that, although convenient as a halt- 
ing place, this is by no means an attrac- 
tive spot as head-quarters. 

The road from Abries to Guilestre 
passes opposite to Ville Vieille (Inn : TEle- 
phant, apparently one of the best in the 
valley), 2 hrs. below Abries, at the 
junction of the Vol de Molines, through 
which lies the track to St. Veran 
(Rte. C). A short distance farther 
down the main valley is the Chateau de 
Queyras, picturesquely placed on a rock 
commanding the entire valley above and 
below. It contains a small garrison. 
There are two small inns here, both said 
to be tolerably good. On the right side 
of the Guil, below Queyras, is the open- 
ing of the lateral valley of Arvieux, 
through which lies a mountain route to 
Briancon (§ 6). Between Queyras and 
Guilestre the road passes through varied 
and singular scenery, very unlike in 
character that of most other Alpine 
districts. The summers being extremely 
hot, the scanty vegetation which alone 
exists on these barren mountains is 
soon burnt up, and after midsummer 
little remains beside some fragrant 
shrubby species, such as the wild laven- 
der, the hyssop, Satureja montana, &c. 
The botanist, however, finds an abun- 
dant harvest in this district in the 
months of June and July. At an 
inn called La Maison du Roi, 1 hr. 
above Guilestre, the road ascends the 
slope on the 1. bank of the Guil, cross- 
ing the shoulder of the mountain divid- 



ing that torrent from the Rioubel. Here 
the Mont Pelvoux is seen to great ad- 
vantage, towering over the head of the 
Val Louise, and overtopping all the in- 
termediate ridges. The reddish hue 
which prevails among the rocks that 
enclose the valley of the Durance, and 
their extreme barrenness, will remind 
the traveller of the colouring and char- 
acter of scenes in Palestine, while the 
extensive records of ancient glacier 
action bring very opposite impressions 
to the fancy of the geologist. At 
some distance from the Guil, on the 
Rioubel torrent, is the village of Guil- 
estre. The Hotel des Alpes here is 
closed ; opposite to it is another inn, 
bearable though not clean ; a third 
(H. du Commerce) in the place is un- 
promising. 

About 2 m. from hence the road 
enters the valley of the Durance, and 
joins the high-road from Embrun to 
Briancon immediately below the small 
fortified town of Mont Dauphin. Good 
accommodation, clean beds, and mode- 
rate charges, are found at the Cafe du 
Nord, chez Joseph Chimat, perhaps 
the best stopping-place to be found in 
Dauphine — no high praise. This strong 
fortress is placed upon a rock nearly 
insulated at the confluence of the Guil 
with the Durance. It commands a fine 
view over the singular scenery of the 
surrounding mountains, and from some 
points the Mont Pelvoux is seen in the 
background. The diligence between 
Embrun and Briancon stops to change 
horses at the Plan de Phazy, near the foot 
of the hill, but there is a rather steep 
ascent of fully 20 minutes to reach the 
inn. Mont Dauphin is 11 m. from 
Embrun and 21 m. from Briancon. 
A so-called courier travels in a four- 
wheeled mail-cart between Guilestre 
and Abries, but the hours of start- 
ing, both in going and returning, are 
inconvenient to travellers. Horses and 
vehicles are dear in this district, espe- 
cially at Abries. A char from Guil- 
estre to Abries cost 20 francs in 1861. 
In the same year, at Abries, a horse for 
a lady, without side-saddle, was charged 



ROUTE B. ASCENT OF MONTE VISO. 



27 



15 frs.a-day ; and for a mule from thence 
to Brian9on, over the Col d'Izouard, 40 
frs. The charge for horses is said to be 
still higher • between the 1st and 21st of 
July, that being the time allowed by 
the French Government for cutting 
wood in the forests.' — [M.] 



Route B. 

ASCENT OF MONTE VISO — TOUR OF 
MONTE VISO. 

The Monte Viso had long enjoyed a 
reputation for inaccessibility, second 
only to that of the Matterhorn, and 
due rather to the formidable appearance 
of the crags that rise tier over tier to its 
summit, than to the actual experience 
of any competent mountaineer who had 
attempted the ascent. This was for the 
first time effected in 1861 by Mr. W. 
Mathews and Mr. F. W. Jacomb, both 
members of the Alpine Club, accom- | 
panied by Jean Baptiste Croz and Michel 
Croz of Chamouni. The southern face 
of the peak is the only side by which it 
appears practicable to reach a consider- 
able height without encountering serious 
preliminary difficulties, and accordingly 
it was from that side that the attempt 
was made. It has been already re- 
marked that the northern branch of the 
Val Vraita, called Val di Chianale, 
receives the drainage of the S. side of 
the Monte Viso. and of the high range, 
which, extending W. from that peak, is 
prolonged on the side of France into 
the mountain ridge separating the 
valleys of the Ubaye and the Guil. 
About 1 hr. above Castel Delfino 
(§ 2), at the hamlet of Ponte Castello, 
is the opening of the Val di Vallanta, a 
lateral glen descending due S. from 
Monte Viso. One hour above the 
junction are some chalets, where the 
traveller will find milk, cheese, and 
hay to sleep upon. There has been 
some confusion as to the name of this 
place, arising from the fact that the 
local name for a chalet is Meira. The | 
name Pian Meyer is given to these ! 



| chalets by Mr. Mathews, but is applied 
to another group higher up and farther 
E. in the Government map. Close to 
the lower chalets the A'alley forks : one 
branch mounts to the Col de Vallante, 
on the W. side of Monte Viso ; while 
the other, called Vallon delle Forciolline, 
leads directly to the base of the highest 
peak. The scenery of the Val di Val- 
lanta is throughout very fine. In the 
lower part, near the above-named cha- 
lets, are many rare plants ; e.g. Cam- 
panula Allionii, Senecio Balbisianus, 
Euphrasia lanceolata ; while higher up 
are Primula marginata, Ranunculus py- 
renaius, and many others. 

On Aug. 29, 1861, Messrs. Mathews 
and Jacomb, with their guides, com- 
menced the ascent from the Val For- 
ciollina by the terminal buttress of the 
ridge separating that valley from the 
upper Val di Vallanta. The lower 
slope, up to a height of 7,800 ft., is 
covered with larches and arollas (Pinus 
I cembra, locally named Elva), rarely 
seen in this part of the Alpine chain, 
and above these by broken rocks. This 
forms the base of a very bold de- 
tached peak called the Petit Viso, and 
it is necessary to bear to the NE. past 
its base in order to reach the main 
peak. The travellers now found them- 
selves in a ravine, or broad couloir, 
running up to the left, and apparently 
leading near to the summit of the moun- 
tain. Having climbed to the head of the 
ravine, which was reached in about 5 
hours from the chalet?, they found them- 
selves on the main (E. and W.) ridge 
of the mountain, upon one of the minor 
! summits in the serrated range between 
the Petit Viso and the highest peak, 
and separated from the latter by a deep 
gorge. Upon this exposed summit, 
(11,249'), commanding a view, on the 
one hand, over the Dauphine Alps, and 
on the other far over the plain of Pied- 
mont, the party passed the night. 

' On the following day (August 30), 
as soon as it was light enough to start, 
which was at 4.30 a.m , we left our 
camping place, descended into the 
gorge, and mounted a snow-slope on 



23 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 4. VISO DISTRICT. 



the opposite side of it. Thence we bore 
to the left, nearly along the line of the 
re-entering angle, in which the ridges 
dividing the Val Forcellina from the 
Val Vallante and the Val di Po inter- 
sect each other, climbing up a succes- 
sion of very steep couloirs and faces of 
rock, covered with fragments so inse- 
curely poised that the slightest touch 
dislodged them. 

' The summit not being visible during 
the ascent, we kept as near as practic- 
able to the edge of the precipices over- 
hanging the valley of the Po, which, 
like other portions of the mountain, are 
rent by numerous fissures. At length 
Michel Croz, who was in advance, sud- 
denly stopped, and on our shouting to 
ask him if he had reached the top, 
he replied, that he thought he had, 
but that there was another farther on. 
On joining him at 9.20 a.m., we found 
ourselves upon a rock-strewn ridge, 
while parallel to it, at a little distance, 
there was a similar one, connected with 
the first by a curving arete of snow, in- 
terrupted here and there by rocks. As 
it was impossible to say which was the 
higher, we built cairns upon each of 
them.'— [W. M.] 

The view included the entire range 
of the western Alps from Provence to 
Monte Rosa, but the great plain of 
Piedmont was concealed by haze, and 
a low bank of cloud lay along the ridge 
of the Maritime Alps, leaving it still an 
open question whether the Mediterra- 
nean be visible from the summit. Owing 
to the considerable height of the range 
S. of the valley of the Stura, it is, how- 
ever, probable that no point of the coast 
can at any time be visible, though a 
glimpse of the sea should be sometimes 
gained. 

In the succeeding season, 1862, Mr. 
F. P. Tuckett made the second ascent, 
and passed an entire night upon the 
E. peak, being that first reached by 
Mr. Mathews. Having been hospi- 
tably received at a chalet rather above 
the junction of the Val di Vallanta 
with the Vallon delle Forciolline, Mr . 
Tuckett ascended by the W. side of 



the latter glen to some small lakes near 
the E. base of the Col delle Sagnette, 2 
hrs. from the chalet. An ascent of 2^ 
hrs., partly over rock, and partly on 
steep snow- slopes, sufficed to reach the 
ridge at the base of the highest peak, 
and 1^-hr. more by the same ridge pre- 
viously climbed by Mr. Mathews took 
them to the top. 3| hrs., exclusive of 
halts, sufficed for the descent. The out- 
line of a mountain seen in the farthest 
distance, somewhat E. of S., must appa- 
rently have belonged to the Island of 
Corsica. In 1863 the Monte Viso was 
ascended by a party of Italian travellers, 
consisting of MM. Sella, P. and H. de 
St. Robert, and Baracco. Bearing 
more to the L during the last part of 
the ascent, they attained the W. sum- 
mit. Their guides were Raimondo 
Gertoux and Giuseppe Bodoino, both 
of Castel Delfino. The first, who ap- 
pears to be a very good mountaineer, 
has since led several parties to the 
top. 

Taking a mean between the measure- 
ments by Colonel Corabeuf. the Pied- 
montese engineers, and four barometer 
observations taken by Mr. Tuckett, the 
height of Monte Viso is 12,605 feet. 
The measurements derived from other 
observations by Mr. Mathews, and by 
MM. Sella and St. Robert, are of in- 
ferior value, because made at less 
favourable hours. 

Mountaineers desiring to ascend 
Monte Viso should take a supply of 
provisions from Saluzzo and proceed 
in a carriage to Sampeyre. Prom 
thence the baggage should be conveyed 
by mule or porters as far up as possible 
in the Vallon delle Forciolline, in 
order to pass the night near the base of 
the highest peak. Covering might be 
taken from Sampeyre or Castel Delfino, 
and firewood from the Arolla forest. 

The SE buttress of Monte Viso is 
connected with the mountain range 
separating the valley of the Po from 
that of the Vraita, which is apparently 
accessible at many points. The pass 
nearest to the Viso is the Passo delle 
Sagnette- From the summit (9,754')^ 



ROUTE B. TOUR 



OF MONTE VISO. 



29 



and better still from a point 100 yards 
to the K, the traveller gains a noble 
view. This was the route taken by 
Messrs. Mathews and Jacomb,who, after 
achieving the ascent, desired to pass into 
the valley of the Po. 3 hrs. sufficed 
for the descent from the summit to the 
E. foot of the Col, and 20 min. more 
to gain the ridge. This overlooks a 
small lake, the chief source of the Lenta, 
a tributary of the Po, which joins that 
stream below Oncino (lite. A). The 
descent lies over extremely steep slopes 
of fine debris, down Avhich it is easy 
to slide in £ hr., but which must be 
very troublesome in the ascent. The 
lake occupies one end of t an irregu- 
lar plateau strewn with huge blocks, 
and the remains of ancient moraines, 
left on the ground during the retire- 
ment of the great glacier which once 
filled the entire space, and poured 
down separate ice-streams towards the 
plain of Piedmont through the valleys 
now drained by the Po and the Lenta. 
From the lake above-mentioned Crissolo 
may be reached in about 2£ hrs., but 
Messrs. Mathews and Jacomb preferred 
to follow the Lenta to Paesana. After 
passing the chalets of Alpetto, a path 
passes above a gorge where the river 
flows between walls of serpentine, which 
show well-marked traces of glacier 
action. In 3 hrs., fast walking, they 
reached Oncino, and in 2 hrs. farther 
Paesana (Rte. A). 

The Monte Viso is probably the only 
peak, of nearly equal height, of which 
the complete tour can be made in a 
single, though laborious, day's walk. But 
three high ridges diverge from the moun- 
tain — that on the N. side continuing 
the range of the Cottian Alps — the 
SE. range separating the waters of 
the Vraita from those of the Po and the 
Lenta — and lastly, the main chain con- 
necting the Viso with the Maritime 
Alps, which encloses the head of the 
branch of Val Vraita, called Val di 
Chianale. A fourth and comparatively 
inconsiderable ridge radiating from the 
Viso is that which separates the head 
waters of the Po from those of the 



Lenta. It includes a remarkable de- 
tached summit called Viso Mout. 

If it be desired to complete the tour 
in one day, it should be undertaken 
from the highest chalets in the valley of 
the Guil rather than from Crissolo; for 
though the accommodation at that 
place is better, the addition of about 
eight miles, and fully 2,000 feet of 
ascent, to so long a day's walk, is not 
to be recommended. To enjoy the 
scenery at the best advantage, it would 
be advisable to commence the expedi- 
tion by the Col de la Traversette (Ete. 
A), so as to be on the summit of the 
pass at, or soon after, sunrise. At the 
base of the descent, instead of following 
the track towards Crissolo, you should 
keep along the slope above the Piano 
del Re, near to the lakes, the sources 
of the Po, and then cross the depres- 
sion which separates the peak of Monte 
Viso from the Viso Mout. In this depres- 
sion lies the most considerable of the 
small glaciers appertaining to the moun- 
tain. Prom the pass an easy descent 
leads to the lake at the foot of the Passo 
deile Sugnette. By keeping as much as 
possible to some steep slopes of turf and 
rock, the difficult and laborious ascent 
of the latter Col through soft yielding 
debris may be partly avoided. On 
reaching the summit you have the main 
mass of Monte Viso, extending from 
the highest peak to the Petit Viso, im- 
mediately on the right hand, while in 
front is a deep gorge forming the head 
of the Vallon delle Forciolline. Those 
who have hitherto made the tour 
have descended to the junction of this 
gorge with the Val di Vallanta, and 
from thence reascended to the Col de 
Vallante. As this involves considerable 
labour and delay, it is desirable to 
ascertain whether a practicable course 
may not be found along the S. side of 
the peak of Monte Viso and round the 
Petit Viso, by which the passage from 
one col to the other might be consider- 
ably shortened. The attempt should 
be made only by practised cragsmen, 
and not too late in the day. The 
ascent from the junction of the two 



80 COTTIAN ALPS. § 

streams to the Col de Vallante at the 
head of the Val di Vallanta (see above), 
lies through a rocky valley on the W. 
or rt. bank of the stream. 4 A frightful 
landslip or bergfall occurred in July 
18o*4 in the upper part of the glen, 
burying several chalets, and sending 
huge fragments of rock far up the op- 
posite side of the valley.'— [R.W.T.] 
As the traveller advances, the valley 
becomes narrowed to a mere gorge, 
the path disappears, and the last part 
of the ascent lies up a steep couloir 
partly filled with snow, which terminates 
abruptly on the snow-covered ridge 
forming the summit of the pass, about 
9,350 feet in height, and fully 5 hrs. from 
the Col dclle Sagnette. In descending 
towards the head of the valley of the 
Guil, it is best to keep along the ridge 
for a short distance in the direction of 
Monte Viso, and then bear away to the 
left. The snow-field slopes at first gently, 
then more steeply, and the final descent 
is over debris to the left of a ridge of 
steep rocks. In clear weather, practised 
mountaineers do not require a local 
guide, but when clouds lie on the pass, 
it is not easy to find the way, and it 
would be unwise to attempt it without 
the help of one of the shepherds, who 
are generally to be found at the highest 
pasturages on either side. 

The head of the valley of the Guil 
has been described in Rte. A. From 
the point at which the nearly level bot- 
tom of the valley is reached, the highest 
chalets are distant little more than 
£ hour. They stand on the N. side of 
the stream, and might easily be over- 
looked among the scattered blocks 
which have been left by the glacier that 
once filled the valley. 

The first traveller to make the tour 
of Monte Viso was probably Professor 
J. D. Forbes, who visited this district 
in 1839. He found it to be a very 
laborious day's work of 14 hrs. ; but 
it would appear that he crossed a col 
more distant from the summit than the 
Passo delle Sagnette, thereby lengthen- 
ing the route. The way above pointed 
out would probably require 12 hours' 



4. VISO DISTRICT. 

fair walking, exclusive of halts. In 
attempting to make the circuit from 
Crissolo, it would be advisable to begin 
with the Col de la Traversette, starting 
before daylight. In this way the 
troublesome ascent to the Col delle 
Sagnette would be avoided, and the 
distance might be accomplished in 
14 hrs., exclusive of stoppages. The 
excursion is one of the highest interest, 
including more varied scenery than is 
often to be found in a single day's 
walk. 



Route C. 

BARGE LONE T TE TO GUILESTRE — COL 
DE VARS. 

This is the easiest and most direct 
route for a pedestrian wishing to reach 
Briancon or the Mont Pelvoux district 
from Barcelonette ; it does not appear, 
however, to be particularly interest- 
ing. 

From Barcelonette the mule-track 
mounts the valley of the Ubaye to the 
junction of the Ubayette (§ 2, Rte. A), 
and then, instead of turning E. to 
Meyronne, follows the main valley to 
the village of St. Paul, 4 hrs. from the 
town. From thence there is a rather 
rapid ascent almost continuous to the 
summit of the Col de Vars (6,932'). 
On the N. side a long and gradual 
descent, following the course of the 
Chagne torrent, leads to Guilestre 
(Route A) in 5 hrs. from St. Paul 
or about 9 hrs. from Barcelonette. 



Route D. 

BARCELONETTE TO QUEYRAS, BY 
ST. VERAN. 

7$ hours to Majasset, 8f hours from thence to 
Queyras. 

This is the most interesting, in point 
of scenery, of the passes between the 
valley of the Ubaye and the Guil, but 
is longer and more laborious than the 



r 



ROUTE D. BARCELONETTE TO QUEYRAS. 



31 



others. The only place on the way 
where tolerable night-quarters are to be 
found is at Majasset near the head of 
the Ubaye valley. 

At St Paul, noticed in the last route, 
4 hrs. from Barcelonette, the track 
leading to St. Veran keeping to the W. 
bank of the TJbaye mounts through a 
defile ; and after passing a few scat- 
tered nouses reaches, in about 3 hrs., 
Maurin, the highest commune in the 
valley, more than 6,000 feet above the 
sea. It consists of three hamlets, at 
one of which, Majasset, there is a 
tolerable country inn, but the prices 
should be fixed to prevent shameless 
extortion. [At this point a number of 
mountain tracks converge. Those on 
the E. side — the Col de Maurin leading 
to Val Maira, and the Col de l'Autaret 
to Val Vraita — have been noticed in § 2 
(Rtes. B and D). In the opposite di- 
rection the valley of the Guil may be 
reached by the Col Tronchet, or the 
Col de Ste. Anne, descending to Ceillac 
through the valley of the Melezet, and 
joining the Guil about 3 m. above 
Guilestre.] 

The track to St. Veran, keeping to 
the NE., continues to follow the stream 
of the Ubaye, and after passing a small 
lake, produced by a great landslip, on 
the banks of which rye is grown at 
nearly 7,000 feet above the sea, mounts 
steeply along the 1. bank of the tor- 
rent, through a wild glen immediately 
to the W. of the Rioburent (11, 142'), 
which is accessible from this side. At 
the head of this wild valley, the traveller 
may choose between four passes, two 
of which are described in the next 
Route. The most westerly of these — 
the Col de Cristillan — is the way to 
Guilestre ; while the Col de Longet, in 
the opposite direction, pa&ses by the 
N. side of the Rioburent to Ponte 
Chianale, and thence to Castel Delfino. 
Between these are two passes, both 
leading to St. Veran. Of the Col de 
VAgnel, which lies nearest to the Rio- 
burent, the editor has no information. 
The other pass is sometimes called the 
Western Col de Longet, but more 



commonly Col de la Cula (10,076'); 
it is reached without difficulty in 4 
hrs. from Majasset. The view of 
the Dauphine Alps on one side, and 
Monte Viso on the other, is said to be 
of the grandest character. Much snow 
lies near the summit, especially on the 
N. side. A rapid descent leads in 2^ 
hrs. from the Col to St. Veran — a con- 
siderable village, probably the highest 
in Europe, being 6,591 feet above the 
sea. Barley and rye are here culti- 
vated up to a height of 7,000 feet. 
There is no inn ; but a stranger may 
probably obtain accommodation at the 
house of the cure. As in many of the 
Alpine valleys of Dauphine, the popula- 
tion, in great part Protestant, presents 
an appearance of misery and filth, 
which painfully contrasts with the 
cleanly and comparatively comfortable 
aspect of their neighbours in the Wal- 
densian valleys of Piedmont. About 
| hr. below St. Veran is the village 
of Molines, where the track from 
Ponte Chianale by the Col de l'Agnello 
(not to be confounded with the Col de 
l'Agnel above-mentioned) joins that 
from St. Veran. Below Molines is a 
good road, which leads in 1 hr. to 
Ville Vieille, where there is an inn 
(L'Elephant), which is probably the 
best in the valley of the Guil. From 
hence it is necessary to cross to the 
right bank of the river, in order to reach 
the road from Abries to Queyras, which 
place is £ hr. from Ville Vieille. 

A short distance before reaching the 
latter village the traveller should re- 
mark some remarkable pinnacles, simi- 
lar in appearance to those seen in the 
Eringer Thai, at Oberbotzen in Tyrol, 
and elsewhere in the Alps. In tho 
other cases referred to, these pinnacles 
have been produced by the disintegra- 
tion of superficial deposits of clay and 
detritus ; which, when protected from 
rain by large blocks of stone resting on 
the original surface, gradually form 
pinnacles, each of them capped by the 
block to which it owes its formation. 
In the present instance, they seem to 
be formed of a friable limestone re- 



32 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 4. VISO DISTRICT. 



maining in situ where covered by erratic 
blocks of diallage rock, and washed 
away in the interstices. 

Information as to the alleged exist- 
once of one or more passes from St. 
Veran to the head of the valley of the 
Guil is much desired. 



Route E. 

CASTEL DELFINO TO GUILESTRE, BT 
COL DE LONGET AND COL DE CRIS- 
TILLAN. 





Honrs' 




walking 
• J 


Ponte Castello . 


La Chianale . . 




Col de Longet . 


. 2| 


Col de Cristillan 




Ceillac 


: :3 


Mai son du Roi . . 




Guilestre . 


: : ? 







As mentioned in § 2,Rte. D, the prin- 
cipal village of the N. branch of the 
Val Vraita is Ponte Chianale, nearly f hr. 
above the small village of Ponte Cas- 
tello, which stands at the junction of 
the Val Chianale with the Val di Val- 
lante. The scenery of the lower part 
of the Val Chianale is very pleasing, 
with bright green pastures enclosed be- 
tween wooded slopes, but the ridge en- 
closing the head of the valley is nearly 
bare. Fully f hr. beyond Ponte Chianale 
is the highest hamlet, La Chianale, the 
Italian custom-house station,where there 
is a poor inn, containing one bedroom 
with four beds, and no meat. It is kept by 
Etienne Martinette, who endeavours by 
civility to supply the deficiencies of his 
house. From the village no less than 
five passes lead into the valley of the 
Guil (see next Route), while one only, 
the Col de Longet, connects this valley 
with the Val Maurin and the head- 
waters of the Ubaye. The pass is also 
called here Col Maurin; but the name 
must not be confounded with the true 



Col Maurin, leading from the village of 
that name to the Val Maira (§ 2). 

The track to the Col de Longet, after 
crossing and recrossing the main stream, 
ascends by the 1. bank of the torrent 
which descends from the Col, passing 
on the 1. a very picturesque lake 
with a chalet beside it. On reaching 
the summit (8,727 ft. above the sea) 
the upper part of the Val Maurin 
comes into view, treeless, but covered 
with wide and luxuriant pastures. 
To the left is seen the summit of the 
Rioburent, marked by a stone man, 
with a small glacier facing the Col. 
The top might most easily be reached 
from the W. side, after descending 
some way into the Val Maurin. Save 
for about \ hr. the path to Majasset 
keeps to the rt. bank of the torrent. 
' To reach the Col de Cristillan from 
the Col de Longet you descend, passing 
to the rt. of a small lake, as far as the 
bergerie, which stands at the junction cA 
the Val de Cula of Bourcet's map with 
the main branch of the Val Maurin. 
Here turn to the rt., up the Val de 
Cula to the point where it forks. The 
rt.-hand branch leads to the Col de 
la Cula, or Western Col de Longet 
(see last Rte.). Follow the l.-hand 
branch, ascending over steep pastures 
until you reach a waste tract covered 
with mica-schist. Thence bearing 
rather to the left, you gain a flat up- 
land valley, with scattered blocks of 
oxydised serpentine, whereon there is 
a small pool. The Col de Cristillan 
(0,771', W. M.) is at the head of this 
valley, and a faintly-marked path leads to 
it. The views from the Col are very fine. 
SE. is seen the Rioburent, and beyond it 
another lofty peak, probably the Pointe 
de Chambeyron. In the opposite direc- 
tion, the whole mass of the High Alps 
of Dauphine comes into view ; and 
farther to the rt. a singular double- 
headed peak, probably the Aiguille 
d'Arves; more distant still are some of 
the summits of the Tarentaise, and last 
of all Mont Blanc. 

' The descent from the Col is over a 
steep slope of loose stones, but when 



§ 5. WALDENSIAN DISTRICT. 



S3 



once the pastures are reached the path 
is good, and the walking very easy. 
The valley is barren and uninteresting 
till, -within a short \ hr. from Ceillac, 
standing at the junction of the Cris- 
tillan with the Melezet, it turns to the 
1., and the path enters a picturesque 
gorge. At the turn a track to the rt. 
leads over the mountains to St. Veran. 
In H hr. from Ceillac the mule-track 
to Guilestre joins the carriage-road to 
Queyras at La Maison du Roi, I hr. 
from the former village.'— [T. G. B.] 

Ceillac may be reached from Majasset 
by the Col Tronchet (8,747') ; or by the 
Col de Ste. Anne (9,160'), attainable 
in 2 hrs. from Majasset. West of 
the latter col is the Pointe de Ste. 
Anne (Pte. des Orches of Bourcet). 
The S. peak of this mountain was at- 
tained in 1865 by Messrs. R. W. Taylor 
and W. G. Adams, the latter alone 
reaching the highest point. The N. 
peak, still untouched, appears to be 
100 ft. higher, or at least 11,000 ft. 
above the sea. Distance from Majasset 
to Guilestre about 8£ hrs. 



Route F. 

CASTEL DELFINO TO QUEYRAS — COL 
DELL' AGNELLO. 

A mule-path, 8f hours' walking. 

Of the five passes referred to in the last 
Route which lead from La Chianale 
to the valley of the Guil, two — the Col 
Blanchet (9,544') and the Col de St. 
Veran (9,564')— lead to St. Veran 
(Route D) ; two others — the Col de 
Jiistolas and the Col de la Ruine 
(10,058')— to the head of the valley of 
the Guil ; while the middle pass — the 
Col deW Agnello, the most frequented — 
leads direct to Ville Vieille, between 
Abries and Queyras. 

After following the stream above 
La Chianale for about hr., the 
track to the Col dell' Agnello turns a 
little to the rt , quitting that which 
leads to the Col de Longet and to the 
Col de St. Veran, and then, instead of 

PART I. 



following the lateral valley which leads 
to the Col de Ristolas, zigzags up a 
wooded slope on the 1. to an upland glen, 
at the head of which is the Col, 4^ hrs. 
from Castel Delfino, 8,996 feet in height 
(mean of observations of French and 
Italian engineers, and of Mr. Tuckett). 
The view from the summit is magnifi- 
cent. The path, which is throughout 
well traced, descends by an uniform 
gentle slope along the Agnel Torrent to 
Fongillarde, the French custom-house 
station, 2 hrs. from the Col. The way 
would be monotonous if it were not re- 
lieved by a grand view of the High 
Alps of Dauphine. Below Fongillarde 
a rough char-road leads, in \ hr., to Mo- 
lines, 1^ hr. from Queyras, where this 
route joins that by St. Veran (Rte. D). 



SECTION 5. 

WALDENSIAN DISTRICT VALLEYS 

OF THE PELLICE AND CHISONE. 

In this district we include the Pied- 
montese valleys lying between the Po 
and the Dora Riparia, inhabited by the 
Waldenses or Vaudois, wkose heroic 
resistance to persecution, and final 
emancipation from all religious disabi- 
lities, have excited the lively sympathy 
of all who know their history. These 
valleys do not include mountains of the 
ftrst order of magnitude ; indeed, if we 
except the Monte Meidassa (10,991' ?), 
which separates the head of the valley 
of the Po from that of the Pellice, there 
is no point which quite attains to 10,000 
feet. Two principal valleys make up 
the entire district — that of the Pellice, 
or Vol di Luserna, which follows a 
nearly straight course from W. to E., 
abutting at its upper end on the main 
chain of the Cottian Alps which sepa- 
rates it from the Guil, and that of the 
Chisone, or Val de Fenestrelle, which, in 
the form of a long crook, flows first 
towards the NW., and then curves 



34 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 5. WALDENSIAN DISTRICT. 



round till it returns towards the SE., 
and enters the plain of Piedmont, near 
to Pignerol, joining the Pellice a few 
miles below that town. The Chisone 
does not drain any portion of the main 
chain ; for the Dora Riparia, with its 
southern branch, the Pupa torrent, also 
disposed in the form of a crook, but of 
larger dimensions, completely surrounds 
the valley of the Chisone, and cuts it 
off from the drainage of the main 
chain. One of the affluents of the 
Chisone, the Germanasca, does at a 
single point touch the Cottian chain, 
and there communicates with the Guil 
by the Col d'Abries ; but, with this ex- 
ception, one who would pass from the 
Val Chisone into France or Savoy 
must traverse a double rampart of Alps, 
with the Dora or the Ripa serving as a 
ditch between them. This singular 
disposition of the mountains has not 
been without its influence upon the 
history of the people during their armed 
struggle for the defence of their faith 
and liberties. This district includes 
scenery of great beauty and variety, 
and very tolerable accommodation is 
found in many of the villages, not to 
speak of excellent quarters at La Tour 
de Luserne. It is so easy of access by 
railway from Turin to Pignerol, in 1 
hour 20 min., that it has become a sort 
of outlet from the capital, frequently 
visited in the summer season by per- 
sons seeking recreation and. change of 
air. 



Route A. 

PIGNEROL TO MONT DAUPHIN VAL 

DI LUSERNA. 

Hours' English 

walking miles 

La Tour de Luserne . 2| 9 

Bobbio . 2i 7£ 

Col de la Croix . .4" 10 

Abries . . . 2| G£ 

Mont Dauphin . 7 23 

ISf 56 

Pignerol, or Pinerolo (Inns • Corona 



Grossa, pretty good ; and several others), 
is a large straggling town, connected 
by railway with Turin: 4 trains daily, 
in 1 hour 20 min. An omnibus for La 
Tour de Luserne starts half an hour 
after the arrival of (every?) train. It 
travels very slowly, by a hot dusty road, 
so that time is saved by engaging a 
light carriage. About 8 miles from the 
town is the first Vaudois village, 

San Giovanni (Inn : Bonne Femme, 
looks clean and decent) ; and 1 m. 
farther, at the opening of a richly 
wooded valley, is the principal village, 
or rather town, of the Vaudois, 

La Tour de Luserne (Inns : L'Ours, 
clean and comfortable; Lion d'Or, also 
good), a thriving place, with much ap- 
pearance of prosperity. The people 
of these valleys appear to be a steady 
and industrious race, but the results of 
their own industry have been largely 
increased by liberal contributions from 
England and other Protestant countries, 
by means of which a handsome church, 
a college, a hospital, an orphanage, and 
other institutions have been established 
here during the last 25 years. French, 
being the language of their church 
service, is universally spoken among the 
Vaudois; and this, to strangers, is a de- 
cided improvement upon the Piedmont- 
ese dialect spoken in the neighbouring 
valleys. 

Jean Henri Tron has been recom- 
mended as a guide in this district. He 
is a steady respectable man, who knows 
the mountains well, but he would not 
be found useful in expeditions of any 
difficulty. Guides fit for adventurous 
undertakings are scarcely to be met with 
in this part of the Alps. 

The neighbourhood of La Tour 
abounds in rich and beautiful scenery ; 
those who do not intend to pass by that 
route to Perouse, should not ondt to 
make an excursion into the Val An- 
grogna (Rte. C). The botanist will 
be pleased to see the rare Campanula 
ela tines growing abundantly in shady 
situations in these valleys. 

From La Tour to Bobbio there is a 
rather rough char-road alon<^ the left 



ROUTE A. PIGXEIiOL TO MONT DAUPHIN. 



35 



bank of the valley; but as the ascent is 
considerable — more than 1,000 feet — 
no time is saved to a pedestrian by 
taking a vehicle. On the way are fine 
views of the higher summits of the neigh- 
bouring Alps, which are here known 
apparently by other names than those 
used elsewhere. The highest peak seen 
at the head of the valley, separating it 
from the Val Germanasca, is called 
Mont Palavas; the Monte Meidassa, or 
the highest point of that mountain vi- 
sible from this side, is called Mont 
Grenier-, while the peak conspicuous 
to the S. towards the valley of the Po 
is the Mont Frioland. A little above 
the hamlet of Villar a glen opens on 
the S. side of the valley, called La 
Combe des Charbonniers, through which 
Crissolo (§ 4, Rte. A ) may be reached 
in about 5 hrs., passing over the Col 
deila Sea Bianca (8,163'). On either 
side of the mountain, at a height of 
about 6,000 feet, may be found A?-abis 
pedemontana, a plant not known to 
exist elsewhere. On the upper part 
of the ridge are many other rare 
plants ; e.g. Pedicularis rosea and fas- 
ciculata, Saxifraga retusa, &c. 

Bobbio (2,838'), 1\ hrs. from La 
Tour, has no inn. Bartolome Peyrotte, 
of this village, accompanied Mr. Tuckett 
in the asoent of Monte Viso, as porter. 
He was found active and useful, and 
his terms moderate. Jacques Ray- 
mond has also been recommended as a 
guide. From hence to La Monta, near 
Abries, there is nothing but a rough 
mule-path. [A short distance above 
Bobbio, a path mounts rapidly on the 
N. side of the valley to the Col Julien. 
The summit, 4 hrs. from Bobbio, is 
said to command a magnificent view of 
the Monte Viso and the adjoining 
peaks. From thence, Pralis, in the Val 
Germanasca (Rte. D), is reached in 2 
hrs. of rapid descent.] 

Above Bobbio, following the mule- 
track to the Col de la Croix, a massive 
stone embankment is seen, which was 
constructed by a grant from Oliver 
Cromwell, to protect the village from 
the inundations of the Pellice. A short 

D 



distance farther the track crosses to the 
rt. bank of the torrent, and begins to 
mount more steeply as the valley gra- 
dually contracts, and at length becomes 
a mere ravine, partly closed by huge 
masses of rock fallen from the mountain 
above. In the wildest part of the gorge 
are seen the ruins of the fort of Mira- 
bouc, constructed to guard this entrance 
into Piedmont. The track, which has 
before this returned to the 1. bank of 
the Pellice, formerly passed through 
one of the gates of the fort, and it ap- 
pears as if no other passage could be 
found along the precipitous rocks which 
enclose the valley. [From hence it is 
possible to reach Abries by either of 
two passes, shorter, but more difficult, 
than the Col de la Croix — the Col de 
Malaure, and the Col de I'Orine; they 
are of about equal height, and, with a 
guide, half an hour may be saved by fol- 
lowing either of them. The Col de 
Malaure passes to the N. side, the other 
Col to the S. side of the Mont Pala- 
vas ; both are approached through the 
lateral valley of Crousena. 3 hrs. are 
required to reach the summit from Mi- 
rabouc — 2 hrs. from the summit of 
either Col to Abries.] The valley of 
the Pellice makes an abrupt turn above 
Mirabouc, mounting nearly due S. in 
the direction of Monte Viso. In less 
than 3 hrs. from Bobbio the traveller 
reaches a group of chalets, called Pra, 
where provisions and very tolerable ac- 
commodation may be found for the 
night, by a hunter or naturalist wish- 
ing to explore the neighbourhood. 
The Monte Meidassa (10,991') is said 
to be accessible from the head of the 
valley, and the view is probably second 
only to that from Monte Viso. [2^ 
hrs. from Pra, following the stream 
of the Pellice to its source, is the sum- 
mit of the Col de Seylieres (9,407') — 
( W.M.)], also called Colde Chevalleret. 
The scenery of the head of the valley 
is very fine, and this is the shortest and 
most agreeable way for approaching 
Monte Viso from the Vaudois valleys. 
The chalet of La Ruine may be reached 
in less than an hour from the summit, 
2 



36 



COTTIAN ALPS. § £). WALDENSIAN DISTEICT. 



and the Col de la Traversette in even 
less time (see § 4, Rte. A)]. 

The ascent to the Col de la Croix 
commences close to the Bergerie de 
Pra, mounting steeply in zigzags — \\ 
hr. steady walking. From the sum- 
mit (7,611') there is a fine view of 
Monte Viso, seen over the Col de Sey- 
lieres, and of the defile of Mirabouc. 
An ancient stone, carved with the fleur 
de lys and the cross of Savoy, marks 
the frontier of France. The top of the 
pass is nearly level for about a mile, 
and the descent on the side of France 
easy and gradual. JSi, La Monta the 
track joins the char-road, which leads 
in about 4 m. to Abries, and from 
thence to Guilestre and Mont Dauphin. 
The road is described in § 4, Rte. A. 



Route B. 



PIGNEROL TO CESANNE VALLEY OB 

THE CHISONE — COL DE SESTRIERES. 





Hours' 


English 




walking 


miles 


Perouse 


: : ? 


12 


Fenestrelle . 


9 


Pragelas 


. . 2| 


7 


Sestridres 


. . I# 




Cesanne 


. . 2f 


1 




13 


40| 



The valley of the Chisone, or Clusone, 
as far as the foot of the Col de Ses- 
trieres, is traversed by the post-road 
which is carried over that Col to Ce- 
sanne, in the valley of the Dora, on the 
Italian side of the Mont Genevre. The 
main valley, and especially its tribu- 
taries, the Val de S. Martin o and the 
Val Gennanasca, abound in beautiful 
scenery, and will well reward some 
days devoted to exploring their recesses 
and the ranges which enclose them. 
The lower part is usually called Val de 
Perouse, but sometimes Val de Fenes- 
trelle. The upper part is known as Val 
Pragelas. The road to Cesanne enters 
the valley and approaches the 1. bank 
of the Chisone at a short distance ! 



from Pignerol. On the L, at the oppo- 
site side of the valley, is seen the 
Yaudois village of 5. Germano, niched 
in a hollow of the mountain, and above 
it the hamlet of Pramol. There is no 
difficulty in crossing the ridge which 
separates Pramol from the Val An- 
grogna, and by this detour a pedestrian 
may lengthen the way from Pignerol 
to La Tour de Luserne in a very agree- 
able manner. 

Between Porte and Villar. about half- 
way to Perouse, the high-road passes 
close to some very extensive quarries, 
of which the most important are at a 
place called Malanaggio. The gneiss, 
which is developed here on a great 
scale, is extremely varied in its mineral 
structure, and some of the beds furnish 
stone which is highly valued for archi- 
tectural use. Huge blocks have been 
extracted for the columns of the new 
church on the Po, and other public 
buildings in Turin. Advancing farther 
up the valley, the gneiss gives place to 
a schist composed almost exclusively of 
black mica; and at various points in the 
ranges which enclose the valley, es- 
pecially at the Col de l'Assieta, serpen- 
tine appears in great masses, and, as 
usually happens, seems to have modified 
the mineral character of the rocks which 
it approaches. About 12 miles from 
Pignerol is 

Perouse (2,037') (Inns : Sole ; Auberge 
National), a small town, but the most 
considerable in the valley. It stands 
opposite to the opening of the Val de 
St. Martin, through which the Ger- 
manasca torrent descends to join the 
Chisone. For passes leading to La 
Tour de Luserne, Abries, and Pra- 
gelas, see Rtes. C, D, and B. The 
road, which had hitherto been nearly 
level, mounts considerably in the next 
portion of the valley. Several small 
hamlets, surrounded with rich vegeta- 
tion, are passed; at one of them, called 
Villaret, is a mule-track, which leads 
in 3 hrs. to the Col della Rossa, and 
in 3 hrs. more to Giaveno, on the San- 
gone torrent, a short distance from 
the railway between Susa aud Turin, 



ROUTE C. LA TOUR DE LUSERNE TO PEROUSE. 



37 



For a long period the Vaudois were 
not permitted to settle in the main 
valley of the Chisone, being- restricted 
to the valleys of Luserna and St. Martin, 
with their tributary branches ; but since 
1848 all religious disabilities have 
besn removed, and many of them have 
settled in the valley of Fenestrelle, be- 
sides others who have been attracted 
to the capital. In spite of the con- 
siderable ascent in this stage of the 
valley, it enjoys a high summer temper- 
ature, and the vine and mulberry both 
flourish as far up as 

Fenestrelle (Inn : said to be bad and 
dirty), a poor village which crouches 
beneath the imposing works of the Fort 
of Fenestrelle. This is supposed to be 
one of the strongest, as it is certainly 
one of the most considerable, fortresses 
on the frontier between France and 
Italy. The works rise one above 
another in successive ranges on the 
steep southern slope of the valley, 
the highest battery being approached 
by a gallery, said to contain 3,600 
steps. Four detached forts command 
the approaches, and nothing that mili- 
tary science could suggest has been 
omitted in the defence of this route 
into Italy; but it may well be doubted 
whether, in case of need, they would be 
of the slightest avail against a neighbour 
who is master at once of the routes of 
the Cenis and the Col di Tenda. In 
the neighbourhood of the village are 
seen the remains of former fortifications, 
destroyed by the French in 1796, and 
of others still more ancient, constructed 
to defend the approaches from the side 
of Piedmont, when this valley belonged 
to France. 

[The pass of the Col de la Fenetre, 
over the range N. of Fenestrelle, which 
separates the valleys of the Dora and 
the Chisone, leads to Susa in 5 hours. 
It is an extremely agreeable and in- 
teresting walk, commanding from the 
summit an admirable view of the peaks 
on either side of the Mont Cenis pass.] 

Above Fenestrelle the valley becomes 
more Alpine in character. About half 
way to Pragelas, at the hamlet of 



Pourieres, a track mounts to the right 
leading by the Col de VAssieta to Exilles. 
This is a very interesting expedition, 
practicable for horses, and requiring 
not more than 5 hrs. The summit 
is a plateau of considerable extent, 
which was repeatedly the scene of 
military operations during the wars 
between France and Piedmont. The 
vieAvs of the opposite range, from the 
Mont Tabor to the Roche Melon, are 
magnificent. The remains of redoubts 
are seen in many places; and in a 
depression of the plateau, called the 
Vallon des Morts, the bodies of many 
hundreds of brave men lie buried. 

The last village in the valley is 
Sestrieres, from whence the road 
mounts in zigzags to the Col, a nearly 
level plain two miles long, commanding 
a fine view of the Mont Albergian. 
The descent is by long windings to the 
level of the Dora, which is crossed to 
reach Cesanne. On the opposite slope, 
W. of that village, the road of Mont 
Genevre is seen winding up the valley 
which leads to the pass (see § 6, Rte. 
A). 



Route C. 

LA TOUR DE LUSERNE TO PEROUSE — 
VAL ANGROGNA. 

This is a very agreeable walk of from 
5 to 6 hours, passing through scenery 
which, for combination of rich forest 
vegetation, bold rocks, and sparkling 
torrents, can scarcely be surpassed. 
About 2^ hrs. from La Tour is the 
defile of Pra del Tor, famous in Vau- 
dois history; from thence it is easy to 
reach Pramol by a low pass, and then 
to descend into the valley of the Chi- 
sone 3 m. below Perouse. A second 
path leads along the crest of the hills 
(in great part covered with forest) 
which divide the lower Val de St. 
Martin from the Chisone; while a third 
and rather longer way follows the 
Angrogna torrent nearly to its source, 



ss 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 5. 



WALDENSIAN DISTRICT. 



and thence by a low Col passes into a 
lateral glen of the valley of St. Martin, 
descending to Faetto, on the S. side of 
the torrent, opposite the large village of 
Pcrrier. 



Route D. 

PEEOUSE TO ABRIES, BY THE VAL 

GERMANASCA. 
9 hours' walk — about 24 English miles. 

Opposite to Perouse is the opening of 
the Valley of St Martin, through which 
the united torrents from three Alpine 
valleys are poured into the Chisone. 
An easy ascent leads in less than 2 
hours to Perrier, or Perrero, the chief 
village of the valley. Here resided Dr. 
Eostan, an excellent botanist, to whom 
the Editor is indebted for valuable 
information as to this district. He 
now lives at San Germano, and will 
be happy to assist, with information or 
advice, travellers who may desire to 
explore the neighbouring valleys. A 
mile above Perrier the valley divides. 
One branch, descending from the Al- 
bergian towards the SE., is the proper 
Val de St. Martin; but the upper 
extremity is called Val de Massel. The 
other branch of the valley, through 
which the Germanasca flows to NE., is 
the Val Germanasca. A branch of the 
latter, mounting nearly due W., is 
called Val Rodoret. 

The way to Abries lies through 
the Val Germanasca. The principal 
village is Pralis, 4 hrs. from Perouse, 
consisting of four hamlets. In the second 
of these is the pastor's house, where, 
there being no inn, lodging may usually 
be obtained. The scenery of the Val 
Germanasca is very fine, especially the 
upper part, from whence there is a pass 
into the Val Pellice by the Col Julien, 
noticed in Rte. A, and another to the 
W. — the Col Frapier — leading into 
the valley of the Ripa. The path lead- 
ing to this latter Col leaves the track 
to the Col d' Abries 2 hrs. above Pralis. 
The Col a" Abries is a frequented 



pass, used even in winter; it commands 
no distant view. The summit is 3 
hrs. from Pralis, and the descent, 
passing the village of Roux, requires 
2 hrs. more to reach Abries. Starting 
early from Perouse, it would not be 
difficult to reach Queiras, or even 
Guilestre, on the same day. The dis- 
tance is about the same as from La 
Tour de Lucerne, and in point of 
scenery this is, perhaps, the finer of the 
two passes. 



Route E. 

PEROUSE TO PRAGELAS — VAL DE MASSEL. 
9 hours' walk. 10* hours to Fenestrelle. 

This route involves a considerable 
detour, but leads through some of the 
finest scenery of this district, and over 
ground which is full of interest to the 
naturalist. 

From Perrier (see last Rte ) the 
track follows the NW. branch of the 
Val de St. Martin, reaching in l£ hr. 
the village of Massel. 1 hr. farther 
is Balsille, above which, on a shelf of 
the mountain, is the place called Cas- 
tella, where the Vaudois, under Ar- 
naud, held out for three days against 
the united armies of France and Pied- 
mont. The upper end of the valley is 
closed by the fine peak of the Albergian 
(9,990'), which is accessible from this 
side. The Col da Ptz, on the S. side 
of the peak, leads to Pragelas; while 
the Col Albergian (8,816') passes by the 
E. side of the mountain to the valley of 
the Chisone, a little above Fenestrelle. 
About 3 hrs. suffice to reach the 
summit of either pass from Balsille. 
The descent to Pragelas occupies 2 
hrs., but 3% hrs. are required to reach 
Fenestrelle from the Col Albergian. 
Both are fine passes, but the latter is 
said to command a finer riew. 



§ 6. GENEVRE DISTRICT. 



39 



Route F.. 

PEROUSE TO CESANNE, BY RODORET. 

About 1^ hr. above Perrier the 
Germanasca receives an affluent from 
the W.. through the ValRodoret. Near 
the junction is the village of Rodoret, 
or Rodoretto, 3£ hrs. from Perouse. 
From the head of this valley two passes 
lead to the westward. One of these — 
— the Col delta Valletta — 2^ hrs. 
from Rodoret, descends into the head of 
the valley of the Chisone- to Sestrieres, 
reached in this way in 8^- hrs. from 
Perouse — not more than 1 1£ m. in a 
straight line,whereas the distance by this 
route must be fully 25 miles. The Col de 
Rodoret, 3 hours from Rodoret, lying at 
the extreme end of the valley, crosses the 
ridge which separates the Germanasca 
from the Ripa — the principal source 
of the Dora Riparia. The path de- 
scends, not far from the source of the 
Ripa, nearly at the same point as that 
from the Col Frapier (Rte. D). At 
least 4£ hrs. are required to reach 
Cesanne; in all, 11 hrs. from Perouse. 



SECTION 6. 

GENEVRE DISTRICT. 

It has been already remarked that the 
chain of the Cottian Alps, seen. from 
the side of Italy, makes a salient angle 
whose apex is the Mont Tabor. Two 
of the most copious streams of the 
Western Alps — the Durance and the 
Dora Riparia — have their sources on 
the flanks of that mountain. Both the 
Durance, which drains the western 
or outer side of the angle, and the 
Dora, descending from the inner or 
E. face, divide towards their origin into 
several streams, whose general direction 
is parallel to the dividing chain. Thus 
the Durance is formed near Briancon, 
by the union of the Clairee and Guisanne 
torrents, flowing from the NW., with 
the Cerveyrette from the SE. By a 



nearly similar arrangement, the Dora 
Riparia owes its origin to the confluence 
near Cesanne of the torrents flowing 
through the parallel valleys of the 
Ripa and 'J'hures, both from the SE,, 
and receives at Oulx, from tfre NW., 
the more abundant stream which de- 
scends through the valley of Bardon- 
neche. This unusual disposition of the 
valleys, which, instead of radiating from 
the dividing ridge of the Alps, form a 
series of trenches parallel to it, corre- 
sponds to the portion of the Alpine chain 
which has the lowest mean elevation, 
and which, excepting only the great 
breach indicated by the valley of the 
Adige, has the lowest passes in the range 
from Carniola to the Mediterranean. 
The Mont Genevre (6,1 02'), or the still 
lower pass of the Col des Echelles 
(5,873') would undoubtedly have been 
the main channels of communication 
between France and Italy, if the valley 
of the Durance were not divided from 
that of the Rhone by the great mass of 
the Dauphine Alps. 

In the present section we include the 
portion of the main chain lying on 
either side of the Mont Genevre, limited 
by the depression E. of the Mont Tabor 
under which the great tunnel has been 
carried from Modane to Bardonneche, 
along with the secondary ranges that 
diverge from it. The entire length of 
this tract, from the Mont Tabor to the 
head of the Val de Thures, near Abries, 
is about 30 English miles. 



Route A. 

TURIN TO BRIANCON, BY THE MONT 
GENEVRE. 

Kilo- English 

metres. miles. 

Bussoleno (by railway) 4(5 28| 

Oulx (by railway) . 29 18 

Cesanne (by road) . 8 5 

Mont Genevre . . 10 C,x 

Briancon ... 12 7£ 

105 C5A 

The portion of this route between 



40 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 6. 



GENEVRE DISTRICT. 



Turin and Oulx: forms part of the great 
line of railway connecting Italy with 
France (see Hte. F). Those who travel 
direct from Turin will use the railway 
as far as Oulx or Salabertrand and pro- 
ceed by diligence or country carriage 
to Briancon. The traveller who would 
enjoy the scenery will prefer to take 
the railway to Susa and then follow the 
old road by Exilles. 

For about 6 miles from Susa the 
road keeps to the right bank of the Dora, 
ascending to a considerable height above 
the river, through a valley well planted 
with walnut trees, and here and there 
gaining glimpses of the high peaks to 
the N. It passes to the left bank a 
short way below the defile in which 
stands the Fort of Exilles, which com- 
pletely commanded this road from 
France into Italy, but is now rendered 
useless since France possesses the crest 
of the Mont Cenis. In the village of 
Exilles there is an inn (Poste) which 
seems decently kept. 

2^-m. above Exilles is Salabertrand, 
or Salbeltrand, the site of one of the 
Vaudois victories, under the leadership 
of Henri Arnaud. 5 m. farther is Oulx 
(3,514') (Inns : Auberge National, fair; 
Lion d'Or), a large village at the 
junction of the Bardonneche with the 
Dora, considerably increased in im- 
portance since the works for the great 
tunnel have been in operation (see 
lite. F). This part of the valley, 
sometimes called Vallee d'Oulx, is very 
interesting to the botanist. Astragalus 
uustriacus, Prunus brigantiaca, Cen- 
tranthus angiistifolivs, and other very 
rare species are found in the valley, and 
the Alpine ranges on either side are 
not less rich. 

The last village in the main valley is 
Cesanne (4,419'), where there are two 
or three poor inns. Here the road from 
the Col de Sestrieres and the paths 
from Servieres and Abries (Rtes. B 
and C) converge. 

[To the NW. is the Mont Chaberton 
(10,258'), the highest of the neighbour- 
ing summits, which may be easily 
reached in 4 hours from Cesanne. The 



peak is nearby isolated from all the 
surrounding ranges by the Ruisseau 
Sec on the W., and another torrent 
to the N., which joins the Dora at the 
hamlet of Fenils, between Oulx and 
Cesanne. An unfrequented pass, the 
Col de Chaberton. connects together the 
head of the Ruisseau Sec with that 
of the Vallon des Fenils. From the Col, 
where the botanist will be glad to find 
the rare Berardia subacaulis, it is easy 
to reach the summit, which lies nearly 
due S. The way by the Ruisseau Sec is 
somewhat easier than that by Fenils.] 

The high road from Cesanne to the 
Mont Genevre winds along the slopes 
of loose debris that cover the S. base 
of the Mont Chaberton, making a 
considerable detour before it gains 
the height of the pass. This lies 
over an undulating plateau, nearly 
level at the summit, where stands an 
obelisk marking the completion of 
the road in 1807, and the village of 
Bourg Mont Genevre, with the French 
douane, 6,102 feet above the sea. The 
new road descending into the valley of 
the Durance is very well constructed, 
and its long windings present interesting 
and A r aried views of the neighbouring 
Alps, and of the city of Briancon with 
its picturesque forts. The pedestrian 
will, however, prefer the old road, which 
descends much more directly, through a 
pine forest, along the 1. bank of the 
petty stream from the plateau, which is 
sometimes treated as the proper source 
of the Durance. Both roads reach the 
valley of the Clairee at the hamlet of 
La Vachette, about 2 m. above 

Briancon (Inns : Ours, tolerable ; 
Hotel de la Paix, dirty, but good 
cuisine), a very small city, and a fortress 
of the first class, 4,334 feet above the 
sea. There is nothing in the town to 
attract a stranger ; but the forts which 
encompass it, and are even carried up 
the neighbouring peaks, deserve a visit, 
although their height has been strangely 
exaggerated. Permission must be ob- 
tained from the commandant of the 
fortress. The largest is the Fort des 
Trois Tetes ; on the same level is Fort 



ROUTE C. ABRIES TO CESANNE. 



41 



Dauphin ; and 300 feet higher, over- 
looking the Durance, is Fort Randouil- 
let. Above these are the Fort d'Anjou 
and the Pointe du Jour, the latter 1,276 
feet above the town. On the very 
summit of the Mont Infernet (7,808') 
are the remains of redoubts thrown up 
in 1814. For the Rte. from Briancon 
to Grenoble, see § 8. 

The neighbourhood of Briancon 
abounds in rare plants. Amongst 
them may be mentioned Astragalus 
uvstriacus and A. vesicarius, Oxytropis 
Halleri, Prunus brigantiaca, Telephium 
Imperati, Brassica repanda, Berardia 
subacaulis, Rhaponticum heleniifblium, 
Crepis pygmoea, Androsace septentrion- 
alis, and Bulbocodium vernum. 



Route B. 

queyras to briancon — col 
d'izouard. 

7£ hours' walk by the Col d'izouard. 

For a pedestrian going from the 
valleys of Monte Viso to Briancon, 
this route is much preferable to that 
by Guilestre and the Durance. The 
scenery is wild and singular rather 
than grand, but the district traversed 
is in many ways interesting, especially 
to a naturalist. 

From Queyras (§4, Rte. A) a char- 
road leads in l^-hr. to Arvieux (5,105'), 
on the Riviere torrent. From thence a 
mule-track mounts to Brunissard, the 
highest village. The valley here forks. 
One branch leads NW. to the Col des 
Ayes, over which a path passes by the 
Chalets des Ayes to Villar St. Pan- 
crace, near Briancon. This is probably 
a shorter but more difficult way than 
that by the N. branch of the valley 
terminating in the Col d' Izouard (about 
6.560'). which is throughout practi- 
cable for mules, and may be reached 
in 2£ hrs. from Arvieux. ' The last 
part of the ascent is exceedingly wild 
and curious, the track winding through 
vast masses of perfectly bare rock of 
bright red and reddish-yellow sand- 



stone, now worn down into enormous 
screes, now varied by immense blocks 
of fantastic shapes, chiefly needles, but 
often the most grotesque and irregular 
pillars. The scene was perfectly soli- 
tary and silent, and very wierd and 
striking.' — [E. L.] The view from the 
summit (about 8,000') includes a por- 
tion of the snowy range of Dauphine, 
and some fine peaks W. of Monte Viso. 
On the N. side is a new building, built 
for a refuge in bad weather, where 
bread and wine may be obtained. The 
descent, at first NW., then due N., 
reaches the Cerveyrette torrent at the 
village of Cervieres (5,573'). [From 
hence there is a little frequented pass 
to Cesanne, by the Col de Bousson 
(7,006'), also called Col de Cerveyrette 
(3 hrs. to the Col, 3 hrs. from thence 
to Cesanne).] Below Cervieres the 
valley descends WNW. to Briancon. 
The rocky slopes preserve throughout 
the same arid character, although there 
is an abundance of running water in 
countless streams. About 3^ hrs. are 
required for the descent from the Col 
to Briangon. There is a way shorter 
and steeper than either of those above 
noticed, by the Col Perdu (about 8,200') 
on the W. side of the Rochebrune 
(10,906'), a fine peak, said to command 
an extensive panoramic view. 

Route C. 

ABRIES TO CESANNE. 

About 7£ hours by the Col de Thures— 8| hours 
by "Col de la Mait. 

Owing to the remarkable convergence 
of many valleys, that seem to radiate 
from a point near to Abries (§ 4, Rte. 
A), that village is the centre from 
whence many paths lead to as many 
Alpine passes. Three passes into the 
Val Pellice are described in § 5, Rte. 
A; another — the Col dAbries — is no- 
ticed in the same direction, Rte. D; two 
more, leading to Cesanne through the 
Val de Thures, or through that of the 
Ripa, naturally fall within this section; 
and a seventh pass, known to the inn- 
keeper at Abries, and said to be im- 



I 



42 



COTTIAX ALPS. § 0. 



GENEVRE DIS'ISICT 



practicable for horses, leads to the head 
of the valley of the Cerveyrette, joining 
the Ete. last described at the village 
of Cervieres. Information as to this, 
as -well as the two following passes, is 
desired. 

The shortest way from Abries to 
Cesanne is by the Col de Thures, through 
the -westernmost of the two parallel 
valleys that unite near Cesanne, with the 
torrent from the Mont Genevre, to form 
the Dora Biparia. In 2 hrs. from 
Abries the mule-path reaches the sum- 
mit of the Col, and from 5 to 6 hrs. 
are required for the long descent thence 
to Cesanne. 

Earther E., and more distant from 
Abries, is the Col de la Mait, which 
leads from a tributary glen of the val- 
ley of the Guil to the valley of the 
Rip a. Xearly 3 hrs. are required for 
the ascent from Abries. On the oppo- 
site side of the Eipa torrent, here near 
to its source, are the two passes of Era- 
pier and Eodoret, described in the last 
section. The former, which is nearest 
to the head of the valley, may be reached 
in 1 hr. from the Col de la Mait, but 
the Col d'Abries offers a nearer and 
more interesting way from Abries to the 
Val Germanasca. The descent through 
the valley of the Eipa is at least as long 
as that from the Col de Thures ; the 
path is rough, but practicable for horses, 
and not very interesting in point of 
scenery. 



Route D. 

BK1ANCON TO ST. MICHEL COL DE 

GAL1BIER. 

About 11A hours' walk. 

Briancon is the centre of a consider- 
able passenger traffic along three great 
roads — that of the valley of the Du- 
rance, leading down to the plains of 
Erovence ; the easy pass of Mont 
Genevre, into Biedmont; and the road 
for Grenoble and Lyons, almost equally 
accessible by the Col du Lautaret. The 



intercourse with Savoy to the K is on 
a far more limited scale, although prac- 
ticable passes lead to the valley of the 
Arc from each of the two main branches 
of the Durance— the Clairee and the 
Guisanne. The best known of these 
passes is the Col de Galibier, which is 
generally considered the limit between 
the Cottian and the Dauphine Alps. 

The valley of the Guisanne, traversed 
by the high-road from Briancon to 
Grenoble, is described in § 8, Ete. A. 
A guide and horse for the Col de Gali- 
bier may be engaged at Monestier, or 
at the little inn at Le Lauzet, about 
4 m. farther up the valley of the Gui- 
sanne. 

[EromLe Lauzet a path mounts along 
the Rif torrent to the Col de la Pon- 
sonniere, a rather shorter but more 
laborious pass to St. Michel than that 
here described. The path joins that 
from the Col de Galibier about 1 hr. 
before reaching Yalloires.] 

The way to the Col de Galibier fol- 
lows the high-road to a point about half- 
way between La Madeleine and the 
summit of the Col du Lautaret, and then 
mounts steeply along the torrent which 
descends from the NW. until, in 2 hrs. 
from Le Lauzet, it attains the summit 
of the Col. Many of the rarest plants 
of the French Alps are found in the 
ascent. The pass is 9,1 54 feet above the 
sea, and commands a magnificent view 
to the S , extending from the Mont 
Viso to the snowy peaks of the Belvoux 
group. On the side of Savoy the pro- 
spect is also wild and striking, but more 
confined. The Col lies about half-way 
between the Pic des Trois Eveches 
(10,236') to the W., and the Roche du 
Grand Galibier ( 1 0, 637') to the E. The 
Col de la Bonsonniere lies to the E. of 
the latter peak. In about 2^ hrs., de- 
scending from the Col, keeping chiefly 
to the right bank till within hr. of the 
village, the track reaches Valloires, where 
the main torrent receives a consider- 
able affluent from a lateral valley whicn 
mounts to the S.E., and communicates 
by a high and difficult pass (Col de 
V Aiguille Noire?) with the head of the 



ROUTE E. BRIAINJON TO MODANE. 



43 



valley of the Clairee. The little inn 
at Valloires is decent, but sometimes 
not open when the villagers are busy 
with their cattle on the upper pastures. 
In the lower part of its course the Val- 
loire torrent has cut its way through 
an inaccessible gorge. To reach St. 
Michel it is necessary to ascend for 
nearly 1 hr. to a col, marked by three 
crosses and an oratory, commanding 
a very fine view on the one side over 
the valley of the Arc, and on the other 
of the Aiguilles d'Arve, and the Pic 
des Ecrins. The descent to St. Mi- 
chel, about 3,000 ft. below the col, is 
by a steep and rather rough mule-path. 
The way from Valloires to St. Michel 
by St. Martin d'outre Arc, indicated in 
the first edition, is very circuitous. In 
taking this pass from Monestier, fully 
8| hrs. should be allowed, exclusive of 
halts— 3£ hrs. for the ascent, and 5 for 
the descent from the Col to St. Michel 
(§ 7, Rte. A). The Sardinian Govern- 
ment maps of the Vallon de Valloire and 
the adjoining valleys are very incorrect. 



Route E. 

BRIANCON TO MODANE — MONT TABOR. 
Nearly 11 hours' walk to Modane. 

The direct route from Brian yon to 
Modane, or the upper valley of the Arc 
(see § 7, Rte. A), involves two passes 
over the main chain between France and 
Piedmont, but is, nevertheless, rather 
shorter and less laborious than the pass 
descrihed in the last route to St. 
Michel. The Col des Echelles, be- 
tween the valley of the Clairee and 
Bardonneche, is the lowest in the entire 
chain of the Alps, excepting only the 
two great gaps that lead from the valley 
of the Adige to that of the Inn ; and 
the Col de la Saume, by which the 
passage from Piedmont into Savoy is 
here accomplished, is easy and tolerably 
frequented, so that in fine weather a 
guide is not required on this route. 

Fioin La Vachette, where the high- 



road of the Genevre leaves the banks 
of the Clairee, a char-road mounts 
through the valley of that torrent, some- 
times called Va 'l de Nevache, to Plan- 
pinet, 3 hours from Brianeon. The 
ascent is very gentle, as Planpinet is 
but 576 feet above the city. Less than 
a mile above the village a frequented 
track mounts tp the right, towards 
the Col des Echelles de Planpinet, 
the summit of which is but 5,873 feet 
above the sea. On the N. side of the 
pass is a rock, which resembles a gi- 
gantic tower. The descent on the N. 
side is short but steep, in part by steps 
cut in the rock, and is scarcely practi- 
cable for laden mules. It leads into the 
Valetroite, a narrow glen through 
which the Melezel torrent descends 
from the Mont Tabor to join the three 
other streams which meet at Bardon- 
neche (Rte. E). At the base of the 
descent, the track from the Col falls 
into a char-road, and encounters the 
signs of human industry, which has 
here been actively stimulated by the 
great works in progress connected with 
the tunnel through the Alps. The 
water of the Melezel has been used 
to work the machines for compress- 
ing air, and limekilns and work- 
shops have arisen in this wild and 
remote glen. From this point, Bar- 
donneche may be reached in 1 hr., and 
it would be easy to take that place 
on the way to Modane (see next 
Rte.) ; but the more direct course 
mounts to the NW., along the Melezel, 
which is crossed several times, . to 
the poor hamlet of Valetroite (about 
3 hrs. from Planpinet), where the 
char-road comes to an end. From 
hence, the summit of the Mont Tabor 
is seen at the head of the valley, but 
presents a less imposing appearance 
than the nearer peak of La Muande. 
Above Valetroite the torrent is crossed 
by a wooden bridge, and soon after the 
path to the Col de la. Saume begins to 
ascend rather steeply, through a lateral 
glen which opens to the N. About l£ 
hr. suffices to gain the summit, from 
whence some of the peaks of the Pel- 



44 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 6. GENEVBE DISTRICT. 



voux group are visible oyer the inter- 
vening ranges. On the N. side of the 
Col are two small lakes, below which 
the descent, a little E. of IS"., is very 
easy, over grassy slopes, passing the 
chalets of Replanetta. A path mount- 
ing to the E., over a low col, connects 
this pass with that of La Roue (lite. 
F). Lower down is a group of chalets, 
called La Louze, below which a more 
rapid descent on the rt. bank of the 
torrent leads in 1 hr. from the Col to 
the opening of a lateral valley on the 
rt., leading to the Col de ia Roue. 
15 min. lower down the path crosses 
9, very picturesque and partly natural 
oridge. Nearly 1 hr. farther on, and 
above the junction of another torrent 
from the rt,. is the chapel of Notre 
Dame de Charmef, a sanctuary long 
celebrated in the district of Maurienne. 
From hence a char-road leads to Mo- 
dane, bearing round the slope of the 
mountain, in a NW. direction, through 
a pine forest, where the pedestrian may 
shorten his way by a judicious choice 
of short cuts. Gaining here and there 
a glimpse of the glaciers N. of Modane, 
and of those of the Grandes Rousses 
to the TV., the traveller reaches Modane 
(§ 7, Rte. A) in 1 hr. from the 
Chapel, or about 3} hrs. from the Col. 
Four hours are necessary for the ascent 
on this side. 

The Mont Tabor (10,436') is at the 
same time one of the most favourable 
points for a panoramic view of the 
western Alps, and one of the most 
easily accessible of the higher summits. 
It is most conveniently ascended from 
Bardonneche by the Valetroite, but 
may also be reached from Modane by 
the Col de la Saume. or from St. Michel 
by way of Valmeinier. In the ascent 
from Bardonneche, the char-road 
through the Valetroite is followed, as 
far as the highest chalets, 2^ hrs. 
When these are passed, instead of 
mounting the lateral valley which leads 
to the Col de la Saume, the ascent con- 
tinues due NW. through the gorge of 
the Bridoire. The path ascends steeply 
by zigzags on the right side of the 



torrent, above the narrow cleft through 
which it forces its way. In f hr. the 
upper pasturages of the valley are 
gained, and these are succeeded by 
another long and steep ascent, leading 
to a wild hollow enclosed on the left, 
or SW., by the precipices of the 
Muande. The way follows the torrent, 
which flows at the base of enormous 
piles of debris fallen from these cliffs, 
until in about 1 hr. farther a point is 
gained which overlooks a small lake of 
deep blue water, half choked by the 
huge blocks that fall into it from the N. 
face of the Muande, which from this 
point is a very grand object. Keeping 
to the S. side of the lake, the ascent 
continues nearly due TV. over piles of 
debris, till in about 2^- hrs. from Vale- 
troite the crest of the Col de la Muande 
is attained. This is a depression in the 
ridge extending S. from the Mont Tabor 
to the Mont Chaberton, and dividing 
the tributaries of the Dora from the 
Clairee. The view is already very ex- 
tensive. Descending a little from the 
Col, and bearing to the rt, a stream 
is crossed near to where it issues from 
a snow-rift of the Mont Tabor, and the 
ascent towards the summit is thence- 
forward by a well-traced path, marked 
at intervals by crosses, and the little 
chapel which stands on the highest 
platform of the mountain comes dis- 
tinctly into view. About f hr. from 
the Col, the edge of the upper snow- 
field is attained. As this is usually 
very soft, and undermined by streamlets, 
it is usual to bear a little to the left in 
order to avoid the steeper part of the 
snow-slope. There is no difficulty 
whatever in the ascent, which might 
even be accomplished on mule-back. 
The last portion of the ascent is, how- 
ever, fatiguing, from the adhesive na- 
ture of the soil, composed of mud 
mixed with half-melted snow. The 
chapel, which is often visited by pil- 
grims in the month of September, is 
near the pyramid erected in 1822, 
a short distance TV. of the chapel, 
by the officers engaged in geodesic 
operations. The panorama from the 



ROUTE F. — GHAMBERY TO TURIN. 



45 



summit includes all the higher peaks 
of the westeim Alps. Among the re- 
markable objects nearer at hand, is the 
head of the Valmeinier, with a dark 
lake, one of twelve that a.re reckoned in 
that wild valley. The summit is 
reached in 1^ hr. from the Col de la 
Muande,or 6^ hrs. from Bardonneche. 
The descent to that place may be 
effected in 4 hrs. 

In making the ascent from Modane, 
it is necessary to begin by reaching the 
Col de la iSaurne (4 hrs). Descend 
a short way on the S. side, and, in- 
stead of following the regular track to 
Valetroite, bearing to the rt. across 
stony pastures, you reach in 20 mint, 
a hollow recess in the mountain, 
by which it is possible to attain the 
summit in a nearly direct line; hut- 
it is an easier course to bear to the 
left, over piles of quartz blocks, and 
mount towards the Muande, till near 
the little lake at its base, when, as 
in the way above described, the ascent 
is continued to the crest of the Col 
de la Muande, l£ hr. from the Col 
de la Saume. From Modane to 
the summit rather more than 7 hrs. 
are requisite, and 6 hrs. for the de- 
scent. 

A third way to the summit is from 
the Valmeinier, which pours its torrent 
into the Arc, close to St. Michel. A 
rapid ascent leads from St. Michel to 
the mining village of Valmeinier (4,838'), 
and, after passing two or three hamlets 
farther up the valley, attains the chapel 
of Notre Dame des Neiges (7,185')- 
From thence the track descends to cross 
a gully, and then mounts gently over 
green pastures on the rt. bank of the 
torrent. A small glacier must be 
crossed to gain the ridge of the moun- 
tain. From Valmeinier the ascent is 
made in about 6 hrs. ; the descent re- 
quires 4tj hrs. 

Guides may be found at Bardonneche 
and at Modane. At the latter place, 
Pierre Antoine Glain is recommended; 
pay, 6 to 8 fr. per day. 



Route F. 

CHAMEERY TO TURIN TUNNEL 

THROUGH THE ALPS. 

Railway throughout— 205 kilometres, 127$ 
English miles. 

The completion of the great tunnel 
through the Alps has effected a remark- 
able change in this region. It is often 
improperly called the Mont Cenis 
tunnel, though 16 miles distant from 
that pass, and separated from it by the 
great glacier-clad mass of the Mont 
d'Ambin. The result has been to re- 
duce one of the most frequented of 
Alpine passes to a condition of com- 
parative neglect and abandonment. 

The traveller who goes directly by 
train must expect to see nothing of the 
fine scenery of this route, beyond an 
occasional glimpse from the carriage 
window. The only tolerably direct 
train leaves Paris at 8.40 p.m., reaches 
Macon (275 miles) in 9 hrs., and con- 
sumes over 12 hrs— allowing for the 
difference between Paris and Roman 
time — in performing the remaining dis- 
tance of 209 miles. Reaching Turis 
at 6.42 p.m., the traveller may go on 
the same night by mail train to Florence 
and Rome. In the opposite direction 
the jealous policy of the Lyons and 
Mediterranean Railway Company is 
stdl more successful in delaying travel- 
lers. Leaving Turin at 9 a.m. the mail 
train does not reach Paris till 6.55 a.m. 
the next day (nearly 23 hrs.. allowing 
for difference of time ). too late to catch 
the mail train for London. 

The line of rJy. from Chambery to 
Modane is described in § 7, Rte A. 
That place is about 2 m. higher up the 
valley of the Arc than the opening of 
the tunnel. 

The Tunnel through the Alps is an 
undertaking of such general interest 
and importance, that a short notice of 
it will be acceptable. 

The merit of proposing the plan 
which was finally adopted is due to 
M. JVledail, of Bardonneche, who spent 
j many years in examining this part of 
' the Alpine chain, and lived long enough 



4:6 COTTIAN ALPS. § 6. 

to see his project entertained by the 
commission appointed by the Sardinian 
Government to consider the feasibility 
of a railway tunnel which should pierce 
the Cottian Alps. No other line equally 
short has yet been proposed for a tunnel 
starting from so moderate an elevation. 
The N. terminus of the tunnel is on 
the slope of the mountain, about 400 
feet above the hamlet of Fourneaux, on 
the high road of the Mont Cenis, 1 ^ m. 
below Modane. The opening is 3,904 
feet above the sea-level, and to reach it 
the railway is forced to mount the 
valley as far as Modane, and then return 
by an incline of moderate slope. The 
entire distance pierced is 12,220 metres, 
or 7^ English miles. For one-half of 
the way — on the N. side of the centre 
— the railway rises with a uniform 
slope of ^§§0 to the height of 4,377 
feet, and thence descends very slightly 
to the southern terminus, near to Bar- 
donneche, 4,344 feet above the sea. 
The main difficulty of this great en- 
terprise lay in the fact that the height 
of the mountain above the tunnel made 
it impossible to give access to it by 
vertical shafts, which at the same time 
facilitate ventilation and multiply the 
points at which the work may be carried 
on. To overcome these two formidable 
objections it was necessary to devise 
machines which should provide more 
effectual means for ventilation than any 
hitherto in use, and at the same time 
penetrate the rock more rapidly than 
the ordinary process of blasting. When 
the matter was first seriously exa- 
mined, it was estimated that, even if 
it were possible for workmen to labour 
in a shaft of such depth, and in air 
vitiated by the frequent explosion of 
gunpowder, it would have required 
thirty-six years to accomplish the work 
by such means as were then available. 
The demand for new machinery led to 
a supply of ingenious projects, of which 
that finally adopted was devised by 
two Piedmontese engineers. MM. Som- 
meiller and Grattoni. The motive 
power was derived from a waterfall about 
65 feet in height, by which atmospheric 



GENEVRE DISTRICT. 

air was compressed and made available 
in the interior of the tunnel at once for 
ventilation, for piercing the rock, and 
for removing the rubbish. On the N. 
side the system was modified in order 
to use the current of the Arc for motive 
power. The progress during the latter 
years surpassed expectation, and this 
great work was completed two years 
earlier than the date originally fixed. 
The means used for ventilation are quite 
successful, and no inconvenience, such 
as usually is felt in long tunnels, is 
here experienced by travellers. 

Soon after emerging from the tunnel 
the train reaches the Bardonneche 
station (see next Rte.), and descends 
through the lateral glen that joins the 
main valley of the Dora Riparia at Oulx. 
Only one slow train stops here daily, 
but they all stop at the next station. 

Salabertrand (see Rte. A). From 
this place the old post road descends by 
the 1. side of the valley to Exilles and 
Susa, while the railway, keeping to a 
great height above the rt. bank of the 
river, passes Meana, a village opposite 
Susa, and finally descends into the open 
valley at Bussoleno, where the rly. from 
Susa joins the main line. For the rail- 
way to Turin see § 7, Rte. A. 



Route G, 

MODANE TO CESANNE. 

9i hours by the Col de Frejus ; lOf hours by the 
Col de la Roue. 

Besides the Col de la Saume, de- 
scribed in Route E, two other passes 
lead more directly from Modane to 
Cesanne, or to Susa, by Bardonneche. 

1. The shortest path from Modane to 
Bardonneche lies over the Col de Frejus ; 
but it is n>ugh, and fit only for a pedes- 
trian. The track leading to the Col de 
la Saume (Route E.) is followed to 
the chapel of Notre Dame de Charmet, 
and for 35 min. farther (in all if hr. 
ascending) to a stone bridge crossing 
a stream which descends from SSE. 



§ 7. CENIS 

through a picturesque glen called La 
Combe d'Arrionda. The ascent up 
that glen is at first easy, crossing pas- 
tures under which, at a depth of some 
1,600 or 1,800 feet, the tunnel is here- 
after to pass. At the head of the glen 
a very steep slope leads up to the Col 
de Frejus, 2 hrs. from the bridge, and 
3| from Modane. The railway engi- 
neers have constructed an observatory 
on the crest of the ridge, some way E. 
of the Col. 1^ hr. of rather rapid 
descent through a barren glen leads 
down to 

Bardonneche (Inns: La Percee des 
Alpes, smalland poor ; Cavallo Bianco, 
still smaller, civil people, and charges 
reasonable ; Italia). Until lately a 
neglected Alpine village, about 4,260 
feet above the sea, this is now a place 
of great resort and of industrial activity, 
owing to the works in connexion with 
the great tunnel, the entrance to which 
is about 1 m. distant. The position, 
in a fertile valley at the junction of 
four streams — that of the Melezel,from 
Valetroite (lite. E)'; those from the 
Col de Frejus and Col de la Roue ; and 
that of Rochemolle, from the NE. — is 
agreeable and picturesque. The ruins 
of an ancient castle overlook the village. 
Several rare plants, such as Euphrasia 
lanceolata, Inula rnontana, Herniaria 
incana, Hieracium Lawsoni, &c, are 
found near the village. A good road 
leads from Bardonneche to Oulx, nearly 
8 ni. ; from thence to Cesanne is 5 m. 
by the high road of the Mont Genevre ; 
or to Susa 15 m., if the traveller wish 
to descend into Piedmont. 

2. A much easier but longer way 
from Mondane to Bardonneche is by the 
Col de la Roue. Instead of turning 
off to the 1. from the path to the Col 
de la Saume, at the opening of the 
Combe d'Arrionda, the main valley is 
followed for about 1 hr. farther to the 
opening of another glen, also on the 
1. hand in ascending, close to some 
chalets called Pra de Riou (2| hrs. 
from Modam'). After mounting through 
some stunted pines, the path lies over 
open pastures to another group of chalets 



DISTRICT. 47 

called Fontaine Froide, 1 £ hr. from Pra 
deRiou. A further ascent of half an hour, 
by a path which even in winter is well 
marked by poles, leads to the summit 
of the Col de la .Roue (8,334'?), one of 
the most easily accessible passes of the 
Alps (4| hrs. from Modane). The 
descent lies through a treeless and 
dreary glen, leading in 2 hrs. to Bar- 
donneche. 



SECTION 7. 

CENIS DISTRICT. 

In this district we include that por- 
tion of the chain of the Cottian Alps, 
between the valleys of the Arc and the 
Dora Riparia, which adjoins the pass 
of Mont Cenis. On either side of 
the pass two peaks of considerable 
height, each flanked by extensive 
glaciers and snow-fields — the Roche 
Melon and the Mont d'Ambin — are the 
watch-towers of this portion of the 
rampart that should protect Italy from 
the greed of her northern neighbours. 
Though long frequented by hundreds 
of travellers of every condition, the 
attractions of this district for the lover 
of nature have been scarcely at all 
recognised. The accommodation to be 
found on the plateau of the Mont Cenis, 
if not very good, is such as a mount- 
aineer need not quarrel with ; and the 
position is full of interest, not only to 
the naturalist, but also for those who 
like to enjoy at leisure the advantages 
of high mountain air, and of scenery 
which, though not of the very firstorder, 
will well reward the explorer. There 
is a pretty good map of the immediate 
neighbourhood of the Mont Cenis by 
Derrien, published in 1821. 



48 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 7. CENIS DISTRICT. 



Route A. 

CHAMBERY TO TURIN — PASS OF 
MONT CENIS. 

Kilo- 



Montmelian (by railway) 
St. Pierre d'Albigny 
Aiguebelle . 
Epierre . 
La Cbambre. 
St. Jean de Maurienne 
St. Michel . 
Nadane . 



Le Vernay (by road) 
Lanslebourg . 
Tavernettes . 
Molaret 

Susa 

Bussoleno (by railway) 
Condove 
A vigliana 
Alpignano . 
Turin . 



metres 
14 
10 
12 
10 
13 
10 
12 
17 

10 
13 
13 
14 
10 



English 
miles 

8f 

8 

6| 
71 
10i 

P 



211 131| 

The distances on the railway lines 
are measured from the stations, often 
at some distance from the town or 
■village after which they are named. 

As has been remarked in § 6, Rte. 
F, the pass of Mont Cenis, long the 
most frequented of Alpine passes, is 
now the least resorted to of all those 
traversed by a carriage-road. Yet the 
pass itself has attractions that must 
in due time attract a good many 
strangers, especially if they are able to 
find tolerably comfortable quarters. 

On leaving Chambery (§ 10), the rly. 
following a depression between the 
range of the Dent de Nivolet and the 
Mont Granier, makes a bend to the SE. 
until it meets the banks of the Isere at 
Montmelian (§ 10). Even when seen 
under the disadvantages of railway tra- 
velling, the scenery of this part of 
Savoy — where the rich vegetation of the 
valleys contrasts with the rugged pre- 
cipices of the mountains that enclose 
them, and many a ruined stronghold 
recalls recollections of the continual 
warfare that was waged here for cen- 
turies—must interest the passing tra- 
veller. Above Montmelian the rly. 
crosses the Isere on a tine bridge, while 
the post-road follows the opposite or rt. 
bank of the river. Mont Blanc is visible 



from some points of the road, which 
here bends to the NE. to the station of 
St. Pierre d' Albigny. The little town 
is on the opposite side of the river, 
and is reached by omnibus in 25 min. 
It is said to possess a good inn, and 
would be a convenient station for ex- 
ploring the ranges which enclose this 
part of the valley of the Isere. (See 
§ 10, Rte. I.) About 3 m. SW. of the 
station is the village of Coise, very 
prettily situated, and reputed for its 
mineral waters, which contain iodine 
and bromine in combination with mag- 
nesia, and are said to act as a specific for 
the goitre, too common in this district. 

2| m. above St. Pierre is the sta- 
tion of Chamousset, close to the junction 
of the Arc with the Isere. The post- 
road to Albertville (§ 12) follows the 
latter stream, while the rly. and the 
road of the Mont Cenis are carried along 
the 1. bark of the Arc. 5 m. far- 
ther is Aiguebelle (Inns : Poste ; Par- 
faite Union), which was almost com- 
pletely destroyed in 1760 by a land-slip 
from the Montagne des Combes. For 
the ensuing 20 miles the valley of the 
Arc mounts near due S., and the rail- 
way and high-road, after crossing the 
stream, keep together on the rt. bank. 
[From Epierre, two passes lead to La 
Rochette and Allevard. The Col d'Her- 
barietan descends on the W. side of 
the ridge, along an affluent of the Gelon 
torrent ; while the Col de la Perche, 
farther S., leads to La Rochette by the 
valley of the Soudron (see § 10).] 

At the hamlet of La Chapelle the 
rly. passes through a short tunnel, and 
on issuing from it the traveller may 
catch a glimpse to the SW. of two py- 
ramidal peaks — the Pic du Frene, and, 
more to the right, the Grand Miceau, 
with the pass of the Pas du Frene be- 
tween them (see § 8, Rte. F). [From 
St. Remy, on the 1. bank, a path leads 
to Allevard, by the Col de la Freche, 
more direct than those above men- 
tioned.] About 14 m. from Aigue- 
belle is La Chambre (1,577'), a pic- 
turesque village, with some remains of 
ancient architecture. Up to this point 



ROUTE A. VALLEY OF THE ARC. 



49 



the valley rises very gently — 865 feet 
in -J8 milesfrom Montmelian. Opposite 
to the village, the valley of the Glandon 
mounts rapidly to the SSW., leading by 
various passes to Allevard, or to Bourg 
d'Oisans (see § 8). In exactly the 
opposite direction, the valley of the 
Bugion is traversed by the path leading 
to the Col de la Madeleine, NNE. of La 
Chambre (see § 11). 

The Arc winds round the bases of 
the mountains that enclose the straitened 
valley before entering the little plain 
at its confluence with the Arvan, where 
stands the ancient capital of this district, 

St. Jean de Ma urienne (Inns : Europe; 
Cheval Blanc; Voyageurs; all indif- 
ferent). The little town (1,906') is on 
rising ground overlooking the valley, 
and about l^m. distant from the railway 
station on the 1. bank of the Arc. 
The cathedral, externally uninteresting, 
contains several curious monuments, and 
some magnificent specimens of wood- 
carving. Although the see is one of 
the oldest N. of the Alps, no part of 
the existing building appears to be older 
than the 15th century. The adjoin- 
ing cloisters deserve a visit ; and the 
church of Notre Dame has a curious 
porch dating trom the 13th century. 
For passes to the valley of the Ro- 
manche, see § 8. The Col de la 
Platiere, leading to Moutiers, is noticed 
in § 11. After passing the torrent of 
the Arvan, the rly. enters the portion 
of the valley which has opposed the 
most serious difficulties to the main- 
tenance of regular communication 
between France and N. Italy. The i 
mountains which overhang the valley, 
and especially the Roc des Encombres, 
are composed of rocks that yield 
rapidly to the weather, and the slopes 
at their base consist of enormous piles 
of debris, accumulated in the course 
of ages. Every storm brings down 
fresh heaps of sand and fine rubbish, 
mixed with larger blocks; while at 
the same moment the swollen torrents 
eat into the half-consolidated soil of the 
lower slopes, cutting deep trenches, and 
often sweeping large masses away in 

PART I. 



their current. The difficulty of finding 
solid foundations for bridges and em- 
bankments, or of protecting the road 
from frequent degradation, has been a 
constant source of anxiety and expense. 
7-k m. SE. of St. Jean is the station of 

"St. Michel (2,316'?), close to the 
village, where are several decent- 
looking inns (H. de la Poste, best, 
formerly H. de Londres). On the op- 
posite side of the Arc is the opening 
of the Valmeinier, leading up to the 
Mont Tabor, and a little to the left the 
rugged path which leads by Yalloires 
to the Col de Galibier (§ 6). To the 
N. is the track to the Col des Encom- 
bres (§11). 

Until the opening of the great tun- 
nel this was the terminus of the railway, 
known by the name of its inventor, 
Mr. Fell, which was opened for traffic 
in 1868. To the astonishment of those 
used to the ordinary conditions of rail- 
way travelling, the locomotive with a 
train of carriages was seen to toil up 
and hurry down slopes alongside of an 
ordinary alpine road, and to turn 
corners within little more space than 
was required by the diligences. The 
system adopted seemed perfectly safe, 
but it may be doubted whether the 
economic results were satisfactory. The 
power available was much less than in 
ordinary railways, as only about 48 
travellers could be conveyed at a time. 

Soon after quitting St. Michel the rly. 
and the old road cross to the left bank 
of the Arc, and begin to ascend through 
a wild gorge, cutting almost perpen- 
! dicularly the nearly vertical strata, in 
which beds of anthracite frequently 
recur. Larches begin to show them- 
selves on the S. side of the valley ; but 
on slopes exposed to the sun, on the 
opposite bank, the vine is cultivated as 
far as Frenev. From the village of 
Orelle, which stands out of sight above 
the rt. bank, a path leads to Moutiers 
by a high snow-pass, called Col de la 
Montee da Fond. It joins the path from 
the Col cles Encombres (§ 11) near the 
hamlet of Bruyeres. 

Before reaching Freney (8 m. from 

E 



50 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 



7. CENIS DISTRICT. 



St. Michel), the valley opens, and the 
ascent becomes more gentle ; a little 
farther, above the hamlet of Fourneaux, 
where iron ore from a neighbouring 
mine was formerly smelted, the entrance 
to the great tunnel comes into view 
(see § 6, Rte. F). 1^ m. farther is 

Modane (Inns : Lion d'Or, pretty- 
good, dear ; Croix Blanche ; Des Voy- 
ageurs), a large village (3,494'), the last 
French station on the rly., where the 
luggage of travellers coming from 
Italy is examined. The Routes to Bar- 
donneche and Briancon are described 
in § 6 ; those to Pralognan in § 11. 

The traveller bound from Modane 
to the Mont Cenis now follows the old 
post-roadon thel. bank, gradually rising 
to a great height above the Arc. The 
fortress of L Esseillon is seen on a 
rock which appears to bar further pro- 
gress, and the chasm through which the 
Arc flows between the forts and the 
high-road serves as a fosse to the seem- 
ingly impregnable works which formerly 
commanded this entrance into Italy. 
On the slope of the mountain N. of 
L'Esseillon is the village of Aussois 
(4,921'), leading to the Col of the same 
name (see § 11). In the opposite 
direction is the Col de Pelouze (Rte. 
E). After passing the fortress, the road 
descends towards the Arc, and 2 m. 
farther reaches Le Vernoy, the princi- 
pal hamlet of the commune ofBramans, 
after crossing the torrent of St. Pierre, 
which descends from the Combe d'Am- 
bin. About A\ m. farther, on the 
rt. bank, is Termignon (Inns : Lion 
d'Or ; Soleil ; Rose), a small village, 
at the confluence of the Leysse with 
the Arc. From this point the higher 
peaks of the Tarentaise may most con- 
veniently be approached by the track 
which leads over the Plan du Loup to 
Entre deux Eaux (§ 11). The little 
church which stands on a projecting 
rock above the village has a belfry of 
rather curious architecture, and the re- 
mains of an ancient chapel dedicated 
to St. Columbanus will also interest 
the antiquary. On leaving Termignon, 
the road makes a rather steep ascent, 



entering the valley of the Leysse, and 
returning at a higher level to that of the 
Arc. 3 m. farther the traveller reaches 
the last considerable village in the valley 
of the Arc, 4,465 ft. above the sea. 

Lanshbourg, once a busy place with 
a constant stream of traffic, now a silent 
alpine village. The most shameless 
extortion was formerly practised here 
towards travellers detained by snow- 
storms, which sometimes close the 
road in winter for one or two days. 

Above the village the road crosses 
the Arc by a stone bridge for the last 
time, and the ascent of the Mont Cenis 
almost immediately commences. The 
slope of the mountain is so uniform that 
on this side it presents no engineering 
difficulties, and when the existing road 
was constructed, under the orders of 
Napoleon, between 1803 and 1810, it 
was merely necessary to decide what 
slope should be given to it. The gra- 
dient adopted was about 1 ft. in 15, and 
this is preserved with tolerable uni- 
formity throughoutthe ascent. This is 
effected by six long zigzags, each bend 
of which is about f m. in length. The 
Fell rly. kept close to the road, and in 
fact occupied part of the roadway, ex- 
cept at the sharp turns where a slightly 
wider sweep was made. Twenty-three 
houses of refuge are placed along the 
road at convenient positions — a neces- 
sary precaution for the safety of those 
who are forced to pass during rough 
winter weather. But 5 of these are on 
the N. side, while 1 7 are disposed along 
the more exposed part of the route, be- 
tween the summit and Susa. The refuge 
No. 18 is close to the top. A pedes- 
trian following the direct path which 
keeps near to the line of the telegraph 
posts, may reach that point from 
Lanslebourg in 1| hour. 

The summit of the pass— 6,772 ft. 
above the sea (some authorities make it 
105 ft. higher) — commands a fine view 
of the Tarentaise Alps, N. of Lansle- 
bourg. In the opposite direction the 
scenery shows a great contrast. The 
mountain range between the valleys of 
the Arc and the Dora is here of con- 



ROUTE A. PASS OF MONT CENIS. 



51 



siderable breadth, and while it descends | 
directly from the summit of the pass to 
the Arc, it spreads out on the S. side 
into an undulating plain, on which lies 
a lake enclosed between peaks of mo- 
derate height; the real descent com- 
mencing at a distance of several miles 
fromthetopof the pass. In passing 
from Susa to Lanslebourg in winter 
time, when snow lies on the slope, it is 
possible to descend from the summit 
to the high road near Lanslebourg 
in about 10 min., by means of small 
sledges, used for the conveyance of 
wood, which the country people manage 
with great dexterity. 

At about 2 miles from the top, on a 
sort of terrace, 200 ft. above the lake, 
is Les Tavernettes. This consists of a 
row of buildings, of which the largest 
— the Ancienne Maison de Poste— now 
used merely as an inn, is one of the 
best head-quarters for a naturalist in 
the entire chain of the Alps. Easy of 
access — for it may be reached in a short 
day's journey from Chambery, Milan, 
or Genoa — it lies in the centre of a dis- 
trict unusually interesting to the bota- 
nist. The pastures surrounding the lake, 
when seen before the cattle are driven 
up there, which usually happens early 
in July, may vie with our finest gar- 
dens for the beauty and variety of their 
flowers, and the surrounding heights 
produce most of the rarest species of 
the Western Alps. To name but a few 
of the more interesting species, we find 
here Ranunculus pyrenoeus, Draba py- 
renaica, Arahis cenisia, Saponaria lutea, 
Ononis cenisia, Phaca australis, Oxy- 
tropis foziida and O. Gaudini, Astra- 
galus depressus, Saxifraga diapensioides, 
Hieracium valdepilosum, Campanula ce- 
nisia and C. Allionii, Swertia perennis, 
Veronica Allionii, Pedicularis comosa 
and P. gyrqflexa, Cortusa Matthioli, Pa- 
radisia Liliastrum, Car ex microglochin, 
and Alopecurus Gerardi. On the slope 
towards Lanslebourg may be found also 
Pinus uncinata, Poa distichophylla, and 
Festuca flavescens. The list might be 
considerably extended if we were to 
include placea within easy reach, such 



as the Little Mont Cenis and the Col 
du Clapier (Rte. C). 

The Ancienne Poste has changed 
hands several times within the last few 
years, and the inn offers but moderate 
accommodation. There are three or 
four rough, but tolerably clean, bed- 
rooms. The food is sufficiently good, 
including excellent trout from the lake, 
for which a handsome price is charged. 
About 1 m. beyond Les Tavernettes is 
the Hospice of the Mont Cenis, a very 
large building, erected by Napoleon on 
the site of the ancient convent. One 
half of the building was intended for 
barracks, now rarely occupied, built 
to accommodate detachments of troops, 
which, during the First Empire, were 
constantly passing this way ; the other 
half is under the charge of two eccle- 
siastics, who are bound to lodge and 
feed poor travellers. There are two or 
three rooms fitted up for guests of the 
higher class, and a naturalist intending 
to make some stay might possibly ob- 
tain here better accommodation than 
at the Ancienne Poste. 2 miles farther, 
and still on the plateau, is a group of 
houses with extensive stabling, cailed 
La Grande Croix, where the diligences 
used to change horses. 

Immediately beyond La Grande Croix 
the plateau comes to an end, and the 
descent commences. The old road was 
carried to the right, along the steep 
rocks which overlook the little plain of 
St. Nicholas. This course was aban- 
doned in consequence of the frequency 
of avalanches in spring, but was in 
part resumed by the engineers of the 
Fell rly. This was protected from ava- 
lanches by galleries, partly in solid 
masonry, and by tunnels. The high 
road is carried by zigzags down a steep 
descent, near a waterfall of the Cenise 
torrent, the stream from the upper lake, 
and reaches the plateau of St. Nicholas 
out of the reach of avalanches. 

The ancient horse-track, still some- 
times used by foot-passengers, descended 
from the S. end of this plateau through 
the gorge of La Ferriere to the village 
of Novalese, at the base of the Roche 



E 2 



52 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 7. CENIS DISTRICT. 



Melon, and followed the stream, thence 
to Susa. Some time is saved by that 
course, but a better view and cooler air 
is gained by following the high road, 
which is carried at a great height above 
Novalese along the W. side of the valley. 
The Roche Melon, hitherto concealed 
by nearer peaks, now stands out, and 
remains the most conspicuous object 
throughout the descent to Susa. A 
gentle slope leads to Bard, and thence, 
after some windings which may be 
abridged by a judicious choice of short 
cuts, to the post-house of Molaret. Less 
than ^ m. beyond the post-house a rough 
path on the 1. leads down a steep slope, 
partly amidst brambles and deciduous 
trees, and reaches the bottom of the 
valley a short way from Venaas, from 
whence Susa is reached in less than 1 
hour's walk. An easier way is to follow 
the high road, merely cutting off the 
zigzags on the slope descending to Jail- 
Ion, or Giaglione — a hamlet composed 
chiefly of cabarets, half-way from Mo- 
laret to Susa. The views gained in the 
course of the descent are very fine, and 
the combination of Alpine scenery with 
southern vegetation should have con- 
ferred on this entrance into Italy a 
higher reputation than it has yet ob- 
tained. Some detached bosses of rock 
intervening between the Cenise and the 
Dora conceal the city from view until 
the traveller is close to 

Susa (Inns : H. de France, probably 
cheaper since traffic has ceased ; H. de 
Savoie), a small city occupying the site 
of a Roman station, founded or extended 
in the time of Augustus. The cathe- 
dral, built in the twelfth century, has a 
curious belfry in the Romanesque style, 
and some of the carving and sculpture 
is interesting. A lane opening on the 
place of the cathedral leads in 2 or 3 
min. to the Roman Triumphal Arch, 
erected about 8 B.C. in honour of 
Augustus. The columns are of the 
Corinthian order, and the capitals as 
well as the sculpture of the entablature 
are in a very decayed condition. Im- 
mediately N. of Susa are the ruins of 
the Fort of La Brunetta, blown up by 



the French in 1798. The adjoining 
rocks, and those above the neighbour- 
ing village of Mompantero, exposed to 
the full force of the sun, support many 
southern plants, which are rarely seen 
so far from the shores of the Mediter 
ranean, and among them the rare Tele- 
phium Imperati. 

The Susa station, once such a busy 
place, now serves merely for the local 
traffic of that small town. The Inter- 
national railway passes at a consider- 
able height on the opposite slope of the 
main valley, and the Susa branch joins 
what is now the main line at the 
Bussoleno station, about 5 m. distant. 
The ordinary trains between Susa and 
Turin travel very slowly, employing 

I more than 2hrs. to accomplish 33 miles. 

| For about three-fourths of the distance 
the railroad is carried through the 
valley of the Dora, enclosed between 
two mountain ranges which gradually 
diminish in height and subside into the 
plain near Alpignano. On the way, near 
to the San? Ambrogio station, about 15 
m. from Susa, is seen a remarkable rock 
rising nearly 2,000 ft. above the valley, 
and crowned by the ancient castle-like 
convent of San Michele, founded in 
999, and partly rebuilt by the late King 
Charles Albert. The architecture of 
the building, as well as its noble posi- 
tion, well reward the ascent, which re- 
quires 1} hr. After passing within 
sight of Rivoli, the train reaches 

Turin (Inns : Europa, first-rate ; Li- 
guria, in the Via di Porta Nuova, near 
the railway to Genoa, good, with an 
excellent restaurant on the ground- 
floor; Gran Bretagna; Ftder, formerly 
good, much fallen off ; H. de la Ville, 
formerly Pension Suisse ; Alb. del 
Pozzo ; this and the last rather cheaper 
than the above mentioned). As the tem- 
porary capital of Italy, Turin became 
an expensive city, andthe recentchange 
has not materially lowered prices. It 
abounds in handsome cafes and re- 
staurants. Though prices a la carte are 
not cheap, a party dining together can 
get a good dinner at from 3 to 4 fr. a 
head, at the better class of restaurants. 



ROUTE B. THE ROCHE MELON. 



53 



"Route B. 

SUSA TO BESSANS — ROCHE MELON. 

To a mountaineer the most interest- 
ing object in the neighbourhood of Susa 
is the peak of the Roche Melon. There 
is perhaps no point in the range 
of the Alps, excepting the Monte Yiso, 
so well placed to command a view 
of the undulating plateau between the 
Alp and the Apennine, scored by the 
channels of many rapid rivers, that 
makes up the territory of Piedmont. 
By the route here described it is pos- 
sible to take the summit of the Roche 
Melon on the way to the village of 
Bessans in the valley of the Arc ; but 
this involves a very laborious day's 
work, and most persons would find it 
more advisable to sleep either at the 
ehalets of Trucco or at the Ca d'Asti 

The most direct way from Susa is 
by the village of Mompantero, whence 
a horse- track mounts to the chalets of 
Trucco. The ascent continues with 
increasing steepness past the highest 
larches, and finally reaches a chapel 
called Ca d'Asti, near which, at the 
extraordinary height of 9,386 ft., are 
some sheds for the reception of pil- 
grims. Above 5k hrs. are required to 
reach this point, but in descending the 
distance may be accomplished in Jess 
than 3 hrs. From the Ca d'Asti the way 
lies partly along a narrow ridge of rock, 
and partly up extremely steep slopes of 
debris. 1 f hr. are required to reach the 
summit over ground which elsewhere 
in the Alps would be considered fit 
only for the chamois hunter or the pro- 
fessed mountaineer; yet it is annually 
traversed by some hundreds of pilgrims, 
men and women, who commonly pass 
the night on the mountain in order to 
reach the top at an early hour on 
August 5. The object which prompts 
the pilgrims to face the dangers of 
the ascent — for serious accidents are 
not uTifrequent — is an ancient chapel, 
originally built- by a crusader, Boni- 
face of Asti, in fulfilment of a vow 
made when a captive among the Sara- 



! cens. It is so small that but four 
persons can enter it at a time, and it is 
difficult to understand how the large 
number of visitors can find footing on 
the narrow ridge which forms the sum- 
mit of the mountain. It is said that the 
original chapel of Boniface of Asti was 
hewn out of the rock in a spot which 
is now covered up with neve. The 
existence of a recess artificially hollowed 
in the rock was proved in the hot sum- 
mer of 1820, when the entrance was un- 
covered by the melting of the snow, and 
the supposed chapel was entered by M. 
Francesetti. Beside the chapel, on the 
highest peak of the mountain 11,621 ft. 
above the sea, is the stone signal erect- 
ed by the engineers for the measure- 
ment of an Arc of the mean parallel 
from the Adriatic to the Atlantic coast 
of France. The extreme steepness of 
the S. and W. faces of the Roche Melon 
enables so little snow to rest there that 
in summer they are usually quite bare ; 
but on the northern slope a considerable 
field of neVe extends from the summit, 
and gives rise to a glacier which de- 
scends through the head of the Vallon 
de Ribons towards Bessans. By the 
way here described, ~\ hrs., exclusive 
of halts, are required to reach the 
summit from Susa. 

A rather longer, and somewhat less 
steep, track is by Novalese (inn, poor), 
on the old road of the Mont Cenis, 
nearly 2 hrs. from Susa, close to the 
junction of three torrents — the Cenise, 
the Marderal, and the Clare. The 
latter forms a fine cascade, more than 
600 ft. high, near the village. The 
ascent is by a very stony path to the 
chalet of Traverse, and from thence 
to the Ca d'Asti, where it joins the first 
route. 

A third way to the summit on the 
side of Piedmont is from the Hospice 
of the Mont Cenis. The route from 
thence winds along the steep slopes of 
the intervening range, which are inter- 
sected by many deep ravines. For 
more than 2 hrs. the way is easy and 
nearly level, but after passing the 
second chalet, lying on a shelf of the 



54 



COTTIAX ALPS. S 7. CENIS di5t;.::t, 



mountain, it is necessary to descend 
as low as the chalet of Bregardo, and 
then reascend oyer very rough and 
difficult ground to the chalet of Tra- 
verse, about 5 hrs. from the Hospice. 
It is scarcely possible to reach the 
summit and return to the Hospice in 
the same day. 

To reach the valley of the Arc 
from the summit of the Eoche Melon, 
the direct course is to descend towards 
the XXW., and traverse the glacier of 
Roche Melon for some distance, bearing 
to the rt. towards the lateral moraine, 
which must be followed when the ice 
becomes too much crevassed. If unpro- 
vided with a rope, it is advisable to 
reach as soon as possible the rt. bank 
of the glacier. The glacier comes to 
an end in a narrow basin called Entre 
les Tetes, lying between two rounded 
summits called the Grosse Tete and the 
Petite Tete, and there arises the torrent 
of Eibons. The gorge through which 
the torrent descends is wild and strik- 
ing, especially in the upper part. La 
the course of the descent the track 
passes by many chalets, and after 4j 
hrs.' walk from the summit reaches the 
village of Bessans, where there is a 
very poor yet dear inn, about 2| hrs. 
walk from Lanslebourg. 

In fine weather a guide may not be 
absolutely necessary for a practised 
mountaineer who would ascend the 
Eoche Melon from Susa, but local 
knowledge is requisite for the descent 
from the summit to Bessans. 



Eouie C. 

BRAilAyS TO 5C5A. ET THE COL DC 
CLAPIER. PETII MO>"T CE>"IS. 

This is a very interesting day's walk 
of about 95- hrs., exclusive of halts. By 
means of the pass of the Petit Mont 
Cenis this route is easilv combined with 
that of the Mont Cenis "(Ete. A). Thus 
an active walker may take all the three 
passes in a long day's walk from 
Lanslebourg to Susa, or he may go 
from Bramans to Susa by the Petit 
Mont Cenis, avoiding both the Mont 
Cenis and the Col du Gapier. 

Close to Bramans, in the valley of 
the Arc (Ete. A), is the junction of the 
torrent of St. Pierre, and a char-road 
carried up the 1. bank of that stream is 
the way to the Col du Clapier. The 
rocks which enclose the valley are 
easily disintegrated, and they have 
been extensively cut through or under- 
mined by the stream. This is particu- 
larly well seen about \\ hr. above 
Bramans, where the road passes rear 
the church of S:. Pierre, over a ridge 
which commands a view of the Col de 
Chaviere and the adjoining peaks 
(§ 11), with the valley* of Arc to St. 
Jean de Maurienne. This ridge for- 
merly barred the valley, and thus 
formed a considerable lake ; but it has 
been sawn through by the torrent to 
the depth of 260 ft. below the former 
level of the lake. After passing the 
tributary torrent of Etiache-, the char- 
road comes to an end at the hamlet of 
Planay, about 2 hrs. from Bramans. 
The ascent continues by a rough track, 
which passes by some scattered larches, 
and then over stony pastures covered 
with huge scattered blocks, till it 
crosses the torrent at the base of a mas- 
sive ridge, which seems to form the E. 
extremity of the valley. Two paths 
mount the steep slopes of this ridge : 
that to the L, which is the more labori- 
ous of the two, leads nearly due E. to 
the pass of the Petit Mont Cenis 
(7,300'). This is a depression in the 
chain separating the nearly parallel 



ROUTE C. HANNIBAL S ROUTE. 



55 



valleys, through which the road of the 
Mont Cenis and the present route are 
carried. There is this difference — that 
on the Cenis pass the summit level is 
on the slope above the valley of the Arc, 
and a long descent leads from thence to 
Susa ; whereas the valley of St. Pierre 
mounts gradually from the valley of 
the Arc to the Col du Clapier, from 
whence there is an abrupt descent on 
the S. side towards Italy. Thus it 
happens that the range, which sepa- 
rates the St. Pierre from the Cenise, 
forms part of the dividing chain of the 
Alps, and the Petit Mont Cenis is one 
of the passes over that chain. At least 
2 hrs. are required for the ascent from 
Planay, and 1^ hr. suffices to descend 
from the Petit Mont Cenis by an easy 
path to Les Tavernettes on the high 
road of the Mont Cenis, passing by the 
N. end of the lake. (See Rte. A). 

The pass of the Petit Mont Cenis is 
but little used, as it is more laborious 
than the main pass, and less direct for 
a traveller bound from Modane to Susa 
than the Col du Clapier. It derives 
some special interest, however, from the 
recent investigations, which make it 
most probable that it was the pass by 
which Hannibal entered Italy, and some 
travellers may be induced to follow it 
for the sake of comparing the ground 
with the details given by Polybius. The 
editor is much indebted to the Kev. T. 
G. Bonney, of St. John's College, Cam- 
bridge, for the following summary of 
the arguments which seem to establish 
this as Hannibal's Route, deduced from 
the writings of the Rev. Robert Ellis, of 
the same university, with references to 
the chief authorities, and to the writings 
of those who have upheld opposite con- 
clusions. 

The most condensed form for pre- 
senting the arguments of Mr. Ellis is 
to state the conditions which must be 
fulfilled by any route over the Alps 
which claims to be that of Hannibal, as 
deduced from the narrative of Polybius. 
and to compare the facts in regard to 
the Little Mont Cenis. 

I. The commencement of the ascent 



of the Alps must be about 100 Roman 
miles from the junction of the Rhone 
and the Isere, reckoned along the left 
bank of the latter river. 

From Valence to Le Cheylas is 87^- 
Roman miles. 

II. The length of the route over the 
Alps, beginning at the commencement 
of the ascent of the mountains, and 
terminating at the commencement of 
the plains of Italy, must be about 150 
Roman miles. 

From Le Cheylas to Avigliana is 132^ 
Roman miles. 

N.B. Polybius' distances are given in 
stadia, and thei'efore ought to exceed 
the true distance slightly. Stadia are 
generally, in other places, found to be 
too great. 

III. At the commencement of the 
ascent of the Alps a defile must be 
found, the character of which, and of 
the surrounding country, is in ac- 
cordance with the events related by 
Polybius to have occurred in that place. 

The minor conditions this includes 
may be thus given : — 

(1.) The defile must be commanded 
by certain heights of considerable ele- 
vation; 

(2.) which must not be easily ac- 
cessible from below the defile. 

( 3. ) The way through the defile must 
skirt, in some places, the edge of a 
precipice. 

(4.) Immediately below the defilo 
must be found a place where Hannibal's 
army could encamp ; 

(5.) which must be visible from the 
heights commanding the defile. 

(6.) Above the defile, and near it, 
must be found an open district where 
a town stands, or might have stood, and 
where Hannibal's army might have en- 
camped. 

The gorge of Le Fay, between 
Goncelin and Pontcharra, in the valley 
of the Isere, answers these conditions. 

(1.) It is commanded by the heights 
of Bratne Farine; 

(2.) which are not easy of access 
from Le Cheylas. 

(3.) The footpath from Le Cheylas 



56 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 7. CENIS DISTRICT. 



through the gorge of Le Fay skirts the 
precipice for about ^ a mile. 

(4.) Between Le Cheylas and Conce- 
rn Hannibal might have encamped. 

(5.) From these heights a large part 
of the country between Le Cheylas and 
Goncelin is visible, and part of the 
Graisivaudan. 

(6.) The valley of the Isere opens 
near the junction of the Breda, where 
the town of Pontcharra now stands. 

IV. At a place nearly half-way be- 
tween the town of the Allobrogcs and 
the summit of the pass ' a strong white 
rock ! must be found, and the adjacent 
country must correspond with the ac- 
count of the events which took place 
near that rock. 

St. Jean de Maurienne is half-way in 
point of distance, but not quite in time: 
the rock must be near St. Jean, or a 
little above it; such is the rock of Baune, 
about 6 or 7 miles above St. Jean, 
which will suit Polybius' account in 
every respect. 

V. A place suitable for the encamp- 
ment of Hannibal's army must be found 
at the summit of the pass. 

The plateau of the Little Mont Cenis 
meets this requirement. 

VI. From a point probably not far 
from the road over the summit of the 
pass, but yet not on the ground where 
the Carthaginians would encamp when 
they first reached the summit, the plains 
of the Po, and in all probability the 
Apennines also, ought to be visible. 

Between the plateau of the Little 
Mont Cenis and La Grande Croix, a 
ridge can be gained by a few minutes' 
walk, whence is seen the country to the 
east of the Po, and the south of the 
Tanaro, as far as the Apennines. This 
ridge is about ^ a mile long without any 
definite head, so that many hundreds 
might have been collected on it. 

VII. The commencement of the 
plains of Italy must be less than three 
days' march from the summit of the 
pass. 

It is 39 Boman miles, which, for a 
tired army, would be between 2 and 3 
days' march. 



VIII. The final part of the descent 
must be very steep. 

Between La Grande Croix and No- 
valese there is a descent of more than 
3,600 ft. in 6 miles. 

IX. At a place within half a day's 
march from the summit of the pass, the 
path must lie along a precipitous moun- 
tain side, liable to be broken up for a 
space of 300 yards, and otherwise cor- 
responding with Polybius. 

Between La Ferriere and Novalese, 
on the old road, there is such a place, 
distant about 4 English miles from La 
Grande Croix. 

X. The plains into which the road 
over the pass enters must have been 
inhabited by the Taurini. 

Avigliana is generally identified with 
Ad fines, the boundary between the dis- 
trict of the Taurini and the Cottian tribe 
of the Segusiaui. 

The passes which have at different 
times been claimed as Hannibal's route 
are — Great St. Bernard, Little St. Ber- 
nard, Mont Cenis. Mont Genevre, Col 
de la Seigne, and Col de la Traversette 

The distance from the summit of the 

Great St. Bernard to plains . (>1 

„ Little St. Bernard . . . '82 

„ Mont Cenis .... 3JI 

„ Mont Genevre .... 53 

The actual distance probably did not 
exceed 40. Hence, the Little St. Ber- 
nard will not do. Fr om it the plains of 
Italy cannot be seen, not even the Val 
d'Aosta; there is a fine view of the 
range of Mont Blanc, which would be 
no cheerful prospect to Hannibal's sol- 
diers; the Val d'Aosta lies in the Avrong 
direction, and if Hannibal had pointed 
to the right, he would either have pointed 
to the road they had come by, or right 
into the Graian chain. The Libui, a 
tribe known to Polybius, not the Tau- 
rini, inhabited the country into which 
Hannibal would have entered had he 
gone by the Val d'Aosta, the exit from 
which, in former days, could not have 
been very easy. 

The gorge of La Thuile is too low to 
answer to Polybius' account, the village 
of La Thuile itself being not more than 



ROUTE C. COL DU CLAPIER. 



57 



4,700 ft. above the sea, and the gorge 
being below it. The Rocher Blanc, 
below St. Germain, is an insignificant 
thing, and an army could have gone up 
the opposite bank, by way of the present 
mule road, without much difficulty. 

The latest publications on this sub- 
ject are — 

A Treatise on Hannibal's Passage of 
the Alps, in which his Route is traced 
over the Little Mont Cenis. By Robert 
Ellis, B.D. Cambridge, Deighton, 1854. 

A Criticism of Mr. Ellis's new theory 
concerning the Route of Hannibal, with 
some Remarks on the Hypothesis of M. 
Replat. By William John Law. Up- 
ham and Beet, 46 New Bond Street, 
1855. 

Mr. Ellis's Observations on Mr. Law's 
Criticism. Journal of Classical and 
Sacred Philology, No. vi. 

Mr. Law's Reply. Upham and Beet, 
1856. 

Mr. Ellis's Further Observations. 
Journal of Classical and Sacred Philo- 
logy, No. vii. 

Reply to the second part of Mr. 
Ellis's Defence. By Mr. Law. Upham 
and Beet, 1856. 

Other works on the subject are — 
Deluc, Histoire du Passage des Alpes. 
Dissertation on the Passage of Hannibal, 
by a Member of the University of Ox- 
ford. Vide alsoUkest, Geographie der 
Griechen und Romer. Dr. Arnold's 
History of Rome, volume iii. King's 
Italian Valleys of the Alps, ch. iii. 
History of Piedmont, by Antonio Gal- 
lenga, vol. i. ch. ii. 

The original accounts are — Polybius, 
bk. iii. ch. 49 — 60. Livy, bk. xxi. ch. 
32—38. 

In going from Bramans to the Col 
du Clapier the ascent is not so steep as 
that to the Petit Mont Cenis, and in 1^ 
hr. from Planay the traveller mounts the 
ridge which separates the upper portion 
of the valley, or Combe d'Ambin, from 
the lower part, or Vallon de St. Pierre. 
It is the opinion of some geologists 
that the ridge in question once ex- 
tended continuously across the valley, 
so as to form great lakes, which filled 



the greater part of the Combe d'Ambin 
and the lateral valley leading to the 
Col de Galambre (Rte. D), and" that 
this massive barrier has been gradually 
eaten away by the torrents, until the 
lakes were drained or filled up with 
debris. The scenery of the Combe. 
d'Ambin is singular." The valley itsc' 1 
is a trough formed between the Mont 
d'Ambin and the Cime du Bard, very 
uniform in shape, the bottom showing 
a wide expanse of green pastures, and 
the sides a succession of stony slopes ; 
but the upper part of theMont d'Ambin, 
whenever it shows its ranges of dark 
crags surmounted by streaming glaciers, 
suffices to give sublimity to the scene. 

About ^ m. beyond the summit of 
the steep ascent before mentioned are 
the chalets called Grandes Sanities, where 
the track leading from the Petit Mont 
Cenis to the Col du Clapier joins 
our route. E. of some steep rocks, on 
a high shelf of the Cime du Bard, are 
several small lakes, of which the largest 
is the Lac Blanc. From the chalets to 
the Col the way does not present the 
slightest difficulty; the ascent is very 
gentle until, after about 1 hr., a some- 
what more rapid rise leads to the highest 
plateau, occupied by a small lake — the 
Lac des Savines — whose dimensions vary 
according to the season. ^ hr. farther, 
5 hrs. from Bramans, is the summit of 
the Col du Clapier (8,107'), sometimes 
called Col de Clairee. From the Col 
a track, scarcely visible along the steep 
rocks, leads by the W. side of the val- 
ley of the Clairee to the Col de Touilles, 
a depression in the ridge which divides 
the Clairee from the Dora, over which 
a path descends direct to Kxilles (§ 6, 
Rte. A). By that difficult, and even 
dangerous, way the Vaudois passed in 
the course of their surprising march 
under Henri Arnaud, and on the fol- 
lowing day gained a signal victory at 
Salabertrand. 

The descent from the Col towards 
Susa commences through a narrow glen 
confined between the precipitous rocks 
of the Cime du Bard, on the 1., and 
steep rocky slopes on the rt., overhung 



l8 cottian alps. § 

by a portion of the so-called Glaciers 
Penibles. forming the SE. decliTirr of the 
Mont d' Arnbin, In ^ hr . the traveller 
reaches a little rocky basin, traversed by 
the stream which, lower down, forms 
the Clairee. The view from this point 
is extremely interesting. From the 
verge of the precipitons rocks that fall 
away immediately below him, the tra- 
veller sees the valley of the Clairee, 
more than 3,000 ft. beneath his feet ; 
to the rt. is the rugged mountain of 
Touilles, traversed by the pass already 
referred to, and beyond it the ranges that 
enclose the valley of the Dora Fuparia; 
while on the L, above some very steep 
rocks, are seen the remains of an ancient 
fort. It is not at first easy to guess how 
the descent is to be effected, but a prac- 
tised cragsman will soon detect the 
ledges and gullies by which he may 
accomplish his object without any real 
difficulty. The first and steepest part 
of the way is by a sort of chimney in 
the face of rocks of calcareous schist, 
where the botanist will observe with 
interest. Brassica Bicheri, Saponaria 
lutea, and other rare species. On a 
little terrace half-way down the rocks 
is a hut, perched in a position where no 
domestic animals, save goats, can move 
without difficulty. After descending in 
this way for hr. (2 hrs. from the top), 
the track quits the rocks, and crosses 
to the L bank of an afiluent of the 
Clairee, close to a group of huts called 
Moiarin. A short distance farther down 
the valley another group of hamlets is 
passed on the opposite or rt. bank of 
the Clairee. The direct way to Susa 
here leaves the banks of the stream to 
follow a watercourse, which is destined 
to irrigate the slopes about Jaillon, on 
the road of the Mont Cenis. The path 
lies along the bank or sustaining wall 
of this watercourse, which in some 
places is carried along the face of seem- 
ingly vertical rocks. Even in places 
where the rock is partly hollowed to 
form a channel for the water, there is no 
real difficulty in passing; but the route 
should not be undertaken by persons 
with weak or uncertain heads. The | 



CEXIS DISTRICT. 

passage of the watercourse lasts nearly 
1 hr., and beyond it the path joins 
the high road of the Mont Cenis a few 
min. above Jaillon (Rte. A), 3^ hrs. 
from the Col du Clapier, and 1 hr". from 
Susa. 

In taking this Ete. from Tavernettes, 
on the plateau of the Mont Cenis, the 
monntaineer may avoid the rather mo- 
notonous TV. slope of the Petit Mont 
Cenis, by ascending the N. side of the 
Cime du Bard to the Lac Blanc and 
the other small lakes E. of the chalets of 
Savines, joining the above-described 
Bte. about the Lac des Savines. A 
guide would be absolutely necessary. 

• The way from Bramans to Susa 
maybe varied by climbing the slopes E. 
of the Lac des Savines to the crest of 
the ridge dividing the Clairee from the 
Cenise (9,49"0, and then descending 
along the ridge to the Cenis road above 
Jaillon. This route commands fine 
views of the Roche Melon and the 
Combe de Susa,'— [W. M] 



ROUTE E. BRAMANS TO BARDONNECHE. 



59 



Route D. 

BRAMANS TO EXILLES — COL D'AMBIN 
— MONT D'AMBIN. 

The name Mont d'Ambin has heen 
applied collectively to the whole of the 
great glacier-clad mass that forms the 
boundary of Savoy and Piedmont 
between the Col du Clapier (last Rte.) 
and the Col d'Etiaches. It includes 
two principal peaks, the Roche d'Ambin 
(11,096'; on the E., overlooking the 
valley of the Clairee, and the summit 
now called Punta Sommeiller (about 
1 0,500') on the W., at the head of the 
Val de Galambre. 

This mass has been little known, 
and much confusion existed as to the 
names of the chief summits and the 
passes, until M. M. Baretti, one of the 
most active members of the Italian 
Alpine Club, published a short account 
of it, with a useful sketch map, in the 
18th part of the ' Bollettino ' of that 
Society. 

The most interesting way for a 
mountaineer is by the Passo dell' 
Agnel. The way to it mounts from 
Planay (see last Rte.) on the 1. bank 
of the torrent of St. Pierre, and follows 
the lateral valley which descends im- 
mediately opposite to the Petit Mont 
Cenis. After passing the Baraque 
d'Ambin, the path comes to an end at 
the head of the valley, in a wild amphi- 
theatre of rock and glacier. From 
thence a long and steep ascent to the 
E. finally leads to the pass, which lies 
but a short way SSE. of the summit 
of the Roche d'Ambin, which has the 
remains of the signal erected 50 years 
ago. This is accessible by steep but 
not very difficult rock-climbing, both 
from the W. and E. sides. The 
Glacier de 1' Agnel, on the E. side of 
the pass, has a bad reputation because 
an Italian engineer lost his life there. 
A track leads from below the glacier 
to the chalets of Touilles, but a tra- 
veller bound for Exilles may traverse 
the ridge on his rt. at a point where it 
is crowned by the ruins of a fort, and 
then descend due S. to Exilles. The 



same ridge, at a point over the chalets 
of Touilles, is pierced through by a 
tunnel made to convey part of the 
water of the Clairee Valley to irrigate 
the barren slopes NE. of Exilles. 

A more direct way from Bramans to 
Exilles is by the Col d'Ambin, about 
1 m. SW. of the Passo dell' Agnel, the 
extreme N. point of the Val de Galam- 
bre. This wild glen carries the drain- 
age of a large part of the Mont d'Am- 
bin down to Exilles. 

[Further information is desired.] 



Route E. 

BRAMANS TO BARDONNECHE, BY ROCHE- 
MOLLE. 

Three passes, all of them little fre- 
quented, lead from Bramans in the valley 
of the Arc to Bardonneche, by the Val- 
lon de Bochemolle, one of the four glens 
which meet at that place. 

1. By the Col de Pelouze. — The 
high road to Modane is followed for 
about 3^ m. to the opening of the val- 
ley of Sainte Anne, near the Fort of 
FEsseillon. The track to the Col 
mounts through this valley, dark with 
pine forests. Before reaching the ham- 
let of Bauges a stream is crossed, which 
descends from some considerable gla- 
ciers to the SE. The highest chalets 
bear the significant name of Avalanche. 
In 5 hrs. the Col de Pelouze is attained. 
The descent to Rochemolle is compara- 
tively short, but extremely steep. On 
reaching the bottom of the valley the 
track keeps to the rt. bank of the torrent, 
and in l^hr. from the Coi reaches Roche' 
molle. 1^ hr. farther, either by the rt. or 
1. bank, is Bardonneche (§ 6, Rte. F),8 
hrs.' walk from Bramans or from Mo- 
dane by this Rte. 

2. By the Col d' Etiaches. — This way, 
although very rough, is occasionally 
passed by mules in the height of 
summer. Just before reaching the 
hamlet of Planay (Rte. C), the Val 



60 



COTTIAN ALPS. § 



7. CENIS DISTRICT. 



d'Etiaches opens on the rt. hand. In 
about 20 min. the track crosses to the 
rt. bank of the torrent, and in less than 
2 hrs. reaches the head of the valley. 
Returning to the opposite bank, the 
ascent is continued up a steep slope, 
and then by a ledge overhanging a 
small waterfall, till the upper basin is 
gained, whence, bearing well to the I., 
the summit of the Col (9,301') is at- 
tained in 4 hrs. from Planay. On the 
N. side there is a fine view of the 
Grande Casse and the adjoining sum- 
mits of the Tarentaise, but this is far 
surpassed by the noble group of the 
Dauphine Alps, seen to perfection in 
the descent from the pass. 3 hrs. are 
required for the very rapid descent to 
Rochemolle. A frequented, but stony, 
track along the rt bank, passing the 
entrance to the great tunnel, leads 
the traveller in hr. more to Bar- 
donneche. At least 10 hrs., exclusive 
of halts, should be allowed for this 
way from Bramans to Bardonneche. 

3. By the Col Sommeiller. — At least 
three passes over the ridges connected I 



with the Mont d'Ambin have been 
designated Col d'Ambin. In the 
memoir referred to in the last Rte., 
M. Baretti has retained that name for 
the pass there mentioned, about equi- 
distant between the two principal peaks. 
The well-marked depression lying on 
the W. side of the Punta Sommeiller 
(or western peak) is called by him 
Col Sommeiller. It leads from the 
Combe d'Ambin to the extreme head 
of the valley of Rochemolle. The 
pass is said to be difficult, and unless 
the Punta Sommeiller is accessible 
from the top there is little inducement 
to undertake it. From the Baraque 
d'Ambin (see last Rte.) the ascent lies 
to the SW., over the glaciers -which en- 
close the head of the valley. After 
passing the ridge the way turns to the 
NW. , following the torrent which tra- 
verses the head of the Yallon de Roche- 
molle, and joins the track from the Col 
d'Etiaches where that valley again turns 
totheSW.^ 

Information as to the last-named pass 
is desired. 



61 



CHAPTER III 
DAUPHINS ALPS 



Section 8. 



OISANS DISTRICT. 



PAGE 

Col du 



Route A — Brian gon to Grenoble 

Lautiret . . . .64 
Route B — St. Michel to La Grave en Oisans 68 
Route C — La Grave en Oisans to St. Jean 

de Maurienne — Col de l'ln- 

fernet 69 

Route D — Bourg d'Oisans to St Jean de 

Maurienne . . . .70 
Route E — Bourg d'Oisans to La Chambre 

— The Grandes Rousses . 72 
Route F — Bourg d'Oisans to Allevard — 

Les Sept Laux . . .74 
Route G — Allevard to La Chambre — Pic 

du Frene .... 76 



Section 9. 
pelvoux district. 

Bourg d'Oisans to La Berarde — 
Valley of the Veneon . . 78 



Route A 



Route B- 
Route C • 

Route D . 
Route E - 
Route F - 

Route G - 
Route H 
Route I - 
Route K - 
Route L - 
Route M - 
Route N - 



PACK 

• Guilesfre to Vallouise — Ascent 

of the Mont Pelvoux . . 80 

• La Berarde to Vallouise, by 

Col des Ecrins — Pointe des 
Ecrins 83 

-La Berarde to Vallouise, by the 
Col de la Tempe ... 85 

-La Berarde to Vallouise, by the 
Col du Sele .... 85 

■ La Berarde to Vallouise, bv the 
Val G'.tfemar — Col de Sais— 
Col du Celar .... 87 

• Vallouise to La Grave en Oisans 

—Col du Glacier Blanc . 88 
-Vallouise to Monestier — Col 

de 1'Echauda . ... 89 
La Grave en Oisans to the Val- 
ley of the Veneon . . .89 
-Vallouise to Embrun, by the 

Valleys of the Hautes Alpes 93 
Bourg d"'Oisans to Grenoble, 
bv La Mure ... .94 

• La Mure to La Chapelle in Val 

Godemar . . . [93] 
-St Christophe to La Chapelle, 
by the Col de la Muande [94] 



The extensive mountain region which 
lies between the Cottian Alps and the 
valley of the Rhone occupies nearly the 
whole of the ancient French province 
of Dauphine, whose limits correspond 
to the three modern departments of 
Drome, Isere, and Hautes Alpes. The 
first and most westerly of these, lying 
between the Rhone and the Drac, is 
traversed by mountain ranges, chiefly 
calcareous, of which but two or three 
summits exceed 7,000 feet in height. 
Rarely visited by tourists, it is said to 
contain much picturesque and pleasing 
scenery, but not sufficiently Alpine in 
character to fall within the scope of 
this work. The higher mountains, or 
Alps of Dauphine, are included within 
the two departments of Isere and 
Hautes Alpes. As stated in the intro- 



duction to the last chapter, they are 
separated from the dividing range ot 
the Cottian Alps by the valley of tho 
Durance and its tributary the Guisanne, 
which rises in the range W. of the 
Mont Tabor. The entire mass is deeply 
cut by the valley of the Romanche, 
through which the great road is carried 
from Grenoble to Briancon, and thence 
into Italy, crossing from the valley of 
the Romanche to that of the Durance 
by a comparatively low pass — the Col 
du Lautaret. 

Of the two Alpine groups thus formed, 
the loftiest and moot extensive is that 
lying to the S. of the Romanche, which 
we shall call, from its best known, 
though not its highest, peak, the Pelvoux 
district. No part of the Alps is so 
nearly isolated as this huge mass; for 



62 DAUPHIN 

excepting the above-mentioned ridge of 
the Col de Lautaret, it is completely 
enclosed on the S., E, and N., by the 
valleys of the Durance and the Ro- 
manche, and on the W. by that of the, 
Drac, connected with the Durance by 
the almost level depression through 
which the high road from Grenoble is 
carried to Gap, and thence to Sisteron. 

The Alpine range lying N. of the 
Rornanche has some apparent connexion 
with the Cottian Alps described in the 
last chapter. It is, in fact, one of the 
three considerable ridges which diverge 
from the Mont Tabor ; and lying as 
it does between the valleys of the Arc 
and the Romanche, it formed the fron- 
tier line between France and Savoy 
until the annexation of the latter pro- 
vince. As the two streams above- 
named both fall into the JNere, the latter 
river forms the natural boundary of 
this district to the westward. There is 
no well-known name by which the 
range here defined can conveniently be 
designated. As the greater part of the 
district which properly belongs to Dau- 
phine is known as the Pays d'Oisans, 
while the Savoy portion forms but a 
small part of the district of Maurienne, 
it appears most convenient to call this 
the (Jisans district. It is true that M. 
E ie de Beaumont and other writers 
have applied the name Montagnes de 
l'Oisans to the entire group of the High 
Alps of Dauphine ; but this name is 
objectionable, and has not been gene- 
rally adopted: for in truth none but a 
very small portion of the Pelvoux dis- 
trict, as defined in this work, was ever 
included in the territory which obtained 
the name of Oisans from the tribe of 
the Uceni, found by the Romans in 
occupation of the valley of the Ro- 
manche, and which retained its inde- 
pendence after the rest of Dauphine 
had been united to the Crown of 
France. 

No portion of the Alps, and perhaps 
no part of Europe, is so ill-provided as 
Dauphine with all that is required for 
the comfort of travellers. The inns, 
with but few exceptions, are repulsive 



E ALPS. 

to an unusual degree, food is bad and 
hard to procure, and the habits of the 
people are filthy beyond example. As 
a general rule, each description of insect 
that is known to plague the human 
race in these latitudes is sure to be 
found in every dwelling. The natural 
consequence has been, that while tour- 
ists and travellers from every country 
visit the Alps for exercise and enjoy- 
ment, the French Alps have, till lately, 
remained almost unknown. Yet the 
natural attractions of the country are of 
a high order. Looking to the height of 
the principal peaks, and the grandeur of 
the rock and glacier scenery, Dauphine 
ranks next after the Pennine and Ber- 
nese Alps, and some of the higher 
valleys are scarcely anywhere to be 
matched for wild and savage sublimity. 
Only within the last few years some 
daylight has begun to break through 
the obscurity in which this region has 
been involved ; for although M. Elie 
de Beaumont and other French men of 
science have visited the country, and in 
1841 Professor Forbes explored some 
of the high glacier passes in the neigh- 
bourhood of the Mont Pelvoux, while 
a lew Englishmen have occasionally 
traversed other portions of the district, 
the absence of a correct map made 
it impossible to combine together 
their partial obsen^ations so as to form 
consistent and accurate conclusions. 
During the interval, however, the en«- 
ginecrs engaged in the general survey 
of France have laboured assiduously 
in this region. They have reached 
many of the higher peaks, and have 
nearly completed the triangulation of 
the entire country. The sheets of the 
general map, which will contain the 
results of their labours, are so far ad- 
vanced that in five or six years they 
may probably be given to the public. 
In the meantime the best, and almost 
the only, general map of Dauphine is 
that of General Bourcet, now more 
than 100 years old, having been first 
published in 1760. Several French 
writers have lately published accounts 
of this disirict, but it is to the Guides 



§ 8. VALLEY OF THE ROMANCHE. 



63 



of M. Joanne, of which the most recent 
is the ' Guide Diamant,' published in 
1870. and to the members of the English 
Alpine Club that the public is mainly 
indebted for a correct knowledge of the 
higher peaks. Several interesting papers 
appeared in the second volume of the 
Second Series of ' Peaks, Passes and 
Glaciers;' but it is chiefly with the 
assistance of Mr. F. F. Tuckett, who is 
equally well known as an excellent 
mountaineer and a diligent and accurate 
observer, that the Editor was enabled to 
complete his account of this group, and 
to correct the e rors of all, even the 
latest, writers who had preceded him. 
The present edition is enriched by fur- 
ther valuable contributions from Mr. 
W. Mathews, the Rev. T. G. Bonney, 
and Mr. A. W. Moore. 

Those who may be willing to explore 
this region are strongly advised to de- 
pend as little as possible upon the 
resources of the country. A sleeping- 
bag will enable them to escape the 
most grievous of the plagues that afflict 
ordinary travellers. Neither spiked 
poles, serviceable ice-axes, nor trust- 
worthy ropes, are to be found ; and a 
provision of tea, chocolate, portable 
soup, or other convenient luxuries, will 
be sure to turn to account. To achieve 
the ascent of the higher peaks, the 
assistance of at least one first-rate Cha- 
mouni or Swiss guide should be secured. 
Among the native guides are a few 
good cragsmen, but scarcely one who 
is qualified to cope with the difficulties 
of dacier travelling. 



SECTION 8. 

OISANS DISTRICT VALLEY OF THF 

ROMANCHE. 

One of the two streams whose union at 
Brianeon forms the Durance — the Gui- 
sanne — flowing in a direct line from 
the NW., leads directly to the Col du 
Galibier (§ 6), which is generally taken 
as the limit between the Cottian Alps 
and the northern range of the Dauphine 
Alps. It may be doubted whether the 
mountain ranges lying to the W. of that 
limit, and forming the watershed be- 
tween the Arc and the Romanche, 
should be described as a single chain, or 
as a series of three comparatively 
small and independent groups. 

The highest of these lies immediately 
N. of La Grave en Oisans. It cul- 
minates in a very remarkable double- 
pointed mountain, conspicuous in all 
views of this part of the Alps. The 
twin peaks are known as the Aiguilles 
d'Arve; the S. and highest peak, 
hitherto unascended, attains 11,529 ft. 
The N. peak (11,513') appears to have 
been climbed by the French engineers. 
They are so extremely steep as to be 
clear of snow, excepting a small glacier 
lying on the E. side between the two 
summits. (See Rte. B.) 

From the central mass a high ridge 
extends to the N. between the Vallon 
de Valloires and the valley of the 
Arvan. In this ridge the Grande 
Chible (9,633') is a conspicuous point. 
S.W, of the Aiguilles d'Arve are two 
lofty peaks — Aiguilles de la Sawsse, 
measuring 10,896 and 10,840 ft. These 
apparently correspond to the ' Mont 
Goleon de la Grave ' of some writers 
on this district. 

Between the Aiguilles d'Arve and 
the group of the Grandes Rousses is a 
depression in the chain, traversed by 
passes that are noticed in the following 
pages. The principal group of the 
Grandes Rousses is a range about 6 m. 
in length, extending from SSW. to 
NNE., and surmounted by two peaka 



64 



DAUPHINE ALPS. § 8. OISANS DISTRICT. 



of exactly equal height — 11,39 5 ft. 
(see Rte. E). This group has been 
visited by several French geologists ; 
and an account of its geological rela- 
tions, with a map and several rude 
sketches, has been given by M. Dausse 
in the second volume of the ' Memoires 
de la Societe Geologique de France.' 

W. of the Grandes Rousses, and 
separated from them by the valley of the 
Olle, and by the passes leading from 
thence into Savoy, is a less lofty, but 
much longer, ridge, extending parallel 
to the course of the Isere from Vizille 
nearly to Aiguebelie, a distance of more 
than SO miles, and its influence on the 
direction of the valleys is seen in the 
bend which the Arc makes to the N., 
and the Romanche to the S., before they 
respectively join the lsere. This range 
includes several lofty summits, of which 
the most conspicuous are the Pic de 
Belledonne (9.780'), near Grenoble, 
and the Pic du Frene (9,203'), W. of 
Allevard. 



Kocte A. 

BRIANCON TO GRENOBLE — COL DU LATT- 
TARET. 

Kilo- English 





metres 


miles 


Monestier . 


15 




Col du Lautaret 


10 


La Grave en Oisans 


12 


5! 


Le D;iuplrin 


10 




Bourg d'Oisans 


16 


10 


Riouperoux 


16 


10 


Vizille 


16 


10 


Grenoble . 


17 


10f 










112 


70| 



The new imperial road is traversed 
in summer by diligence from Briancon 
to Grenoble, and the malleposte for- ! 



j merry ran between those towns at 
! night. That service was interrupted, 
and the Editor has not heard of its 
being reopened. 

As mentioned in the preceding chap- 
ter, the upper valley of the Durance is 
reached from the side of Piedmont by 
lower and easier passes than any which 
traverse the main chain of the Alps be- 
tween the Tyrol and the Mediterranean. 
This, however, has not much availed to 
facilitate communication between Italy 
and the N. or centre of France. To 
reach Grenoble or Lyons from Briancon, 
it was necessary either to cross the range 
of the Dauphine Alps intervening be- 
tween the Durance and the Lere, or to 
make a long circuit by Gap and the val- 
ley of the Drac, involving a detour of at 
least 50 miles. The only point at which 
it appeared practicable to carry a car- 
riage road over the Dauphine Alps was 
by the Col duLautaret, which, although 
the lowest in thar group, is considerably 
I higher than the Mont Genevre, and is 
I approached on the W. side by the valley 
! of the Romanche, beset with formidable 
j obstacles to the construction of a road. 
I After more than half a century of alter- 
j nate activity and neglect, the new im- 
perial road, commenced by the first 
Napoleon, was completed in 1861, 
and may vie with the most celebrated 
Alpine passes in point of wild and 
striking scenery visible from the road, 
and for the remarkable engineering 
works by which the difficulties of the 
undertaking have been Mirmounted. 

For travellers who may take this route 
from Turin to Grenoble with post horses, 
the best stopping-place between the lat- 
ter town and ISusa is at the Baths of 
Monestier, when these do not happen to 
be overcrowded in the bathing season. 
The road is sufficiently interesting tc 
reward a pedestrian, excepting the por- 
tion between Grenoble and Rioupe- 
roux. 

Leaving Briancon, the high road is 
curried for several miles, in a very direct 
line along the left bank of theGuisanne; 
there is no striking object in front ; but 
when the route is made in the opposite 



ROUTE A. COL DU LAUTARET. 



65 



direction, the views of the little city of [ 
Briancon, crowned by its formidable 
forts, and backed by the distant peak 
of the Rochebrune, are extremely fine. 
At a height of 4,898 feet, still sur- 
rounded by barley-fields and fruit- 
trees, stands 

Monestier (several inns open during 
the bathing season ; best chez Armand, 
very good for Dauphine), a large village, 
frequented in summer on account of the 
mineral waters, which are used inter- 
nally, and for baths. 

TV. of Monestier, but not visible from 
the valley, is a very lofty range, ex- 
tending from the Crete de Dourmilleuse 
(12,008') to the Col du Lautaret, the 
peaks of which might be most conve- 
niently attacked from this side ; and 
across the range lies a pass, the Col 
d'A rcines (7,7 69' ?) leading to La Grave, 
and more direct, though more laborious, 
than the Lautaret. (See § 9. ) 

In ascending the valley of the Gui- 
sanne, the poor hamlets of Casset and 
La Madeleine are passed, occasional 
glimpses of the surrounding glaciers are 
gained; but none of the higher summits 
are visible from this side of the pass. 
A short way below La Madeleine the 
road quits the valley of the Guisanne, 
leaving on the right the track which 
follows the torrent to its source at the 
Col de Galibier (§ 6). 

The summit of the Col du Lautaret 
is 6,791 ft. in height, by the latest mea- 
surement; but owing to its situation in 
the centre of a glacier district, the snow 
lies longer here than usual. The view 
of the peaks of the Pelvoux group, and 
the glaciers which stream down from 
between them towards the valley of 
the Romanche, is extremely grand. 
Chief of them is the Meije, or Aiguille 
du Midi (13,081'), towering 8,000 ft. 
above the valley at its base, one of the 
most striking objects in the entire range 
of the Alps. 

On the summit of the Col is the Hos- 
pice, an ancient stone building, on the 
6ite of a Maison Hospitaliere founded 
in the eleventh century, and recon- 
structed during the last few years, where 

PART I. Ji 



the traveller finds fair accommodation 
and moderate charges- 

The summit of the Lautaret and the 
slopes towards Villard d'Arene are 
celebrated for the variety of rare Alpine 
plants there to be found. A list would 
include a large portion of the Alpine flora. 

The geologist will not fail to remark 
the singular relations of the liassic 
limestone strata on the TV. side of the 
Col, with the adjoining crystalline 
rocks. In several places the former is 
seen to underlie extensive masses of 
gneiss, or semi-stratified granite, afford- 
ing a remarkable example of the so- 
called fan structure. One section on 
the S. side of the valley, opposite Vil- 
lard d'Arene has been noticed and de- 
scribed by Elie de Beaumont ; and 
Professor Forbes pointed out the ex- 
istence of another, in the lower part 
of the mountain, which separates the 
main branch of the Romanche from 
that which leads towards the Col de 
Lautaret. The section is seen equally 
well from both sides of the promontory 
between the two torrents. 

The new road avoids the group of 
houses, called Pied du Col, which stood 
by the old track, and after some long 
zigzags reaches the wretched hamlet 
of Villard d'Arene. About 2 miles 
farther, after passing through a tunnel 
more than 300 yards in length, it reaches 
the no less wretched village — 

La Grave en Oisans (Inn: chez Juge, 
much improved, very fair quarters, 
charges rather high, especially for ve- 
hicles), placed in the midst of grand 
Alpine scenery, at a height of 5,007 ft., 
will probably become a favourite resort 
for mountaineers. A chasseur men- 
tioned by Mr. Elliot Blackstone in 
' Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers,' would 
perhaps be useful as a guide. The 
ascent of the Bee du Grenier (Rte. B) 
is an excursion of the highest interest, 
and of no real difficulty. 

A short way below La Grave the 
road passes close to a very picturesque 
waterfall, and on the opposite or £»• 
side of the valley are the extensive lead- 
mines of Les Freaux. From hence to 



86 



DAUPHIN E ALPS. § 8. OISANS DISTRICT. 



Le Dauphin scarcely a house is to be 
seen. The Romanche flows through a 
deep and gloomy ravine, called Lu 
Combe de Malaval, which sometimes 
opens a little, and exhibits, in wild 
confusion, huge masses of rock torn 
down from the crags above ; at other 
times the precipices approach more 
nearly together, and the glacier streams 
that reach their verge spring from a 
prodigious height into the chasm 
through which the road is carried. One 
of the finest of these cataracts is the 
so-called Saut de la Pucelle near to Le 
])auphin, which may in some respects 
advantageously compare with theStaub- 
bach. The cliffs forming the S. wall 
of the valley are crowned by the great 
Glacier de Lans, the largest in Dau- 
} bine. Projecting portions of its frozen 
mass are seen through the gorges that 
open into the Combe. The glacier 
may probably be reached by a narrow 
vailey joining the Romanche a little 
above Freney. The road crosses from 
the rt. to the 1. bank of the Romanche 
a little above Le Dauphin, a hamlet 
with a poor inn, standing in the midst 
of huge fragments of fallen rock. About 
2 miles farther is Freney, where rather 
better quarters may be found by a tired 
traveller. From hence two paths lead to 
the valley of the Arc in Savoy (Rte. D), 
and another leads in the opposite direc- 
tion by a pass of no great height to 
Venos, in the valiey of St. Christophe 
(§9). 

Between Freney and Bourg d'Oisans 
the valley is contracted to a mere 
defile, enclosed between vertical rocks 
of gneiss. The Romanche has cut 
for itself a channel at a great depth 
blow the level of the road, which is 
carried along the left bank, sometimes 
along ledges cut into the rock, some- 
times supported on terraces of masonry, 
and in one case carried through a 
tunnel 234 yards in length. At the 
Pont de Guillerme the road crosses 
back to the right bank near the 
confluence of the Veneon, and de- 
scends from the gorge into an open 
nearly level reach of richly cultivated 



| country, enclosed between mountains of 
I moderate height, forming an unexpected 
! contrast to the scenery hitherto prevail- 
I ing. In the open valley (at 2,380 ft.) 
I lies the town of Bourg <f Oisans (Inns: 
! Hotel de Milan, where the diligences 
stop, good ; H. de France). Jacques 
Coeur is recommended as a guide for 
mountain excursions. Here, as well 
as elsewhere in Dauphin e, the inn- 
keepers take advantage of strangers 
whenever they can do so. A char from 
hence to Briancon costs 50 fr. There 
is nothing here of any interest except 
the view of the opening of the Combe 
de Malaval and the valley of St. 
Christophe, with the snowy range be- 
| tween, rising to a height of more than 
i 8,000 fc. above the streams which meet 
' at its base, close to the town. The 
neighbouring mountains are rich in 
minerals. Extensive iron-mines are 
worked in the valley of the Olle, and 
gold and argentiferous lead are found 
in sufficient abundance to repay the 
working. 

[Many interesting mountain excur- 
sions may be made from Bourg d'Oi- 
sans, several of which are incident- 
ally described in this section. The 
passes leading to Uriage, and the chain 
of the Belledonne, are included in § 10. 
To a mountaineer, the most interesting 
objects in the neighbourhood are the 
peaks of the Grandes Rousses. (See 
Rte. E.) A traveller intending to 
attack them should take supplies with 
him from Bourg d'Oisans, and be pre- 
pared to bivouac at a considerable 
height, or else to pass an uncomfort- 
able night in one of the higher chalets. 
An easy ' excursion may be made to 
the Lac Blanc, which lies near the S. 
base of the central peaks. After cross- 
ing the bridge over the Romanche 
opposite the Bourg, a track mounts 
nearly due N. in 2\ hrs., by the villages 
of La Garde and Huez to the plateau of 
Brandes. Here are extensive remains 
of buildings, attributed to the Romans. 
The guide will point out the site of 
many mine's now abandoned, and higher 
up considerable deposits of anthracite* 



ROUTE A. — INUNDATION OF 1219. 



67 



which are worked in two places. An 
ascent of 1 hour from Brandes leads to 
the Lac Blanc (8,360'), one of the high- 
est lakes, for its dimensions, in the entire 
chain of the Alps. It is nearly J mile 
long and 110 yards wide, and is com- 
manded by one of the peaks of the 
Grandes Rousses. The distant view is 
very extensive. On the NE. shore of 
the lake are seen the traces of ancient 
mining works, and the remains of a paved 
road, constructed at some early period 
for the service of the miners. It is in 
some places either covered over or carried 
away by the moraines of existing gla- 
ciers. From the lake it is easy to de- 
scend by Clavans to Freney, in the val- 
ley of the Romanche.] 

The road to Grenoble follows the 
course of the Romanche in a NW. di- 
rection for 5 or 6 miles, to its junction 
with the Olle, where it is turned aside 
at right angles to its previous course by 
the ridge extending from the Pic de 
Belledonne to Vizille. The valley is 
again contracted in passing between the 
last-named peak and the Taillefer on 
the S. side, and is here called Combe de 
Gavet. The hamlets of Livet, Riou- 
peroux and Gavet are passed, and at 
nearly 16 miles from Bourg d'Oisans is 
the larger village of Sechilienne. 

[From hence an interesting excursion 
may be made to the summit of the 
Taillefer (9,387'). which is said to com- 
mand an admirable view of the higher 
Alps of Dauphine. 1 hour 20 minutes 
suffices to reach the hamlet of La Morte, 
whence the ascent lies through pine 
woods and over pastures, until the track 
approaches some steep rocks. A small 
tarn is left upon the right, and the track 
keeps along the base of the rocks until 
an abandoned mine is reached. The 
way then lies along a ridge, called Arete 
de Brouffier, overlooking the glen of 
Valloire to the right and the Combe de 
Gavet on the left. The ridge leads to a 
small plateau usually covered with snow, 
and then a second ridge leads up to the 
highest peak. It is possible to descend 
by a steeper and more difficult way to 
Gavet on the N. side of the mountain, 

F 



or by the E. face to Ornon (§ 9, Rte. Lj, 
and thence to Bourg d'Oisans.] 

In travelling from Bourg d'Oisans to 
Vizille the traveller may see some slight 
traces of one of the most remarkable 
geological catastrophes whose history 
has been preserved by authentic records. 
In the course of the twelfth century a 
terrific bergfall from the Voudene, a 
mountain on the N. side of the Combe 
de Gavet, completely barred the course 
of the Romanche, which rose to such a 
height that the plain of Oisans, where 
the Bourg now stands, was converted 
into a large lake, more than 30 feet 
deep. Villages and farms with a large 
part of the population utterly disap- 
peared, and the survivors gained a sub- 
sistence by fishing on the site of their 
former dwellings, then known as the 
Lac de St. Laurent. This state of 
things continued until the night of Sept. 
14, 1219, when the barrier gave way, 
and the pent-up waters, suddenly set 
free, swept with fearful violence down 
the valley. Of the villages near the banks 
of the river not a trace remained, and 
the inundation reached even to Greno- 
ble, where crowds of fugitives, stopped 
in their flight by a gate over the stone 
bridge, were carried off by the flood. 
The present fertility of the plain of 
Oisans, and the transported blocks which 
are scattered over the valley about 
Vizille, owe their origin to this cata- 
strophe, more enduring in its effects than 
the storms of war which have since 
repeatedly swept over the same district. 
About 4^ miles from Sechilienne the 
road reaches Vizille (Inns : Europe; 
Pare ; both poor and dirty), an iil-built 
and wretched-looking town,which never- 
theless supports a thriving manufactur- 
ing population. The Chateau of the 
Constable Lesdiguieres passed before 
the revolution into the hands of the 
Perier family, who have established here 
an extensive factory for cotton spinning 
and cotton printing, with other works, 
which give employment to 2,000 persons. 
The castle was destroyed by fire in 1825, 
but has been rebuilt nearly on the same 
plan as the former edifice, and the park 
2 



DAUPHINE ALPS. § 



b. OISANS DISTRICT. 



remains nearly in the same condition as 
under its former owners. 

Half-way between Vizille and Gre- 
noble is Claix, where there is a remark- 
able bridge over the Drac, built in 1611, 
the parapets of which command a fine 
view of the surrounding mountain ranges. 

Grenoble (Inns: H. Monnet, new ; 
H. de l'Europe, excellent ; H. des Ara- 
bassadeurs; H. des Trois Dauphins), the 
ancient capital of Dauphine, and a for- 
tress of the first class, stands on the 
Isere, close to its junction with the com- 
bined streams of the Drac and the Ro- 
man che. No city in France, and scarce 
any elsewhere in Europe, enjoys so fine 
a position. It is connected by railway 
with the main line from Lyons to Mar- 
seilles at St. Rambert. Five trains daily 
take nearly 3 hours to travel 57 miles. 
A more direct line to Lyons, by Bour- 
goin, has been lately opened, as well as 
a line to Chambery along the left bank 
of the Isere. At the shop of Messrs. 
Maisonville, booksellers and publishers, 
the traveller may find a large collection 
of works connected with local topo- 
graphy, history, &c. The geological 
essays of Professor Lory, and the 
botanical information contained in the 
sketches by M. Antonin Mace\ deserve 
especial notice by the lovers of natural 
science. At the same establishment is 
published a collection of photographic 
views in Dauphine and Savoy, by MM. 
Muzet and Bajat, some of which are 
said to be excellent. 



Route B 

ST. MICHEL TO LA GRAVE EN OISANS. 

Two fine passes, one of them new, 
have lately been traversed by members 



of the Alpine Club from St. Michel to 
La Grave. 

1. By the Col de Goleon. About 
9 hrs. steady walking. The route of 
the Col de Galibier (§ 6, Rte. D) is fol- 
lowed from St. Michel to Valloires, 
about 2^ hrs., thence to the hamlet of 
Bonnenuit, where there is a little inn, 
and for about 20 min. farther, when the 
main track is left. The traveller here 
crosses to the 1. bank of the stream, 
ascends a side valley, and after passing 
the torrent turns to the rt. near some 
chalets into a branch of this valley 
which descends directly from the Col. 
This is the lowest point in a ridge of 
contorted shale, and is reached without 
difficulty in about 4\ hrs. from Val- 
loires. It commands a view of unex- 
pected magnificence, including most of 
the great peaks of the Pelvoux group, 
which is preferred to the panorama 
from the Grandes Rousses by the Rev. 
T. G. Bonney, to whom the Editor is 
indebted for these details. The descent 
from the Col is over a steep slope of 
shale to a small marshy plain traversed 
by the stream from a glacier on the rt. 
A rough track along the rt. bank of 
this stream leads down to some chalets, 
whence a winding and circuitous path 
descends on the rt. side of the torrent to 
the high road near the upper end of the 
tunnel above La Grave. Mr. Bonney 
believes that it may be better to keep to 
the 1 side of the torrent. The descent 
was effected in 2\ hours. 

2. By the Col des Aiguilles d'Arve. 
First traversed in 1864 by Messrs. A. W. 
Moore, H. Walker, and E Whymper, 
with Christian Aimer and Michel Croz 
as guides. This is a circuitous and 
somewhat arduous route, but appears 
to be a first-rate excursion in all re- 
spects. At least two days must be given 
to it, and at a season when there is little 
snow the descent on the W. side is 
probably impracticable. Leaving the 
track from Valloires to the Col de 
Galibier about \ hr. above that village, 
at the point where it crosses to the rt. 
bank of the stream, the travellers kept 
along the 1. bank for about 20 mia. 



ROUTE C COL 

more, and then commenced ascending 
to the rt. by a steep track which led 
them in f- hr. to some chalets near the 
opening of the Vallon des Aiguilles d' 
Arve, standing opposite to, but much 
above, the hamlet of Bonnenuit. Fair 
quarters and civil treatment were found 
here. An ascent of 1^ hr., first over 
pastures, then over a stony waste, Jed 
the party to the head of this glen shut 
in by savage rocks. The two main 
peaks of the Aiguilles d'Arves are here 
seen in full grandeur. It was found 
that there is a third peak, not con- 
spicuous in any of the views, but little 
inferior in height. This was not yet 
seen, but on ascending to the rt. of the 
northern (properly the central) peak, 
the party reached in 4 hrs. from the 
chalets a snow col dividing that peak 
from the third, hitherto unnoticed, sum- 
mit. This pass, estimated at 10,250 ft., 
commands a view of the very highest 
order. The descent, which is formidably 
steep, was effected by a couloir of about 
1,500 ft. in height, then filled with snow, 
and in that way the party reached in 1^ 
hr. from the col the chalets of Rieublanc 
standing above the head of the Fond de 
la Sausse, one of the branches of the 
valley of the Arvan. Another k hr. 
brought them down to the Chalers de 
la Sausse at the head of the glen, where 
pretty good night quarters were found. 
On the next morning the travellers 
ascended a spur of shaly rock dividing 
the main branch of the glen from that 
which leads to the Col de Martignare 
(Rte. C), and after following the crest of 
this for more than 1 hr. were forced to 
bend to the rt. along very steep slopes 
of shale, and finally reached the water- 
shed in about 3 hrs. from the Chalets. 
Bearing to the 1., skirting the rocky 
ridge, then ascending snow slopes and 
steep broken rocks, they reached a peak 
about 11,000 feet in height, command- 
ing a panoramic view of extraordinary 
grandeur. This was supposed to be 
the Bee de Grenier, but that name is 
said by M. Joanne to belong to the same 
peak which is known as the Aiguille de 
Goleon. said to be 3,429 metres, or 



DE l'infernet. fi9 

11,250 ft. in height. This is doubtless 
the summit seen by Mr. Moore and his 
companions, lying SE. of their peak, 
with a cairn on the top, and estimated 
to be 200 ft. above their level The 
peaks are separated by the neve of a 
large glacier, probably the Glacier Lom- 
bard. The party descended to the 
glacier, and then by slopes of soft snow 
reached the head of a lateral valley that 
joins the liomanche a little below La 
Grave. Keeping to a track on the 1. 
side, and then passing a slight depres- 
sion in the ridge to the 1., they reached 
the village in about 3 hrs. from the 
peak, or 1\ hrs. walking from the Cha- 
lets de la Sausse. 



LA. GRAVE EN OISANS TO ST. JEAN DE 
MAURIENNE. 

Two passes, both long and fatiguing, 
lead from La Grave to St. Jean. 

1. By the Col de l'infernet. About 
ll^ hours' walk exclusive of halts. 

The ascent commences immediately 
behind the village of La Grave, and 
commands fine views of the Combe de 
Malaval and the higher peaks of the 
Pelvoux group. After gaining the first 
step in the ascent, the path overlooks 
the stream which, falling over a ledge 
of granite, forms the beautiful cascade 
of Les Freaux (Rte. A). This stream 
intersects the junction of the granite 
with the overlying strata of (liassic?) 
limestone. Mounting through the ra- 
vine the traveller soon reaches the last 
village on this side of the pass, called 
Chazeley, about % hr. above La Grave. 
The ascent is continued over alpine 
pastures bare of trees, and at last over 



70 



DAUPHIXE ALPS. § 8. OISANS DISTRICT. 



disintegrated slate with large patches 
of snow, attaining in 4^ hrs. from La 
Grave the Col de Plnfernet (8,826' — 
Joanne). Throughout the ascent there 
are magnificent views of the peaks and 
glaciers of the Pelvonx group, which 
are seen to perfection from the top of 
the pass. To the W. is the Pic du 
Mas de la Grave (9,918', the highest 
summit hetween this point and the 
Grandes Eousses. The descent lies at 
first over snow slopes, then by a path 
along a very steep declivity of friable 
slate, till the traveller reaches the 
highest chalets. These are accessible 
on horseback by a traveller approach- 
ing the pass from the Maurienne side. 
A rapid descent now leads down to 
the Combe de Valfroide — the name 
given to the head of the glen through 
which the Arvette torrent flows down 
to meet the Arvan. The path crosses 
the Arvette to and fro several times, 
and in 2\ hrs. from the summit reaches 

Entraigues, the highest hamlet in 
the valley of the Arvan, at the junc- 
tion of the two torrents above named. 
There is a path along the slope of the 
mountains on the rt. bank of the 
Arvan by which an active walker may 
reach St. Jean de Maurienne (§ 7) in 
4 hrs. ; but the way is fatiguing, as it 
involves many ascents and descents. 
The more usual way is by St. Jean 
dArve (see next Rte.), which is 
reached in 1| hr. from Entraigues. 

2. By the Col de Martignare. About 
1 l£ hrs., exclusive of halts. 

This way is about as long as the 
last, and the pass about the same 
height. Instead of keeping to NW. 
from Chazeley (J hr. above La Grave), 
the track to the Col de Martignare 
lies to the right, or nearly due N. The 
ascent is rather steeper, and the sum- 
mit, reached in 4 hrs. from La Grave, 
commands an equally fine view. 

After accomplishing the descent from 
the col into a glen called Fond de la 
Sausse, the traveller has a very grand 
view of the Aiguilles dArve. A steep 
and difficult foot-path leads down to the 
Comb.: de Valfroide, where this route j 



j rejoins that by the Col de 1'Infernet. 

j There is another easier way, practicable 

I for mules, by the chalets of Rieublanc. 

! From this branch of the valley of the 
Arvan the ascent of the Aiguilles d'Arve 
(second peak ?) has been accomplished 
several times. 5 hrs. are said to suffice 
for the ascent from Entraigues. Celestin 
Bellet, a chamois-hunter of that place, 
is competent to act as guide. 



Route D. 

BOURG D'oiSANS TO ST. JEAN DE 
MAURIENNE. 

12i hours' steady walkirtft by the Col d'Agnelin 
or Col du Pre Nouveau— nearly 13 hours by 
Col Perrant. 

A direct line drawn from Bourg 
d'Oisans to St. Jean de Maurienne 
would traverse the higher peaks of the 
mass of the Grandes Rousses, and to 
avoid this formidable obstacle it is ne- 
cessary to make a considerable detour. 
The shortest route lies on the E. side of 
that range ; but whichever of the three 
or four practicable courses be chosen, 
it will involve a long day's walk. A 
carriage may be taken to Freney. 

The high road to Briancon is fol- 
lowed for about 8 miles until, a little 
above the hamlet of Freney (Rte. A), 
a bridge crosses the Romanche close to 
the junction of the Ferrand torrent. 
From hence a path mounts by steep 
zigzags to the hamlet of Miz'nen (3,957'), 
which commands a fine view of the 
Combe de Malaval, and then descending 
to the bank of the torrent leads (in l£ 
hr. from the bridge) to a point where 
the valley forks. The main branch 
mounts nearlv due N. to the hamlets of 



ROUTE D. COL D 



-U PRE NO UVEAL'. 



71 



Ciavans and Clavans d'en Haut; but 
the traveller should keep to the rt. 
branch; and in 20 min. attains the 
wretched village of Besse. Here 
he has the choice of three ways, of 
which the first described is the more 
direct, the second somewhat easier and 
more frequented, and the third rather 
longer and more interesting in point of 
scenery. 

1. The track by the Col d'Agnelin 
mounts at first to the N. across 
mountain pastures, and, bearing some- 
what to the rt., gains a grassy col 
or depression, whence it descends to 
the Chalet du Vallon, and soon after 
bends to the E. through an Alpine glen 
called La Combe de Tirequoy. On the 
rt. hand a track mounts very steeply 
to the S. towards a pass on the shoulder 
of the Pic da Mas de la Grave (9,9-18'), 
by which it is possible to return to 
Besse. A little farther on another 
track mounts to the SE., and, passing a 
col, joins the path of the Col de lTn- 
fernet (lite. B). The true route here 
turns again to the N., and in 2^ hrs. 
from Besse gains the crest of the Col 
d'Agnelin (9,114'), immediately E. of 
the Cime des Torches (9,702'). From 
the Col the ravine of the Combe d'Ag- 
nelin descends abruptly towards the 
valley below, but the traveller keeps to 
the left along the slopes of the Cime 
des Torches until he gains the ridge 
which separates the Vallon d'Entraigues 
on the 1. from the Combe d'Agnelin on 
his rt. hand. Along this ridge he 
descends in 1 hr. from the Col to 
Vallonet, about ^ hr. above Entraigues, 
and nearly 5 hrs. from St. Jean de 
Maurienne (§ 7). 

2. If the traveller should prefer the 
more frequented path of the Col du 
Pre Nouveau, he must follow at first the 
track from the village of Besse as 
above described, but keep more directly 
to the N., until, after passing a rock} 
gap, he approaehes the stream of La 
Valette, which descends nearly due S. 
through a glen, along which lies the 
path to the Col. After ascending for 
nearly 2 hrs. from Besse the stream is 



crossed, and the rt. bank followed 
for ^ hr. farther to the junction 
of two torrents, which unite to form 
the Valette. From hence less than 
j hour's ascent to the NE. suffices 
to reach the Col du Pre Nouveau 
(7,717'), a pass quire enclosed by the 
higher mountains on either side, and 
commanding no distant view. The 
pastui*es on both sides of the Col are of 
extraordinary luxuriance, owing, no 
doubt, to the rapid disintegration of 
the prevailing rock — an argillaceous 
shale. The descent is at first gentle, 
and then, after passing a chalet, be- 
comes rather steep till, about £ hour 
below the Col, the junction of two 
torrents is reached. Thence the path 
is carried along the E. side of a 
glen, abounding in rich pastures, and 
after passing a number of scattered 
hamlets, which make up the commune 
of St. Sorlin d'Arve, attains the village 
of St. Jean d'Arve, where there is a 
rough inn (chez Delmy). 2 hrs. 
suffice for the descent from the Col, 
but 4 should be allowed for the 
ascent when the pass is taken in 
the opposite direction. From St. 
Jean d'Arve it is possible to follow an 
undulating path on the E. side of the 
Arvan to St. Jean de Maurienne; but the 
more direct course is to mount from 
the former village to a low pass called 
Col d'Arve, whence grassy slopes lead 
rapidly doAvn, due N., to a torrent 
— a tributary of the Arvan. Again 
ascending for a short distance, the tra- 
veller reaches Villarambert, and, follow- 
ing the steep mule-track, descends to 
the next village of Font Couverte, 
and thence to St. Jean de Maurienne, 
distant 3 hrs. from St. Jean d'Arve, 
but 4 hrs. when travelling in the oppo- 
site direction. 

3. The route just described may be 
varied, but at the cost of additional la- 
bour, by following the more westerly 
of the two torrents which meet about 
I hr. below the Col du Tie Nou- 
veau. The torrent is called Giand 
Sauvane, and descends from a peak of 
the same name, called also Vermil- 



72 



DAUPHIN E ALPS. § 



8. OISANS DISTRICT. 



Ion, one of the range of the Grandes 
Rousses. Leaving on the 1. a chalet 
called Ovel, the track turns to the 
right, and gains the dividing range at 
a pass called Col Perrant. The path 
which descends on the N. side joins that 
from the Col du Pre Nouveau in about 
| hr, from the summit. This way involves 
a slight detour, but the Col Perrant has 
the advantage of commanding a very 
fine view. Each of the Ktes. here de- 
scribed is long and fatiguing, involving 
many separate ascents and descents, 
and the way, though nowhere difficult, 
is scarcely to be found without a local 
guide. It is quite possible to sleep at 
Freney or at St. Jean d'Arve, and so 
shorten the day's work. 

For the longer but easier way by the 
Croix de Fer, see next Route. 



Route E. 

BOURG D'OISANS TO LA CHAMBRE. 
THE GRANDES ROUSSES. 

13 hrs. by the Combe d'Olle, lOf hrs. by 
Vaujany. 

Although the distance in a direct 
line from Bourg d'Oisans to La Cham- 
bre, in the valley of the Arc, is greater 
than to St. Jean de Maurienne, the way 
is rather shorter and less laborious. In 
following the track by the valley of the 
Olle, a guide is scarcely required in 
fine weather, but it might be difficult 
for a stranger to find the short-cut by 
Vaujuny without assistance. 

On leaving Bourg d'Oisans the high 
road to Grenoble is followed for 5 m. 
to the hamlet of Sables, close to the 
confluence of the Olle with the Ro- 
manche. Crossing the latter river by 
the Pont Rouge, the track follows for a 
short distance' the 1. bank of the Olle, 
and then passing to the rt. bank by the 



bridge of Perniere, in f hr. from Sa- 
bles, or 2| hrs. from the Bourg, attains 
the large village of Allemont (inn is, 
or was, poor and dirty), overlooked 
by the ruined castle of Rochechinard, 
which commands a magnificent view of 
the glaciers of the Grandes Rousses and 
the other neighbouring mountains. 
The ranges enclosing the valley above 
Allemont are extraordinarily rich in me- 
tallic ores, which elsewhere are rarely 
or neverfound together. The iron-works 
are still in activity, but the silver-mines, 
which have been worked at intervals 
for nearly a century, have but ill-repaid 
their promoters, whether from the in- 
herent difficulties of the undertaking, or 
from want of capital and skill in the 
management. [The last-named mines, 
situated on the mountain called Cha- 
lanches, at about 4,000 feet above the 
village, may be reached in 2|- or 3 hrs., 
and cannot fail to interest the mineral- 
ogist. On this single mountain, gold, 
silver, mercury, nickel, cobalt, copper, 
zinc, iron, manganese, and antimony, 
have been found variously combined, 
besides beds of anthracite.] 

From Allemont the way to La 
Chambre follows the right bank of the 
Olle due N. for 3 hrs. (2| hrs. descend- 
ing) to the hamlet of Rivier (no inn), 
which stands several hundred feet above 
the torrent. The scenery is rich and 
pleasing, with some fine views of the 
surrounding mountains. Above Rivier 
the Combe d'Olle turns to the E., 
and the scenery becomes wilder. 
Passing close to a fine waterfall, the 
track enters the Defile de Maupas, 
leading in 2 hrs. from Rivier to a 
large chalet, frequented by shepherds 
from Provence, called La Grande 
Maison. This is opposite to the junc- 
tion of the Cochette torrent, which 
descends NW. from the Grandes 
Rousses to join the Olle. The main 
valley here gradually turns NE., and 
many tributary torrents are passed. 
The first, on the right bank, called 
the Laune, leads by the Col d Aune- 
lin (not to be confounded with that 
so named in Rte. D) in 2 hrs. to 



ROUTE E. GKANDES ROUSSES. 



73 



the Lac da Col, or du Cos, one of the 
Sept Laux (Rte. F). 

Rather more than 1 hr. above La 
Grande Maison, keeping to the rt. 
bank, the track reaches the chalets of 
Plan du Seuil close to the junction of 
the two streams, which make up the 
Olle. One of these descends from the 
S. through a wild glen called Combe de 
Bramand, containing a succession of 
small lakes, of which the highest lies at 
the base of one of the northern peaks 
of the Grandes Rousses. The other 
branch of the valley leads nearly due E. 
to the Col de la Croix de Fer, about 
6,500 feet in height, over which lies a 
path to St. Sorlin d'Arve and St. Jean 
de Maurienne. This way might be 
taken in preference to those described 
in the last route; but, though easy, 
it is very circuitous, and requires 
14 or 15 hours' walking from Bourg 
d'Oisans. 

The track to La Chambre quits that 
of the Croix de Fer about 5 min. 
beyond the Plan du Seuil, and, turn- 
ing to the N., mounts in \ hr. to the 
Col du Glandon (about 6,500'), at the 
head of a lateral valley of the same 
name which descends in a nearly straight 
line to the main valley of the Arc. By 
the route above described, the Col is H 
hr. from La Grande Maison, and nearly 
9 hrs. from Bourg d'Oisans. The de- 
scent is at first rather rapid, and then 
more gentle, following the rt. bank 
of the torrent, and passing by many 
chalets in the midst of rich pastures. 
About 1|- hr. from the Col, the large 
village of St. Colomban des Villards is 
passed, and ^ hr. farther the first 
of the scattered hamlets which make up 
the commune of St. Allan des Villards. 
The valley of the Arc is reached about 
1 mile above La Chambre (§ 7, Rte. 
A), 4 hrs. from the Col, and about 13 
hrs. from Bourg d'Oisans. 

A glance at the map will show that 
the valley of the Olle between Sables 
and the Col du Glandon describes a wide 
curve, and thereby involves a long de- 
tour. There is another much more di- 
rect but rather more laborious way, by 



Vaujany, which, however, is not easily 
found without a guide. 

In following the track above described 
from Sables to Allemont, the way to Vau- 
jany leaves on the 1. hand the bridge 
of Perniere, and mounts along the E. 
side of the valley of the Olle to Oz, a 
small village, about 1 hr. from Sables, 
surmounted by the remains of an 
ancient stronghold. Here, quitting 
the Combe d'Olle, the path follows 
the Flumet torrent, and in 40 min. 
reaches 

Vaujany (4,211'), the highest com- 
mune in the valley. To the E. a rocky 
gorge leads up to two small lakes which 
receive part of the drainage of the glaciers 
of the Grandes Rousses. The direct 
way to the Col de Glandon continues to 
mount along the rt. bank of the Flumet, 
passing on the 1. hand a track which 
passes over the Col du Sabot to the val- 
ley of the Olle. hr. above Vaujany 
the path crosses to the 1. bank, and 
about 20 min. higher up the Flumet 
is enlarged to a small lake ; the path 
again crosses the stream, and, bearing 
a little to the 1., mounts to the Col de 
Couard (7,330'), 1^- hr. from Vaujany. 
E. of the Col are seen the extensive 
glacier of Cochette and the peak of the 
Grand Sauvage. A descent of 40 
min. along the rt. bank of the Co- 
chette torrent leads to the Combe 
D'Olle, a short way above the Grande 
Maison, which is thus reached in 
5| hrs. from Bourg d'Oisans, in- 
stead of nearly 7£ hrs., as by the way, 
first described, through the Combe 
d'Olle. By the shorter way, La Chambre 
may be reached in 10J hr.s.' steady 
walking, exclusive of halts. 

Between the Valley of the Olle and 
that of the Ferrand, mentioned in 
Rte. D, rises the considerable mass of 
the Grandes Rousses, extending about 
6 m. from SSW. to NNE. It has 
several peaks, of which the two highest 
are equal in height, reaching 11,395 ft. 
On the W. side numerous short and 
steep glaciers are drained by torrents 
that flow into the Olle through as 
many lateral glens. On the E. side 



74 



DAUPHINE ALPS. § 8. OISANS DI/.fPJCT. 



the glaciers are larger and less inclined. 
The most northerly of these feeds the 
main branch of the Arvan, while those 
lying farther S. pour their streams 
into the Ferrand, which descends by 
Clavans to join the Romanche near 
~Ereney. The northernmost of the two 
highest peaks, lying on the boundary 
between Savoy and Dauphine, is locally 
known as the Grand Sauvage. This 
was ascended in 1863 by a party con- 
sisting of the Rev. T. G. Bonney and 
Messrs. W. and G. S. Mathews, with 
two Chamouni guides. Having slept 
at the shepherd's hut of La Cochette 
Dessus, near the point where the track 
from the Col de Couard reaches the 
Cochette torrent, they ascended to the 
point where that stream escapes from 
the Glacier de Cochette, lying on the 
NW. flank of the Grand Sauvage. The 
ascent by this glacier was found de- 
cidedly difficult, involving much step- 
cutting in hard ice; until they gained 
the less inclined upper portion of the 
glacier which led them to the rocky 
peak. This was climbed by a rough 
scramble of if hr., or 6 hrs. from the 
place of starting. The view is de- 
scribed as very fine, as well as inte- 
resting from its novelty. Mr. W. 
Mathews, to whom the editor is in- 
debted for these particulars, believes 
that the ascent may be much more 
easily made from the Valley of the 
Arvan, as the glacier on the side of 
Savoy is less steep, and extends with- 
out interruption to the summit. 

The descent was effected by an easier 
way than the ascent, the course taken 
lying SW. to the small lakes at the 
head of the torrent of Vaujany. The 
travellers descended along the 1. bank 
over rough ground, and reached AUe- 
mont in about 6| hrs. (including halts) 
from the summit. If it be practicable 
to reach the Lac Blanc at the S. end of 
the range of the Grandes Rousses, there 
is a direct descent thence to Bourg 
d'Oisans by Brandes That lake 
seems, however, to be more accessible 
from the southernmost of the two 
highest peaks of this group. No notice 



of an ascent of that summit has reached 
the editor. 



Route F. 

BOURG D'OISANS TO ALLEVAKD — LES 
SEPT LAUX. 

17 hrs.' walk — 9 hrs to tlie fishorman's hut — 
8 hrs. from thence to -Ulevard. 

This is an interesting excursion, 
though somewhat overrated by the 
writers of local guides. The distance 
is rather too great for one day's walk, 
even with the assistance of a char, which 
might be taken from Bourg d'Oisans to 
Allemont, or from Allevard to Ferriere 
when the pass is taken in the opposite 
direction. Most persons will find it 
better to sleep at Ferriere, or at the 
fisherman's hut near the Lac du Cos. 
Mules may be taken as far as Rivier, 
or for about 4^- hours when mounting 
from Allevard. A guide is required for 
this route. 

The way from Bourg d'Oisans to the 
Sept Laux follows for about 5j hrs. 
the track through the Combe d'Olle 
(described in last Route) as far as 
Rivier (4.200'). Thence the ascent is 
rapid, keeping towards the N., partly 
through stunted pines and over rough 
debris, until it reaches the base of 
a narrow couloir which mounts very 
steeply amidst nearly vertical rocks. 
This, which is called Cheminee du 
Diable, is not difficult to clamber up, 
but the descent is not easy, and in bad 
weather might be positively dangerous. 
After a laborious climb of about 3,000 ft. 
from Rivier, the track reaches the sum- 
mit of the Col de V Homme (7,144', 
Forbes), about 2| hrs. from Rivier, 
commanding a fine view in both direc- 
tions, but especially of the peaks and 
glaciers of the Grandes Rousses. On 
the rt. hand are seen two of the seven 
lakes whose outlet is towards the Olle. 



ROUTE F. LES SEPT LACX. 



75 



[A short distance before reaching 
the summit, a track turns off to the 
I., and in about f hr. attains an- 
other pass, called Col de la Coche, 
which leads, in 4^ hrs., by Laval, to 
Villard Bonnot, on the high road from 
Grenoble to Montmeillan (§ 10). This 
is the shortest way from the Sept Laux 
to Grenoble ; but for persons going 
thither from the valley of the Olle there 
is a more direct path from Bivier to the 
Col de la Coche.] 

In less than 1 hr. from the Col the 
track reaches a cabane, inhabited during 
two or three months of summer by two 
fishermen. Food (occasionally meat) 
and wine, with tolerable night-quarters, 
may be had here by those who may wish 
to break the journey to Allevard or to 
ascend some of the neighbouring sum- 
mits. It is close to the Lac du Col 
— pronounced du Cos — (7,154'), one of 
the highest of a group of lakes lying 
amidst the cluster of peaks that separate 
the Combe d'Olle from the sources of 
the Breda. The largest, which happen 
to lie near rhe track here described, are 
seven in number, two of them with an 
outfall to the S., and four others occu- 
pying successive steps in the descent 
from the Lac du Col towards the N. 
Several smaller lakes are near at hand. 
The scenery has more of wildness than 
sublimity ; but it affords an agreeable 
change for water-drinkers from Uriage 
or Allevard. 

[From the fisherman's hut it is easy to 
ascend the Rocher B/anc (.9,616'), also 
called Bic de la Byramide, which com- 
mands a very extensive view of the 
Savoy and Dauphine Alps. The way 
passes by the Lac Blanc (7.519'), often 
frozen over, and ascends by a small 
glacier to the upper ridge of the moun- 
tain. Time from the hut — about 3^ hrs.] 

The descent towards the N. is very 
gentle for the first hour, until, after pass- 
ing the Lac Noir, the lowest of the Sept 
Laux, the slope becomes gradually more 
rapid and leads down to a pretty cascade. 
Lower down the path makes many zig- 
zags, and reaches a shelf in the valley 
where stands the Chalet du Gleyzin 



(5,249'), 3 hrs. from the Col, command- 
ing an extensive view to the N. There 
is a short cut from the Lac Noir to this 
chalet, but the way is often overflowed : 
before taking it local information must 
be sought at some of the upper chalets. 
Another steep descent is requisite to 
gain the next step in the valley, a wooded 
plateau, where the path crosses a stream 
and then follows a slope where beeches 
appear among the pines and birches. 
The path here passes within a few mi- 
nutes' walk of the Cascade du Pissou, a 
fall of the Breda, which enjoys some 
local celebrity, and involves a very slight 
detour. 

[Close to the waterfall, towards the E., 
is the opening of the Combe de Madame, 
a glen through which a path on the 
rt. bank leads in 2 hrs. to the Col 
de la Croix (8,392'), and in 4 hrs. 
farther through the valley of the Glan- 
don to La Chambre (see Bte. D).] 

A short way lower down another glen 
opens on the 1. hand. [This is one of 
the most frequented routes from Gre- 
noble to the valley of the Breda, and the 
most agreeable, though not the shortest, 
way either from Allevard or the Sept 
Laux to that city. 2 hours suffice for 
the ascent from the Breda to the Col du 
Merdarel (6,036'), which commands as 
extensive a view as many more lofty 
points. If the shortest way be taken 
2 hours more will lead the traveller to 
Theys ; but there are several paths, 
some of them circuitous. Theys is said 
to have the finest position in the valley 
of Graisivaudan : it has an Inn (chez 
Coliquard) and a cafe (chez Flavin), 
where tourists from Grenoble are accus- 
tomed to find guides for the neighbour- 
ing mountains. The Pere Natal is 
recommended. Theys is 33 kil. or 20^ 
m. by carriage road from Grenoble, and 
5 miles from Tencin (§ 10, Rte. C), 
whence an omnibus to Grenoble plies 
during the summer.] 

Following the track down the valley 
of the Breda, in about 1^ hour from the 
Chalet du Gleyzin the traveller reaches 
the hamlet of Grand Thiervoz, passing 
the opening of the Combe de Vulhire. 



76 



DAUPHIN E ALPS. § 



8. OISANS DISTRICT. 



[Through this lateral valley another 
pass leads to the valley of the Arc at La 
Chambre. To avoid the narrow gorge 
through which the torrent rushes to join 
the Breda, the path mounts the slope 
above the stream on the rightbank, then 
crosses to the opposite side, and makes 
a detour to reach the farther side of a 
lateral ravine. In less than 1 hr. the 
path returns to the rt. bank at the 
Chalet de Valloire, and mounts easily 
to the upper end of the glen, occupied 
by three small lakes From hence a 
steeper ascent leads to the Col de Val- 
loire (about 8,200') between two peaks, 
each exceeding 9,000'. This is reached 
in 2 hrs. 20 min. from Thiervoz. On 
the side of Savoy the track keeps to the 
1. bank of the torrent, and in 1\ hrs. 
reaches St. Alban des Villards ; from 
thence to La Chambre 1^ hr. : in all 
6 hrs. 35 min. from Thiervoz.] 

About a mile below Thiervoz (at 3,009 
ft.TV.M.) is La Ferriere (Inn : chez Jour- 
dan, tolerable quarters, civil people), a 
frequent resort of tourists, who sleep 
here before starting for mountain expe- 
ditions. Guides, mules, and provisions 
are found here. The descent to Allevard 
is picturesque and agreeable, by a 
tolerably good mule-path, often under 
the shade of fine trees. 2 hrs. suffice 
for the descent, 2 hrs. 20 min. in 
ascending. Half-way is Pinsot, at the 
junction of the Gleyzin torrent with the 
Breda, where the path crosses to the 
right bank of the united streams. From 
hence the ascent of the Gleyzin (9,275') 
is sometimes made. It is a laborious 
day's work from Allevard, and the view 
is not equal to that from the Pic du 
Frene. 1 hr. below Pinsot is Allevard. 
(See § 10.) 



Route G, 

ALLEVARD TO LA CHAMBRE — PIC DU 
FRENE. 

In the preceding lite, two passes from 
the valley of the Breda to La Chambre 
have been incidentally described. By 
the first of these — the Combe de Ma- 
dame — the distance from Allevard is 
about 9i hrs'. walking ; by the Col de 
Valloire about 8 i hrs. will suffice. A 
more direct way is by the Col de Merlet, 
by which an active pedestrian will re- 
quire about 8 hrs. only ; in each case 
exclusive of halts. 

Leaving Allevard (§ 10) by a path 
which mounts above the iron works, the 
hamlet of Panissieres is reached in 40 
min. Beyond this the track follows 
the valley of the Veyton torrent, some- 
times close to the stream, sometimes at 
a height above it, till in 2\ hrs. it at- 
tains the Chalet de la Chevrette, where 
it is usual to halt for breakfast. From 
hence it is easy to reach the Petit 
Charnier (6,969') in about 2 hrs., or 
the loftier peak of the Grand Charnier 
(8,412') in 3f hrs. The latter com- 
mands an extensive view, but it is over- 
looked by its neighbour, the Pic du 
Frene. 

The path to the Col, soon after pass- 
ing the chalet, reaches the base of a 
long and steep slope, called Tirequoy, 
which is climbed by numerous zigzags. 
This leads to a rocky hollow, or cirque, 
followed after another ascent by a second 
cirque, and this again by a third, still 
wilder and more desolate. ^ hr. far- 
ther the last chalet is passed, and 
all trace of path disappears amid the 
loose rocks intermixed with patches 
of snow that lead in 5 hrs. from 
Allevard up to the Col de Merlet 
(7,527'), midway between the Grand 
Moretan (8,888') to the S., and the Pic 
du Frene (9,203') to the N. 

The descent lies at first clown a huge 
pile of debris, below which stands the 
highest chalet on the Savoy side of the 
pass. Keeping to the N. side of the 
torrent two hollows forming successive 



DAUPHINE ALPS. § 9. PELVOUX DISTRICT. 



77 



steps in the descent are passed, and then 
the torrent is crossed to and fro three 
times, till, after passing the chalet of 
Vellechaud, the traveller finds himself 
on the verge of a precipitous slope, down 
which the stream plunges in a succession 
of rapids and waterfalls. The track 
keeps to the right, and winds down the 
side of the mountain until, in the valley 
below, it fails into a rough char-road. 
This will lead to Molard, the chief ham- 
let in the commune of St. Alban des 
Villards ; but there is a shorter way by 
a rough path following the bank of the 
torrent. Molard may be reached in l£ 
hour from the Col, and it is about equally 
far from thence to La Chambre by the 
valley of the Glandon. (See Rte. E.) 

[Another pass, about 8,200 ft. in 
height, more difficult and rarely used, 
passes on the N. side of the Pic du 
Frene, and is called Pas du Frene or 
Col des Pierres. This is reached from 
Allevard by following up to its head the 
valley of the Bens torrent, or Combe de 
St. Hugon (§ 10, Rte. D). In 4 hrs. 
from the Baths, this leads to a plateau 
surrounded by snow slopes, from whence 
a path to the right crosses by the Colde 
Bourbiere to the valley of the Vcyton 
and the track of the Col de Merlet, 
while, by keeping to the left, an ascent 
of £ hr. leads to the Pas du Frene. Below 
the pass on the side of Savoy is a small 
lake. That is apparently the only prac- 
ticable way to reach the summit of the 
Pic du Frene, which commands one 
of the finest panoramas of this part of 
the Alpine chain. From the lake the 
ascent is up steep slopes of debris, until 
reaching the rocks which form the high- 
est ridge. The last part is difficult, 
especially the passage of a nearly ver- 
tical couloir at more than 600 feet above 
its base. The peak was one of the sta- 
tions used in the measurement of the 
arc of the mean parallel.] 



SECTION 9. 

PELVOUX DISTRICT. 

As stated in the introduction to this 
chapter, the almost isolated group of 
high Alps, of which the Pelvoux bears 
the only well-known name, lies between 
the Durance, the Romanche, and the 
Brae, in an irregular triangle, whose 
sides are about 45 miles long. If the 
level of the sea were raised 5,000 feet, 
the entire district would form a single 
peninsula, connected with the Cottian 
Alps by a narrow neck of land which 
forms the Col de Lautaret. Nothing can 
be more irregular and complicated than 
the disposition of the ridges which go 
to make up this highland region ; and 
the direction and grouping of the valleys 
shows a similar absence of apparent or- 
der. The three ridges which include all 
the highest peaks, excepting the Mont 
Pelvoux, show indeed indications of a 
regular plan, for they form the sides of 
a quadrangle open to the W., and fol- 
lowing pretty closely the direction of 
the cardinal points. Farther S., again, 
the valleys show a general tendency to 
keep to the direction E. and W.; but a 
number of lofty promontories, including 
peaks of 1 1,000 ft. and upwards, diverge 
in every direction, and bet-ween these, 
short and tortuous valleys bear down 
the drainage of the glacier fields which 
cover the upper level. The position of 
the principal peaks and passes will be 
made more clear by reference to the 
annexed map and the outline sketches 
in Routes A and B. The group offers 
abundant scope for the adventurous 
traveller, for many of the loftier peaks, 
including the second and third in \ 
height, are yet unascended ; and of the 
Alpine valleys S. of the Vallouise but 
little information has been published. 

The first ascent of the Mont Pelvoux 
was made by the Commandant Durand, 
with a party of Engineers under his 
command, who remained, in 1828. for 
two or three days on the upper plateau 
of the mountain. The next was by M. 
Puisieux, in 1848. 



DAUPHINE ALPS. § 9. PELVOUX DISTRICT. 



78 

The best, and almost the only toler- 
able inn in this district is that at 
Venose ; but although there are new 
peaks to be scaled, and little known 
glaciers to be explored, in the neighbour- 
hood of that village, it is inconveniently 
distant from the higher summits. A por- 
tion of the glaciers of the central group 
might be visited from Monestier in 
the valley of the Guisanne. (See § 8, 
Rte. A.) 

In regard to the position and names 
of the higher peaks, it would be im- 
possible to note in detail the numerous 
errors contained in all the published 
works relating to this district ; and it 
suffices to say that the map here given 
is based upon the results of the General 
Survey of France, with several additions 
and a few corrections by Mr. Tuckett. 
Tor further information as to the topo- 
graphy the reader is referred to the 
excellent and accurate outline sketches 
published by the Rev. T. G. Bonney, 
who has been one of the most active 
explorers of the Dauphine Alps. 
Mountaineers wishing to explore the 
higher peaks and ridges of this district, 
which are remarkable for their extreme 
steepness, should prefer the earlier part 
of the summer, when snow lies on 
slopes and in couloirs which are scarcely 
accessible without its aid. 



Route A. 

BOURG D'OISANS TO LA BERARDE — 
VALLEY OF THE VENEON. 

Hours' English 

walking miles 
Venose 2§ « 
St. Christophe 2 5| 
La Berarde ... 3 8 

H 21 5 

Although a good walker will accom- 
plish the distance in the time here indi- 
cated, exclusive of halts, the track is so 
rough that a horse or mule will take 
considerably more time. 



The highest ridges of the Dauphine 
Alps form, as has been said, a quadrangle 
closed to the N., E , and S., but open to 
the W. All the streams that fall into 
the interior of this great enclosure unite 
in the bed of the Yeneon, flowing 
at first W., and then NW., till it joins 
the Romanche, which drains the outer 
side of the northern ridge of the quad- 
rangle. It naturally follows, that the 
easiest way to reach the centre of this 
highland region is to follow the valley 
of the Yeneon. 

The junction of this stream with the 
Romanche is very near to Bourg d'Oi- 
sans, on the high road from Grenoble 
to Briancon, and little more than 30 
m. from the former city, whence it 
may be reached in 5^ hrs. by diligence 
or hired vehicle. (See § 8, Rte. A.) 
From the open valley about Bourg 
d'Oisans the course of the Yeneon seems 
to be the natural prolongation of this 
part of the valley of the Romanche, 
the gorge through which that stream 
descends from La Grave being too nar- 
row to be perceived from a distance. 
The path to La Berarde leaves the high 
road at the Bourg, and follows the broad 
torrent of the Yeneon across the plain 
for about 1 hr., until the high walls of 
limestone rock on either hand show that 
the traveller has entered the valley 
through which it bears down the drainage 
of more than twenty glaciers. Keeping 
to the 1. bank of the stream amid scat- 
tered blocks, the track reaches Pont Es- 
cofier, where the scenery increases in 
grandeur. Looking back, the plain of 
Oisans is seen enclosed by mural pre- 
cipices, and backed by the bold crags of 
the Belledonne. In front are two savage 
valleys. That seen to the rt., the Val- 
lon de Lauvitel, enclosed by a precipi- 
tous range, whose highest point is the 
Clapier du Peyron (10,407'), leads by 
the Lac de Lauvitel to a difficult pass 
to Valsenestre (Rte. M). To the 1. is 
the valley of the Yeneon, backed by a 
snowy peak, and in the middle distance is 
the only green patch amid the rugged 
rocks which make up the prevailing 
character of the scenery. This marks 



ROUTE A. — LA BERARDE. 



79 



the site ot the village of Venose (Inn : 
chez Paquet. excellent for Dauphine, 
clean and cheap, supplies sometimes 
scanty), standing 3,363 ft. above the 
sea on a slope above the valley. The 
luxuriant vegetation is due to the pre- 
sence of a shaly anthraciferous lime- 
stone. A tongue of this formation ex- 
tends from the valley of the Romanche 
and traverses that of the Veneon, as 
though lying in a trough amidst the 
surrounding crystalline rocks. Two 
passes connect Venose with the adjoin- 
ing valleys to the N. and S., and 
both lie in great part over this de- 
posit. That to the N., called Col de 
Venose (lite. I), commanding a noble 
view, leads to Freney in about 3 hrs. 
In the opposite direction the Col de la 
Muzelle (about 8,200') leads in 3| hrs. 
to Valsenestre, and in f hr. more 
to La Chapelle in Val Joufirey. (See 
Rte. M.) 

Above Venose there is no exit from 
the main valley over the lofty ridges 
which enclose it for about 35 m. save 
by high and difficult glacier passes. 
There is perhaps no other valley in the 
Alps, unless it be that of St. Nicholas, 
so completely shut in as this. On 
leaving Venose the path descends to 
the river, crosses to the rt. bank, and 
enters a gorge unsurpassed for rugged- 
ness and desolation. Some overhang- 
ing peak must have fallen and left 
here its shattered fragments as a 
memorial of the catastrophe. One huge 
slab has fallen across the stream which 
is traversed by this natural bridge. A 
little farther the track ascends the 
slope of the mountain on the rt. bank 
of the torrent to avoid the narrow cleft 
through which this forces its way, 
and then, after passing opposite the 
picturesque opening of the Vallon de 
V Enchatra, descends to the level of the 
stream. After crossing the Torrent 
du Diable, which drains the Glacier de 
la Selle (Rte. I), another rather steep 
ascent leads to the village of St. Chris- 
tophe (4,823'). (Inn beside the church, 
has been rebuilt, offers two or three 
clean beds, but no fresh meat.) The 



slopes above the village command fine 
views of the snowy peaks which sepa- 
rate the upper vailey of the Veneon 
from the Vallon de la Muande, leading 
by the rarely used glacier pass called 
Col de la Muande (10,036') to the Val- 
ley of the Bonne (Rte. N). On the way 
to La Berarde the track leading to the 
last-named Col is seen to cross the Ve- 
neon about I hr. above St. Christophe, 
and the main valley then turns due E. 
Before long the great range of snow- 
seamed peaks that bars the head of the 
valley begins to appear, and at the 
poor hamlet of Les Etages, 2 hrs. 
from St. Christophe, the Pointe des 
Ecrins, the highest summit of the 
entire group, flanked by attendant 
aiguilles only less bold than those of 
the valley of Chamouni, comes fully 
into view. The annexed outline sketch 
gives an accurate representation of the 
position and names of the principal 
objects seen from the slopes above Les 
Etages. 

Nearly 1 hr. farther is the last hamlet 
in the valley, La Berarde (5,702'), where 
very wretched accommodation may be 
had at the house of the two Rodiers, of 
whom the elder acted as guide to 
Professor Forbes, but is now past active 
work. His son is a good mountaineer, 
and pretty well acquainted with the 
neighbouring glacier passes, but many 
complaints have been made of unrea- 
sonable demands, and of unfair means 
to extract additional francs from the 
pockets of the few strangers who have 
occasion for his services. Perhaps it is 
unreasonable to complain of such a 
natural result of monopoly. It does 
not appear that the high pay which he 
receives (45 fr. for any of the glacier 
passes) has been applied to make his 
house more attractive to travellers. 

The position of La Berarde bears a 
remarkable similarity to that of En- 
treves above Courmayeur. Here, as in 
the Allee Blanche on the S. side of 
Mont Blanc, two torrents, flowing in 
opposite directions along the base of a 
great snowy range, receive the drainage 
of the glaciers that descend through 




short lateral valleys, and meet at a 
central point, from whence they escape 
through a channel at right angles to 
their previous course, in the form of a 
T. 

The passes leading from La Berarde. 
are described in Rtes. C, D, E, and F, 
so far as materials have been available. 

Among the many rare plants seen in 
this district, the botanist will not fail 
to notice Berardia subacautis. 



Route B. 

GUILESTRE TO VALLOUISE — ASCENT OF 
THE MONT PELVOUX. 

La Berarde has been described in the 
last route as the most central place for 
excursions among the higher peaks of 
the Pelvoux group, but the Mont Pel- 
voux itself is not accessible, nor even 
visible, from La Berarde or any point 
in its vicinity. To approach that peak 
or the great glaciers which encompass 
it, the easiest access is by the Val- 



! Ionise, traversed by the Gyronde 
torrent, which joins the Durance at 
La Bessee on the high road from 
Mont Dauphin to Briancon. This 
is also the natural course for tra- 

I vellers approaching the Pelvoux dis- 
trict from the side of Italy. The best 
general view of the high peaks sur- 
rounding the Mqnt Pelvoux is gained 
from the neighbourhood of Guilestre, 
but the second peak — La Meije — is con- 
cealed by the Pelvoux. The annexed 
outline will assist future explorers. 

The Vallouise is easily reached from 
Guilestre (§ 4, Rte. A), by way of Mont 
Dauphin and La Bessee. The inn- 
keeper asks 10 fr. for a carriage with 
one horse to the latter place, and 18 fr. 
to Ville Vallouise. The high road to 
Briancon is very well kept, but the 
char-road through the Vallouise is very 

| rough, and little time is saved by taking 
a vehicle beyond 

La Bessee (Inn: filthy and extor- 
tionate), a poor village (3,492') about 
half-way (2-jhrs. in a carriage, 3£ hrs. 
walking), between Guilestre and Brian- 
con, close to the junction of the Gyronde 



ROUTE B. — ASCENT OF MONT PELVOUX. 



81 



MOOT FELVOUX 




THE A1LEFEOIDE, ECRINS, AND PELVOUX, FROM ABOVE GUILESTRE. 



with the Durance. Here dwells Jean 
Peynaud, who accompanied Messrs. 
Whyrnper and Macdonald in their 
ascent of the Pelvoux, and likewise 
Jean Giraud, of whose qualities as a 
mountaineer Mr. Whyrnper gives a 
good account. A tolerable char-road 
ascends the valley as far as the principal 
village of Vallouise (3,937'?), called for 
distinction La Ville de Yallouise, where, 
close to the bridge, there is a rough 
inn, but tolerable for Dauphine, chez 
Giraud. Distance from La Bessee 
65 m. At La Ville the main branch 
of the torrent, called the Gyr, is 
joined by the Onde, a glacier stream 
which descends through the Vatton 
d'Entraigues from the Col de Celar 
(Rt©. F), the united stream being called 
Gyronde. 

After crossing the river at La Ville, 
the road up the Vallouise follows the 
L bank of the Gyr for f- hr. as far 
as the village of Claux, where the 

PART I. 



path to the Col de l'Echauda (Rte. H) 
turns off to the right. Above Claux,. 
where there is a poor inn, two paths 
ascend the main valley, but that usually 
followed mounts by the rt. bank. 
' The valley here loses its pastoral cha- 
racter, and becomes wilder and more 
Alpine. The path winds among huge 
lichen-stained blocks, beneath the shade 
of scattered larches, and past rounded 
domes of rock scored and chiselled by 
ancient glaciers, while in a deep ravine 
on the rt. roars the torrent which bears 
down the united drainage of the E. and 
S. flanks of the Pelvoux.'— [W. M.] 
Ailefroide, 1-| hr. from Vallouise, con- 
sists of a few filthy chalets in the midst 
of a little triangular plain, where pota- 
toes, oats, &c, are still cultivated. The 
mass of the Mont Pelroux is a very 
grand object throughout the ascent 
from Claux. 

Two rugged valleys meet at this 
point, bringing into a single stream the 



82 



DAUPHIN E ALPS. § 



9. PELVOUX DISTRICT. 



drainage of the opposite sides of the 
Mom Pelvoux. Flowing from the W. 
the Selaeniere or Sapeniere torrent re- 
ceives the glacier streams from the S. 
and SW. sides of the mountain, as 
well as the drainage of the glacier of 
Sele, at the head of the valley ; while 
the Torrent de St. Pierre, descending 
along the E. base, bears the united 
streams from the Glacier Noir and the 
Glacier Blanc, the former of which 
wraps itself round the highest peaks on 
their N. and NW. sides. It would ap- 
pear that the only practicable route to 
the summit is by the S. face, and there- 
fore by the valley of Sapeniere. This 
is a barren and dreary glen, the fitting 
scene of a horrible tradition which re- 
counts that, during the Vaudois per- 
secutions, the population of Vallouise 
took refuge in a cavern called La Balme 
Chapelu, where they were all destroyed 
by the same process that was applied 
to certain Arab tribes in Algeria by a 
late Governor of that colony. The 
accounts are not very consistent in re- 
gard to dates and other details, but have 
probably some foundation in fact. Most 
of those who have attempted the ascent 
have passed the preceding night at a spot 
called Soureillan (7,312'), also called 
Cabane des Bergers de Provence, where 
shelter is found under huge blocks of 
stone, and wood is plentiful. Mr. 
Tuckett states that there is a shorter 
way to reach this halting-place from 
Ailefroide than that usually taken by 
the Combe de Sapeniere, but in either 
case the distance appears to be about 
2 hrs.' walk. In each of the two suc- 
cessful attempts to reach the highest 
point the travellers bivouacked in an 
exposed position, considerably higher 
than Soureillan; but this appears to be 
quite unnecessary. Ascending for 2 
hrs. from Soureillan, a small glacier 
called Clot de l'Homme is met. This 
narrow ice-stream is the outflow of the 
snow-fields that cover the highest pla- 
teau of the mountain. The earlier ex- 
plorers seem without exception to have 
crossed this glacier, and then to have 
climbed the steep buttresses of rock that 



are piled tier over tier above it on the 
western side. This too was the course 
taken by Messrs. Whymper and Mac- 
donald, who with their guides reached the 
highest peak in 1861 ; but Mr. Tuckett, 
who made the ascent in the following 
year, with Michel Croz of Chamouni and 
Peter Perm of Zermatt, discovered a 
practicable couloir on the E. side of 
the glacier, by which he ascended direct 
without touching the glacier till within 
500 or 600 ft. of the upper snow-field. 
This course must greatly facilitate the 
ascent ; as it would appear from Mr. 
Whymper's account in the second series 
of ' Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers,' that 
his party employed about 8 hrs. in 
climbing the same height which by the 
new route Mr. Tuckett accomplished in 
3^- hrs. The latter gentleman en- 
countered no serious obstacle except at 
one point, shortly before gaining the 
upper plateau. Having overcome this 
difficulty j hr. sufficed to reach the 
highest summit. The Mont Pelvonx 
has somewhat the form of a flattened 
basin, with the edges irregularly chip- 
ped, and with one side quite broken 
away, supported upon a conical pedes- 
tal of rock, everywhere very steep and 
in most places utterly inaccessible. It 
fortunately happens that the rocky pe-> 
destal is least steep at the point which 
leads up to the breach in the upper 
basin. Three principal peaks may be 
distinguished. The highest, from the 
mean of several observations, Mr. 
Tuckett has estimated at 12,973 ft. 
The second and middle peak is marked 
by a signal, or cairn of stones, still stand- 
ing, erected in 1828 by M. Durand. 
From Mr. Tuckett's observations this 
is but 47 ft. lower than the first. The 
third and most easterly peak, the 
nearest to Ailefroide, is but 12,343 ft. in 
height. Mr. Tuckett remained nearly 
4 hrs. on the summit, engaged in taking 
with a theodolite the azimuths and 
zenith distances of the principal summits 
of the Dauphine Alps, as well as many 
other more distant peaks. Of the first 
at least two surpass the Pelvoux in 
height. The highest of all, as is now 



ROUTE C. LA BERARDE TO VALLOUTSE. 



83 



certainly ascertained, is the Pointe des 
]§crins, or Pic des Arcines (13,462'), 
seen to the NW. about 2^ m. distant, 
and separated from the Pelvoux by the 
wide upper basin of the Glacier Noir. 
Farther to the N., and fully three times 
as distant, is the Meije, or Aiguille da 
Midi de la Grave (13,031'), the highest 
of a group of pinnacles, several of 
which approach the same height. There 
remains a third summit, lying WSW. 
from the Pelvoux, and called by the 
French engineers Pic d 'Ailefroide. This 
is the peak seen on the extreme L of 
the outline sketch from Guilestre, 
whose grand western face is sketched 
at p. 209 of Vol. II. of the Second Series 
of ' Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers.' From 
the triangulation of the French engi- 
neers, it would appear to be 90 ft. lower 
than the Pelvoux ; but Mr. Tuckett 
found it to be a little above the level of 
the latter, and between points so near 
together an error is scarcely possible. 
For the present it may remain doubt- 
ful whether this should rank as third or 
fourth among the peaks of the Dau- 
phine Alps. 

2 hrs. are sufficient for the descent 
from the summit to the base of the 
couloir, and from thence Ailefroide may 
be reached in 3 hrs., or even less ; so 
that it is quite possible to return to Ville 
Vallouise on the same day. 

Unless the route discovered by Mr. 
Tuckett should be found impracticable 
hereafter, owing to changes in the upper 
glacier, it would appear that the ascent 
of the Pelvoux presents no unusual 
difficulties. The excursion is interest - 
ing, not only because it introduces the 
traveller to one of the least-known 
portions of the Alps, but because of 
the extent, novelty, and grandeur of 
the more distant panorama. It appears 
probable that the Mediterranean is not 
under any circumstances visible from this 
or the neighbouring peaks. 



I 

c. 



Route C. 

LA BERARDE TO VALLOUISE BY COL 
DES ECRINS. POINTE DES ECRINS. 

This is an expedition of the highest 
interest, traversing the very centre of 
the Dauphine Oberland, and passing 
close to the base of its highest peak. 
The pass was first made by Mr. Tuckett 
on July 12, 1862, from the side of Val- 
louise, and he estimates the distance at 
not more than 10 hrs. of actual walk- 
ing ; but it might often require a longer 
time. It may, in some respects, be 
compared to the Strahleck. The extent 
of glacier to be traversed is not so 
great, but in some 6tates of the snow 
the couloir on the TV. side of the Col 
would present more serious difficulties 
than any encountered on the Bernese 
pass. 

The outline sketch in Rte. A. shows 
the exact position of the Col, at the 
lowest point in e the ridge connecting 
the Pointe des Ecrins with the Roche 
Faurio (12,192'). 

On leaving La Berarde the course is 
at first to the N., through the Vallon 
des Etancons, but in less than a mile 
from the village the stream from the 
Glacier de la Bonne Pierre is crossed, 
and then the ascent commences. The 
lower part of the glacier is steep and 
much crevassed, so that it is necessary 
to follow the moraine of the rt. bank 
over steep debris and loose blocks, a 
description of path which few persons 
find agreeable. After achieving a great 
part of the ascent in this manner, the 
slope of the glacier becomes more 
gentle, and there is no difficulty in fol- 
lowing it up to the base of the snow 
couloir which descends from the Col. 
This is more than 1,300 ft. in vertical 
height, and of extreme steepness. Like 
all similar slopes, its condition is con- 
stantly varying according to the state 
of the snow. It should not be at- 
tempted at too early an hour, nor after 
fresh snow. Mr. Tuckett took 2| hrs. 
for the descent from the Col to La Be- 
I rarde, but probably 4^ or 5 hrs. should 
2 



84 



DAUPHINE ALPS. § 



9. PELVODX DISTRICT. 



be allowed for the ascent. By the mean 
of several observations, the height of 
the Col is 1 1,071 ft., about 5,370 ft. above 
La Berarde. The pinnacles and preci- 
pices of the Pointe des Ecrins, espe- 
cially when seen from the upper part of 
the Glacier de la Bonne Pierre, present 
a scene of the grandest character. The 
Col leads at once to the snow-field 
which forms the upper plateau of the 
Glacier Blanc, from ^whence rises di- 
rectly the Pointe des Ecrins. 

This mountain, called aLso the Pic or 
Barre des Ecrins, the Pic des Arcines, 
and the Montagne d'Oursine, is the cul- 
minating point of the Dauphine Alps. 
It was formerly confused with the 
Pelvoux, but its true geographical rela- 
tions have now been determined by the 
engineers of the French Etat-major, 
and made known to English travellers 
through the labours of Mr. Tuckett. It 
is divided from the chain of the Pelvoux 
by the profound gorge which is oc- 
cupied by the Glacier Noir, and is built 
up by the union of three ridges. The 
first of these, or Crete de VEncula, ex- 
tends from the summit in a north-easterly 
direction, and divides the upper snow- 
basin of the Glacier Blanc (called by 
the French engineers the Glacier de 
l'Encula) from the Glacier Noir. The 
two other ridges run due N. and S., and 
separate the above-named glaciers from 
the head of the valley of La Berarde, 
their lowest points being at the Col des 
Ecrins and the Col de la Tempe re- 
spectively. On the sides of the Glacier 
Noir and of La Berarde, the faces of 
the mountain are extremely precipitous 
and quite inaccessible, but on that of the 
Glacier Blanc the slope is somewhat less 
steep, and, although laden with masses 
of threatening seracs, will probably give 
access to the summit. In descending from 
the Col about 1 hr. suffices to reach the 
point where it is necessary to quit the 
glacier and continue the descent on the 
1. bank over steep slopes of debris alter- 
nating with snow and rock, in order to 
avoid the ice-fall between the upper 
plateau and the lower level of the Gla- 
cier Blanc. At the base of this slope, a 



few hundred feet from the glacier and 
hard by a spring of fresh water, is an 
overhanging rock, which has been 
turned to good account for a bivouac 
by Messrs. Tuckett and Mathews, but 
in 1864 the spot was found full of 
water. The glacier, which, now de- 
scends towards the SE., may here 
be crossed from the left to the right 
bank, and this is easily effected in 20 
min. The lower part of the Glacier 
Blanc is quite impracticable, and the 
descent continues over the rocky pro- 
montory at the base of the Crete 
de l'Encula. Bocks, steep but not 
difficult, and equally steep slopes of 
turf, lead down to the great moraine 
of the Glacier Noir. When this is 
passed, the traveller finds himself in a 
rock-strewn plain, nearly 1| m. long, 
torn by glacier torrents, called Pre de 
Madame Carle. When the glacier tor- 
rents are full, it is a matter of some 
difficulty to cross them in order to reach 
the 1. bank. At its lower extremity this 
plain is barred by a huge mound (an- 
cient moraine ?) which must be sur- 
mounted, and then a descent of 1 hr. 
along the 1. bank leads to the chalets of 
Ailefroide, reached by crossing the tor- 
rent of St. Pierre, If hr. from Ville 
Vallouise (see Ete. B). Including the 
time lost in crossing the torrents, not 
less than 3^ hrs. should be allowed 
from the foot of the glacier to La 
Ville. 

There is some advantage in taking 
this pass from La Berarde; the Ecrins 
remains more constantly in view; the 
ascent of the couloir on the W. of the 
Col would generally be preferred to the 
descent; and if found impracticable, it 
would be more convenient to return on 
that side. On the other hand, the de- 
scent of the steep rocks above the lower 
ice-fall of the Glacier Blanc might give 
some trouble to a stranger, and it would 
be prudent to allow ample time, so as 
to avoid being benighted in some incon- 
venient position 

Mr. Tuckett was twice prevented by 
unfavourable weather from undertaking 
the ascent of the Pointe des Ecrins. The 



ROUTE D. COL DE LA TEMPE. 



85 



first attempt was made on 26th Aug., 
1862, by Messrs. W. Mathews and 
Bonney, but the first successful attack 
was made by Messrs. Moore, Walker, 
and Wbymper, with Christian Aimer and 
M. Croz, on 25th June, 1864. Having 
passed the night on the upper part of 
the Bonne Pierre Glacier, they reached 
in 2 hrs. the summit of the Col des 
Ecrins, and then bearing to the right 
upon a steep slope of broken glacier, 
they succeeded in 2\ hrs. more in turn- 
ing the great bergschrund below the 
final peak. The last climb was found 
to be perilously difficult, whether it lay 
up or along walls of rock, or extremely 
steep slopes of hard ice, or returning by 
an arete so sharp that it had to be 
passed astride. 7\ hrs. were consumed 
in ascending and descending a vertical 
height of but 525 ft. No more difficult 
ascent has probably as yet been accom- 
plished, and it should be attempted only 
by first-rate men under especially fa- 
vourable circumstances. In descending 
towards Vallouise the party were be- 
nighted in the midst oJ" the Pre de 
Madame Carle. The Ecrins has two 
distinct summits — the lower one, lying 
to NW., 13,058 ft. in height; the other 
and 'principal peak, an irregular tri- 
angular pyramid with a double point. 
The higher of these (13,462'), is seen to 
the 1. from the Glacier Blanc, and the 
other point (13,396') appears to be no 
more than a projection from the northern 
arete. 



.Route D. 

LA BERARDE TO VALLOUISE, BY THE 
COL DE LA TEMPE. 
About 12 hrs., exclusive of halts. 
This pass is said to have been dis- 
covered by the younger Bodier, of La 
Berarde (see Ete. A). It has been 
rarely traversed, and the only account 
of it in any English work is by Mr. 
Nichols, in the second series of ' Peaks 
Passes, and Glaciers.' 



As already stated, the main branch 
of the Veneon flows from the S. to La 
Berarde, and there meeting the stream 
from the Vallon des Etancons, the 
united torrents turn to the E. through 
the valley of St. Christophe (Ete. A). 
The way to the Col de la Tempo lies 
along the S. branch, on the rt. bank of the 
stream. About 1 hr. from La Berarde 
the valley of Clochdtel opens on the 
SW., and leads up to the Glacier de 
Chardon, also called Baverja, over which 
there is a pass into the Val Godemar 
(see Ete. E). Soon after passing this 
point and crossing a mass of detritus 
borne down by glacier torrents, the 
ascent commences up the steep side of 
a lateral valley that opens to the E., 
and leads up to the ridge connecting 
the Pointe des Ecrins with the Pic 
d'Ailefroide. In 2 hrs. from La Be- 
rarde the base of the first rocks is at- 
tained. It is necessary to climb for 
nearly \ hr. along a steep face of 
rock, and then to mount for 40 min. 
along the moraine, before reaching the 
Glacier de la Ternpe. This is sufficiently 
steep and crevassed to require the usual 
companions of glacier travel — the rope 
and ice-axe ; but there is no serious 
difficulty in the ascent, and in about 5 
hrs. the summit of the Col is attained. 
This is a ridge of crumbling slate-rocks, 
probably about 11,000 ft. in height. 
S. of the Col is an eminence in the 
ridge, and beyond this a square gap, 
which Mr. Nichols reckons to be 500 ft. 
lower than the Col, but impracticable as 
a pass in consequence of the precipitous 
descent on the E. side. Save some of 
the Cottian Alps in the direction of 
Mont Cenis, the view is limited to the 
surrounding peaks; but these present a 
variety of grand and fantastic forms. 

The descent commences by some 
steep and rather difficult rocks to the 
rt., and then down a couloir, where 
large loose blocks in unstable equili- 
brium require to be passed with great 
caution. Nearly an hour is required 
before reaching the upper plateau of the 
Glacier Noir, just under the gap in the 
' ridge above described. The upper 



86 



DAUPHINE ALPS. § 9. PELVOUX DISTRICT. 



basin of the glacier occupies a large 
part of the space between the peaks of 
the Ecrins, Pelvoux, and Ailefroide, and 
its outlet is by a comparatively narrow 
ice-fall, passing at first E. and then SE. 
round the base of the Pelvoux. The 
N. side of this mountain, seen from the 
upper level of the glacier, is a very 
remarkable object. Between it and the 
Ailefroide is a gap, over which Mr. 
Tuckett thinks it may be possible to 
cross to the Glacier du Sele; but this 
has not yet been effected. 

After crossing the upper plateau it 
becomes necessary to take to the rocks 
on the 1. bank, and then to slopes of 
debris, returning to the glacier at a 
point where it receives a tributary 
glacier from the N. This is traversed, 
and the remainder of the descent lies 
over the lateral moraine until it attains 
the junction between the Glacier Noir 
and the Glacier Blanc, at the same 
point as in the last route. 3^ hrs. are 
consumed in the descent from the Col 
to this point, and 3£ hrs. more from 
hence to Ville Vallouise. (See Kte. C.) 



ROUTE E. 

LA BERARDE TO VALLOUISE, BY THE COL 
DU SELE, OR THE COL DE LA PILATTE. 

I. By the Col du Sele. Although 
little less than 11,000 ft. in height, this 
is the easiest and most direct route from 
the W. to the E. side of the Pelvoux 
group. It appears to have been for- 
merly known to some of the native 
chasseurs; but the only certain infor- 
mation about it has been derived from 
Mr. Tuckett, who, with his two guides, 
also strangers to the district, has done 
more than any preceding traveller, 
native or foreign, to make known the 
high glacier passes of Dauphine. 

As in the way to the last-described 
pass, on leaving La Berarde the S. 
branch of the Veneon torrent is fol- 
lowed along its rt. bank, past the 
junction of the Vallon de Clochatel 



(1 hr.) to its s'urce at the foot of the 
{ Glacier de la Pilatte, or Condumine of 
■ Bourcet's map. After mounting for a 
j short distance by the moraine of the rt. 
bank, the glacier may be followed for 
g-hr. until it approaches the point where 
its two principal branches meet. The 
W. branch, from the Col de Sais, and 
the S. branch, from the Crete des Bceufs 
Rouges (1 1,978'), descend in two ice- 
falls, which meet at the base of the 
Mont Giouberny. To reach the Col du 
Sele it is necessary to mount the steep 
slopes of debris and snow on the W. 
1 side of the S. branch. On gaining the 
upper plateau of the glacier, the course 
sweeps round the head of the glacier, 
; aiming at a point nearly due E., to the 
1. of what appears the lowest point of 
the ridge in ascending the glacier, where 
steep snow-slopes lead up to a ridge of 
rocks connected with the Pic d Aile- 
froide, which from this side is a magni- 
ficent object. 2 hrs. suffice for the 
ascent from the foot of the glacier to the 
base of these slopes, and 1 hr. for the 
ascent from thence in zigzags up the 
snow, and then over the rocks to the 
Col. By Mr. Tuckett's observations, 
this is 10,834 ft. in height. A few 
hundred feet E. of the Col the traveller 
gains a magnificent view, especially of 
the Ailefroide and Pelvoux. Of the 
first, which is perhaps a few feet 
higher than the Pelvoux, Mr. Tuckett 
remarks: — 'From the direction of 
the Glacier du Sele, T do not think 
the ascent of the Ailefroide would 
be impossible; but it might present 
considerable difficulties, as the fine 
glaciers descending from it are re* 
markably precipitous and fearfully cre- 
vassed.' Between the Ailefroide and 
the Pelvoux is a very grand tooth or 
aiguille of bare rock, only about 130 ft. 
lower than the last-named peak : it 
appears to remain as yet unnamed. 

Like the Col des Ecrins, the Col du 
Sele is extremely steep on the W. side, 
while in the opposite direction it is level 
with the upper plateau of the Glacier du 
Sele — called Seleon in patois. There 
is no difficulty in following the upper 



-COL DE SATS. 



87 



part of the glacier, bearing somewhat 
to the rt., until the increasing width of 
the crevasses makes it necessary to 
cross to the 1. hand moraine, f hr. or 1 
hr. from the top. The descent is at first 
by rocks, on which Mr. Tuckett found 
some traces of a path (chamois track?), 
and then down a huge pile of rough 
debris, leading in £■ hr. to the Combe de 
Sapeniere, a little below the foot of the 
glacier. From thence the chalets of 
Ailefroide may be reached in 1^- hr., and 
Vallouise in 1^ hr. farther ; the whole 
distance being accomplished in from 9 
to lOJj- hrs.' steady walking, exclusive of 
halts, according to the state of the snow. 

2. By the Col de la Pilatte. ' A very 
difficult pass ; should not be attempted 
late in the year, or at any time without 
first-rate guides. A party attempting 
it from La Berarde without previous 
knowledge would probably fail to find 
the way down.' [A. W. M.] This 
pass, which lies over the formidably 
steep ridge above mentioned, called 
Crete des Bceufs Rouges, was traversed 
hy Mr. Moore and his companions two 
days after they ^effected the ascent of 
the Pointe des Ecrins (lite. C). Hav- 
ing passed the night at Entraigues, they 
bore to the rt. from the course leading 
to the Col du Celar (Rte. E), and aimed 
at a depression between the summit 
called Les Bans, and another apparently 
of equal height (11,978') in the ridge 
of the Crete des Boeufs Rouges. The 
upper portion of the way on either side 
appears to be difficult and even dan- 
gerous, but has no other attraction to 
gain it a preference over the last de- 
scribed pass. The party employed 10^ 
hrs. of actual walking from Entraigues 
to La Berarde. 

Route F. 

LA BERARDE TO VALLOUISE, BY THE 
VAL GODEMAR — COL DE SAIS — COL 
DU CELAR. 

This route requires two days, and in- 
volves the passage of two glacier Cols, 
less hh'h, but not much less difficult, 



than those described in the preceding 
routes. Except in settled weather, it 
is not to be recommended, as the tra- 
veller would risk a disagreeable de- 
tention in the Val Godemar, or else a 
very long circuit by the valley of the 
Drac. 

The Cols hitherto described all lie 
across the eastern side of the great 
quadrangle which encloses the basin of 
the Veneon. The Col de Sais, on the 
contrary, crosses the S. wall of that en- 
closure and leads into the Val Go lemar, 
one of the tributary valleys of the Drac. 
It must be observed that besides the 
pass here described, there is another on 
the W. side of the Tete de Cheret — 
the Col de Sais of the French engineers. 
This is reached from La Berarde by 
the Vallon de Clochatel and the E. arm 
of the Glacier de Chardon. It is 10,168 
ft. in height. To avoid confusion, we 
shall call this provisionally Col de 
Chardon. 

The way to the true Col de Sais fol- 
lows the course described in the last Rte. 
as far as the Glacier de la Pilatte, where, 
as already mentioned, two principal 
affluents descend in ice- cataracts from 
either side of the Mont Giouberny. To 
avoid the western ice-fall, which de- 
scends from the Col de Sais, it is neces- 
sary to bear away to the rt. and mount 
the steep slopes of the Tete de Cheret, 
on the 1. bank of the glacier. After 
a considerable ascent over crystalline 
rocks overlaid by slate, the traveller 
will find himself on a level with the 
upper and less precipitous slope, of the 
glacier, which leads up in a direction 
somewhat W. of S. to the summit oi: 
the Col, about 4| hrs. from La Berarde, 
10,224 ft. in heig'ht (Forbes), or 10,289 
ft. CFreneh engineers). 

The most striking object in view 
from the Col is the Pic dAilefroide, 
whose W. side is a massive pinnacle of 
inaccessible rock, too steep to give 
lodgment to snow. Nearer to the Co], 
and about 700' higher, is the Mont 
Giouberny. According to Mr. Bonney, 
the snow-ridge leading up to it pre- 
sents no apparent difficulty. 



88 



DAUPHIN E ALPS. § 9. PELYOUX DISTRICT. 



The descent into the Val Godemar, 
over partially disintegrated ralcose rocks, 
is extremely steep, and might even be 
dangerous in bad. weather. It is also 
much longer than the ascent on the N- 
side. About 3 hrs. are required for the 
descent to Clot, the highest hamlet in 
Val Godemar ; but if the traveller 
should not be independent of local 
supplies, it will be necessary to de- 
scend to the village of La Chapelle, 
nearly 2 hrs.' walk down the valley. 
Professor Forbes was well received here 
by the cure, and there is a bearable inn. 

To reach Vallouise from La Chapelle 
it is necessary to return to Clot, a dis- 
tance of 2 hrs. The ascent from thence 
to the Col du Celar, or Sellar, lies for a 
long way over rough moraine, and for 
the last hour over glacier. Meeting a 
good deal of fresh snow, Professor 
Forbes took 3^- hrs. in the ascent from 
Clot to the Col, a mere ridge of shat- 
tered granite, 10,092 ft. in height. The 
descent on the E. side over precipitous 
granitic rocks seamed with veins of 
green felspar is difficult, and not to be 
attempted in bad weather. The Pic 
Boiivoism, also called Garroux (11 ,503'), 
on the S. side of the Col, is an imposing 
object. The first chalets are met at £71- 
tmigues, fully 9 hrs. from La Chapelle. 
and from thence to Vallouise is a walk 
of l£ hr. 



Route G. 

VALLOUISE TO LA GRAVE EN OISANS — 
COL DU GLACIER BLANC. 

A glacier pass of the grandest cha- 
racter, discovered by Mr. Tuckett, July 
16, 1862. The possible difficulties on 
the N. side are so serious, that it should 
be attempted only by thoroughly prac- 
tised mountaineers, and none but first- 
rate men should be taken as guides. 



Mr. Tuckett counts 10 hrs. 40 min. of 
fast walking from Ville Vallouise; but 
it is far more advisable to pass the night 
at Ailefroide, or even at the much higher 
station near the Glacier Blanc, where he 
bivouacked with his guides. 

The S. side of the pass is reached by 
the same course as that taken between 
Vallouise and the Col des Ecrins, so far 
as the steep ascent from the middle to the 
upper plateau of the Glacier Blanc (see 
Rte. C). The overhanging rock where 
Mr. Tuckett slept may be reached in 05 
hrs. from Ville Vallouise. From thence 
also the ascent for f hr. is the same as 
if the object were to reach the upper 
plateau of the Glacier Blanc, but when 
about 5 hr. from the plateau, it is neces- 
sary to turn to the N. and ascend by a 
rather steep lateral glacier, which leads 
in |- hr. to the Col. By a mean between 
the measurements of Messrs. Tuckett and 
Mathews. this is 10,81 1 ft. in keight.lying 
between the Pic deNeige( 11,8 61') on the 
E. and a summit marked on the French 
map Pic Signale (12.008'), lying at *m 
equal distance to the W. The view to the 
S. and SW. includes the peaks of Ecrins, 
Ailefroide, and Pelvoux, and their gla- 
ciers, but that on the K". side is still 
more striking. The Glacier dArsine is 
seen at a prodigious depth below, and 
separated from the Col by precipices of 
formidable steepness. Mr. Tuckett was 
fortunate enough to hit upon the precise 
point from whence alone the descent 
seems possible, though far from easy. 
The rocks there project in the form of a 
very steep buttress, and are in highly 
shattered condition, so that the utmost 
care is needed to avoid detaching loose 
blocks, which would endanger the tra- 
veller himself or his companions. At 
the base of the cliffs a slope of neve 
leads down to the glacier, which may 
be reached in I5- hr. from the Col. The 
descent on the glacier dArsine presents 
no difficulty, and, keeping somewhat to 
the 1., 20 min. suffice to reach the W. 
moraine, which is developed on a great 
scale, exhibiting three parallel ridges 
corresponding to former variations in 
the size of the glacier. 



ROUTE I. VALLEY 



OF THE VENEON. 



89 



The Glacier (TArsine exhibits the -un- 
usual phenomenon of a double outlet, 
sending down one torrent to the NE., 
which joins the Guisanne, a little above 
Monestier, while on the NW. it is the 
source of one branch of the Romanche. 

From the lower end of the glacier a 
rapid slope leads in \ hr. to the pastures 
at the head of the valley, from whence it 
is a pleasant walk of \ hr. to the Chalets 
de l'Alpe, leaving on the rt. the path 
which mounts to the E. to the Col (TAr- 
sine, leading from La Grave to Monestier, 
From the chalets U hr. takes the tra- 
veller by a good path to Villard d'Arene, 
and ^ hr. farther by the high road is 
La Grave en Oisans (see § 8, Rte. A). 
[This pass was effected for the second 
time by Messrs. W. Mathews and Bon- 
ney, on Aug. 28, 1862. At that season 
the passage from the rocks below the Col 
to the glacier presented serious difficul- 
ties, and they eonsumed more than 6 hrs. 
in reaching La Grave from the summit.] 

It would probably be equally easy, 
and rather shorter, to descend from the 
Glacier d'Arsine into the valley which 
leads to Monestier, where the accom- 
modation is better than at La Grave. 



Route H. 

vallouise to monestier — col de 
l'echauda. 

Bridle-track— about 5 hrs. 

This is an easy and comparatively 
frequented pass, practicable for mules. 
The track from Ville Vallouise diverges 
from the main valley of the Gyr at the 
hamlet of Claux, 1 hr. distant, and mount- 
ing over green pastures, where the bo- 
tanist may gather Eryngium alpinum, 
reaches, in about 1 hr., the scattered 
chalets of Echauda. From thence the 
ascent continues on the E. side of the 
valley, keeping to the rt. of some pre- 
cipitous rocks that appear to bar the 
passage. Above this is a green basin 
surrounded by rocky summits, at the N. 



end of which is the summit of the Col, 
reached in rather more than 2\ hrs. 
from Claux. The pass (7,936', W.M.) 
connects together the craggy sum= 
mits of the Roc des Neyzets (9,029') to 
the W., and the Grand Cucumelle 
(8,868 ) to the E. The latter, marked 
by a signal or cross, may be reached 
from the Col, and commands a very 
fine view. The descent to Monestier is 
free from difficulty, and may be easily 
accomplished in less than 1| hr. 



Route L 

LA GRAVE EN OISANS TO THE VALLEY 
OF THE VENEON. 

In several preceding Rtes. various 
passes connecting the valley of the 
Veneon with Vallouise and the valley 
of the Durance have been more or less 
fully described. In the present Rte. 
the passes leading from the upper valley 
of the Romanche to the Veneon are 
briefly noticed. The fullest information 
yet published respecting the portion of 
the Pelvoux range adjoining the Pic du 
Midi de la Grave, or Meije, is given in 
the ' Alpine Journal,' by the Rev. T. G. 
Bonney, who, in addition to previous 
visits, made several interesting expedi- 
tions in 1863 with Messrs. W. and G. 
S. Mathews. Besides two Chamouni 
guides, the above-named travellers en- 
gaged a chamois-hunter of La Grave, 
named Alexandre Pic. He is strong, 
good-humoured, and a good cragsman, 
and has been founduseful as a porter, but 
is not to be relied on in any way, and is 
no ice-man. Moreover, he is always 
wrong in his topography, and his asser- 
tions are altogether unworthy of belief. 

Between the Meije and the Roche 
Faurio (12,192') the ridge dividing the 
sources of the Romanche from the N. 
branch of the Veneon which reaches 
La Berarde through the Vallon des 
Etancons is extremely steep and rugged, 



DAUPHIXE ALPS. § 9. FELVOUX DISTRICT. 



90 

broken into inaccessible aiguilles, or 
showing smooth faces of granite. Mr. 
Bonney has pointed out several errors 
in the generally accurate map, reduced 
from the French survey, annexed to this 
volume. 

The most important of these correc- 
tions regards the glaciers on the E. side 
of tbe dividing ridge. It would appear 
from the map that the Romanche origi- 
nates mainly in tbree considerable gla- 
ciers, of which the Glacier <$ At sine, no- 
ticed in Rte. G, lies considerably E. of 
the others. About due W. of the Cha- 
lets de lAlpe, where the torrents from 
these glaciers join to form the Ro- 
manche, lies the Glacier du Clos de la 
Cavale, between a great spur from the 
Meije that encloses it on the N., and a 
ridge projecting from the Grande Ruine 
(12,317'). The wide space between the 
two glaciers above named is mainly 
rilled on the map by a very extensive 
glacier, appearing to be formed by the 
confluence of a number of separate ice- 
streams, and called Glacier de la Plate 
des Agneaux. In the space covered by 
this on the map there are two consider- 
able glaciers, of which that to the E. is 
the Glacier de la Plate des Agneaux, while 
another, separated from it by a ridge of 
steep rocks and slopes of debris, is 
locally known as Glacier de la Casse 
Deserte. Misled by their guide, Alex- 
andre Pic, the above-named travellers 
reached the ridge separating this glacier 
from the Vallon des Etancons by an 
arduous climb of 4 hrs. The possibility 
of effecting a descent on the W. side 
appeared so doubtful that they wisely 
resolved to return to La Grave, but 
left it uncertain whether any other pass 
connects the source of the Romanche 
with the Vallon des Etancons than the 
Col de la Cavale described below. 
Turning to the passes in the ridge ex- 
tending TV. from the Meije between the 
Romanche and the Veneon the traveller 
will notice the remarkable gap called 
Breche de la Meije, between the last- 
named peak and the Bateau (12,369') 
W. of the Rateau is the Col de la Lauze. 
and still farther W. the comparatively 



easy passes of the Breche de St. Chris- 
tophe and the Col de Venose. All the 
other passes must be counted as de- 
cidedly difficult, fit only for experienced 
mountaineers. It is characteristic of 
the extreme boldness of the peaks of 
this group that so excellent a moun- 
taineer as Mr. Bonney pronounces the 
Meije (13,081'), the Rateau, the Grande 
Ruine, and the Pic dAilefroide, to be 
either quite inaccessible, or as difficult 
as the Matterhorn. 

1. By the Col de la Cavale. 9 hrs., 
exclusive of halts, to La Berarde — 5 hrs. 
thence to Venose. After following the 
road of the Lautaret a little way beyond 
Villard dArene, the track leading to 
the Col de la Cavale turns off to the rt., 
and mounts along the rt. bank of the 
main torrent of the Romanche. After 
passing an ancient moraine of metamor- 
phic crystalline rock lying on the black 
shale, which is here in situ, the path 
reaches in rather more than 1 hr. the 
base of a steep wall of rock, the first 
step in the ascent of the valley. Here 
it is necessary to bear to the rt. from 
the track leading to the Col dArcines, 
following the torrent which bears down 
the drainage of the Cavale and Casse 
Deserte glaciers. Above the rocky 
barrier a pleasant walk over a grassy 
plain leads in about 2j hrs. from La 
Grave to some empty huts connected 
with an abandoned mine. A faint track 
along the rt. bank of the torrent then leads 
in less than £ hr. to the junction of the 
two glacier streams. Here the foot o r 
the Glacier de la Casse Deserte may be 
reached in 20 min. by the stream de- 
scending from SW. The way to the pass 
lies about due W. In rather more than 
^ hr. — 3^- hrs. from La Grave— the tra- 
veller reaches a small rock-strewn plain, 
called Clos de la Cavale, which gives its 
name to the glacier. This is a good 
deal crevassed, but no unusual difficulty 
is found in the ascent, which requires 
about 2| hrs. The summit of the Col 
de la Cavale (10,476') is a ridge of 
shattered protogme commanding a full 
view of the extraordinary peak of the 
Meije. It is apparent from this point, 



ROUTE I. — COL 

as well as from the opposite side, that 
the small Glacier du Col, represented on 
the French map as connecting the head 
of the Glacier de la Selle with the Glacier 
des Etancons, has no existence. The 
two glaciers are divided by a very steep, 
seemingly inaccessible, ridge of rocks 
diverging from the Rateau. On the W. 
side the pass is far more difficult of ac- 
cess than from the E. A steep r.u^ge 
of cliffs leads down to a small glacier 
of the second order. Below this are 
other tiers of cliffs separated by steep 
slopes of debris. About 2\ hrs. should 
be allowed for the descent to the torrent 
flowing from the Glacier des Etancons. 
The way to La Berarde lies at first 
along the 1. bank, then along the oppo- 
site side, and that place is reached in 
3|- hrs. from the summit of the pass. 

•2. By the Breche de la Meije. This 
formidable looking pass was traversed 
by Mr. Moore, and his companions 
already named, on June 23, 1864, with- 
out encountering any serious difficulty ; 
but the case might be very different 
later in the year. In the space lying 
N. of the Meije and the Rateau are 
three considerable icefalls, which unite 
at their lower extremities to form a 
single glacier. The westernmost of 
these is cut off at its head from the others 
by a spur of rock projecting from the 
Rateau. The central and eastern ice- 
falls are divided by a massive buttress 
of rock, but this does not extend to the 
main ridge, and the falls are fed from 
the same snowfields. At the head of 
the E. icefall is the Breche de la Meije, 
presenting a natural gateway between 
the valleys at either side, yet seemingly 
defended by an impassable barrier of 
shattered ice, or by utterly inaccessible 
rocks. Leaving La Grave at 2 40 a.m., 
Mr. Moore and his companions mounted 
the gorge through which the torrent 
from the glacier descends to the Ro~ 
manche. Crossing to the 1. bank below 
the first chalets, they left to the rt. the 
way to the Col de la Lauze (see below), 
and mounted direct to the glacier, which 
is covered with debris. A steep slope 
of avalanche snow lying against the 



DE LA LAUZE. 9.1 

E. spur of the great buttress, enabled 
them to gain the rocks without diffi- 
culty, and these were found unexpect- 
edly favourable, giving good hold for 
hands and feet. After climbing for 1^ 
hr. they got on to the central arm of 
the glacier, and found the crevasses 
closed or covered over with snow. After 
some time they bore to the 1., crossed 
the plateau above the E. icefall, and 
reached a great bergschrund, then partly 
filled with snow, but likely to be impass- 
able later in the year, The Breche de 
la Meije (11,054'), reached in 5| hrs. 
from La Grave, is a narrow ridge of 
rock commanding a remarkable view. 
It is separated from the Glacier des 
Etancons on the S. side by about 150 ft. 
of precipitous rock, which might be very 
difficult when not well coated with snow. 
The remainder of the descent was easy ; 
they bore to the 1. round a spur of the 
Meije, which is here a wonderful object. 
The scenery is throughout first-rate, but 
the way through the Vallon des Etan- 
cons is extremely rough and stony. 
Time to La Berarde, 8f hrs.' actual 
walking. 

3. By the Col de la Lauze. 1 0^ hrs. 
to St. Christophe — 2 hrs. thence to 
Venose. 

This pass is described by Mr. E. E. 
Blackstone, in the second series of 
' Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers,' under the 
name Col de la Selle. It seems right 
to restore to it the name by which it is 
locally known, which is derived from a 
ridge of black shaly slate (here called 
Lauze), projecting from the glacier near 
the summit of the pass. There is a 
good path from La Grave into a short 
valley on the S. side of the Romanche, 
frequented by men who carry down ice 
from the glacier of the Rateau, for the 
supply of towns in the S. of France. In 
less than an hour the traveller reaches a 
small group of chalets, where he bears 
to the rt., crossing the stream, and as- 
cending along its 1. bank. Before long 
he reaches an old grass-grown moraine, 
forming a convenient causeway. Within 
this is another moraine belonging to a 
glacier which unites the three separate 



92 



DAUPHIN JE ALPS. § 9. PELVOUX DISTRICT. 



ice- streams mentioned above. These 
are shown as separate glaciers on the 
map. The ascent lay for some distance 
partly up the moraine, partly up a hollow- 
lying between it and the slope of the 
mountain, overlooked by a pinnacle of 
the Meije, resembling the Aiguille du 
Dru. After 2|- hrs. from the chalets, 
it is necessary to turn to the rt., and 
climb for 20 min. by some rocks and 
a snow couloir to a gap in the ridge 
dividing the Glacier du Mont de Lans 
from that on the slope of the Rateau. 
An easy ascent, either along the ridge 
or over snow, leads in 25 min. more to 
an island of black shale rising from the 
snow-field, whence the traveller gains a 
view of a portion of the great glacier of 
Mont de Lans. This is not a definite 
ice-stream, but rather a vast field of 
neve about 6 m. in length, and from 2 
t.o 3 m. in breadth, lying along the 
ridge that separates the Romanche from 
the Veneon, and sloping gently towards 
the former stream. It appears to be of 
vast thickness, and is converted into 
glacier ice along its lower edge, which 
here and there extends to the verge of 
the gorges that overlook the Combe de 
Malaval. At its E. end the glacier is 
bounded by the ridge from the Rateau 
which the traveller has just traversed, 
and by another more importaut promon- 
tory of metamorphic rock extending W. 
from the same peak. The Col de la 
Lauze (10,509'), reached in about 5| 
hrs. from La Grave, lies to the W. of the 
last-mentioned range, between it and a 
projecting mass of black slate (lauze) 
rising about 120 ft. above the pass, 
and commanding a more extensive view. 

A few paces below the Col on the N. 
side the traveller reaches the edge of a 
vast semicircular hollow overlooking the 
Glacier de la Selle. The descent is steep 
and difficult, requiring the use of the 
rope and ice-axe, for want of which 
Mr. Blackstone's companion narrowly 
escaped destruction. After gaining the 
level of the valley a rough path leads to 
St. Christophe along the stream drain- 
ing the Glacier de ia Selle, called Tor- 
rent du Diable. That village is reached 



in 5 hrs. from the Col. Allowing for 
halts, this is a good day's work. Mr. 
Bonney has given in the ' Alpine Jour- 
nal' an account of an interesting excur- 
sion on the Glacier du Mont de Lans. 
There is no difficulty in following the 
ridge westward from the Col de la 
Lauze, and 1^ hr. suffices to reach a 
small peak named Jodri (10,S43'), which 
overlooks the Breche de Sc. Christophe 
and commands a fine view. Mr. Bonney 
and his companions descended by a very 
difficultand even dangerous way through 
a gorge that opens into the Combe de 
Malaval at the huts of La Balme, about 
4^- m. from La Grave. This course is, 
however, unadvisable and quite unne- 
cessary. It appears certain that there 
is no difficulty in descending from the 
W. end of the glacier through a glen 
running NW. and opening into the 
Combe de Malaval at Chambon, between 
Le Dauphin and Freney, about 7 m. 
from La Grave. In 1S65 Messrs. R. W. 
Taylor and W. G. Adams ascended the 
Jodri from the N. side, and descended 
thence in a NW. direction till, bearing 
to the 1., they reached a col by which 
St. Christophe was gained in about 4 
hrs. from the Jodri. 

4. By the Breche de St. Christophe. 
This pass, as to which accurate infor- 
mation is wanting, may be approached 
from Le Dauphin or Chambon by the 
last-mentioned glen. The height is 
about 9,000 ft., and the descent to St. 
Christophe is said to be somewhat 
difficult, 

5. By the Col de Venose. About 3 
hrs. from Freney to Venose. This way 
is easy and agreeable, but the traveller 
sees no more of the great glacier than 
he does by following the high road. 
The regular path mounts from Freney 
(§ 8, Rte. A), but those who approach 
the pass from La Grave turn aside from 
the road, and in less than 1 hr. reach 
the village of Mont de Lans (4,203'). 
An easy ascent by a well-marked path 
leads in 1 hr. more to the Col de 
Venose, also called Col de PAlpe 
(5,292'), well known to botanists for 
the many rare plants found on the sur- 



ROUTE K. — VALLOUISE TO EMBRUN. 



33 



rounding slopes. By ascending the 
hill W. of the Col for a few hundred 
feet, the traveller gains a fine view of 
the Grandes Rousses and of the ranges 
to the S. The descent to Venose 
is easily made in less than 1 hr. (See 
Rte. A.) 



Route K. 

VALLOUISE TO EMBRUN, BY THE VALLEYS 
OP THE HAOTES ALPES. 

To the S. of the central group of the 
Pelvoux a considerable group of high 
mountains, chiefly composed of eocene 
rocks, extends between the rivers 
Drac and Durance. No one peak rises 
much above its fellows, but the short 
ridges, which usually tend to a direction 
from W. to E., include many summits 
that range from 10,000 to 11,000 ft. In 
the following notice of an excursion 
that would enable a stranger to see 
something of this neglected district, the 
Editor has availed himself of some brief 
notes communicated by Mr. A. P. 
Whately. 

From the village of Puy St. Vincent, 
less than 2 m. S. of Vailouise, a path 
leads SW. to the hamlet of Narreyroux, 
and from thence by the Col de Bal to 
the Bergerie de Haut Martin, 5^ hrs. 
from Ville Vailouise. The view from the 
Col, with the precipices of Arpec in 
front, and the Viso in the distance, is 
extremely fine. The Bergerie is pro- 
bably the same as laid down in the 
French military map as Cabane des 
Ayes (6,263'). 

From the Bergerie a track mounts 
nearly due W. along the Fornel tor- 
rent to the Col oVAlp Martin (about 
9,000'), a steep pass, practicable only 
on foot. In 4 hrs. from the Bergerie 
the traveller reaches some chalets called 
Les Auberts, whence a track leads to 
Clot at the head of Val Godemar by 
the Col de Vallonpierre. A descent of 



l£ hr. along one of the sources of the 
Drac leads from Les Auberts to Cha- 
telard, the chief hamlet of the commune 
of Champoleon. [La Chapelle in Val 
Godemar (Rte. F) may be reached in 
5 hrs. by the Col de Val-Estreche.] 
From hence the traveller may descend 
by carriage-road along the Drac to St. 
Bonnet, on the high-road from Gap to 
Grenoble. Should he wish to see more 
of the mountain country, he will merely 
descend 3f m. along the Drac Blanc to 
the junction of that torrent with thf 
Drac Noir, and then follow the road 
that mounts along the latter stream to 
Orcieres (Inns: H. du Midi ; H. du 
Levant), 4,3 0 ft. above the sea, rather 
more than 4 m. from the junction. The 
shortest way to reach Embrun is to 
ascend about due E. for 4 hrs., by 
Prapic to the Col des Tourettes (8,465'), 
so called from two singular limestone 
pillars at the summit. The SE. side of 
the pass leads down to the valley of 
Chateauroux, where are seen pinnacles 
of friable limestone surmounted by 
boulders similar to those in the Val de 
Molines (§ 4, Rte. D). About 4 hrs. 
are required for the descent from the 
Col to the village of Chateauroux, on 
the high road from Embrun to Mont 
Dauphin, about 1^ hrs'. walk from 
the former and 2 hrs.' from the latter 
place. 

Another way from Orcieres to the 
Durance lies through the Val Frets- 
sinieres, a valley still wilder and more 
desolate than those above noticed, and 
interesting as one of the scenes of 
Felix Neff's labours. This is divided 
from the Val de Haut Martin by 
the lofty ridge of Dormillouse, whose 
highest point attains 10,571 ft. The 
valley is most easily accessible from 
the valley of the Durance. Opposite 
the village of La Roche, 5^ m. JSL of 
Mont Dauphin, a long wooden bridge 
crosses the Durance, and from thence 
a path mounts steeply to the hamlet 
of Palon (3,609'), crosses the Biaysse 
torrent which drains the valley, and 
farther on returns to the 1. bank to the 
village of Freissinieres (3,911'), l£ hr. 



94 



DATJPHINE ALPS. § 



9. PELVOUX DISTRICT. 



from La Roche, surrounded by orchards I 
and corn fields. If hr. farther is Les 
Viollins, which contains a Protestant 
church built by Neff. About l£ hr. 
higher up is the last hamlet, called Dor- 
millouse, a group of miserable hovels 
not far from the foot of the glaciers, 
where the poverty-stricken natives dwell 
in the same sheds with their cattle. The 
Col d'Orcieres, also called Col des Lacs, 
leads in 6 hrs. from Dormillouse to 
Orcieres, through wild rocky scenery, 
passing above a small glacier that de- 
scends on the E. side. The height of 
the pass is about 8,200 ft. 



Route L. 

BOTJEG D'OISAKS TO GRENOBLE, BY 
LA MURE. 

By the Col d'Ornon 4Pi Eng. m. By Lavaldens 
about 48 m. 

The group of high Alps described in 
this section is most frequently ap- 
proached from the valleys of the 
Romanche or the Durance, but it sends 
a considerable portion of its waters to 
the sea through the Drac, which forms 
its SW. limit. The most convenient 
point in the valley of the Drac for 
exploring the higher Alpine valleys on 
that side of the group is La Mure, 
which is on the high-road from Gap to 
Grenohle, daily traversed by diligences, 
and easily reached from Bourg d'Oisans 
by either of the routes here described. 
To a traveller bound from the Bourg 
for Grenoble the detour by La Mure 
offers the inducement of more varied and 
picturesque scenery, but would involve 
an additional day, unless he should en- 
gage a vehicle from Entraigues to La 
Mure, and from the latter town to 
Grenoble. 

The direct way from Bourg d'Oisans 
to La Mure is by the valley of the Lig- 
nare torrent; which joins the Romanche 



I about 2 m. below the Bourg. The upper 
portion of this valley belongs to the com- 
mune of Ornon, which, as commonly 
happens in Danphine, includes a num- 
ber of scattered hamlets. About 1^ hr. 
from the Bourg on the 1. bank of the 
Lignare is Palus, the lowest of these 
hamlets ; several others, including the 
principal hamlet, are seen perched upon 
eminences in picturesque positions, 
overlooking the valley From hence 
the summit of the Taillefer (§ 8, Rte. A) 
may be attained, but a guide is required. 
In | hr. from Palus the traveller reaches 
the Col d'Ornon (4,380'), a low pass 
between two peaks about 8,500 ft. in 
height. On the S. side of the Col, the 
path descends through the valley of the 
Malsanne, much wilder than that of the 
Lignare. About 2f hrs. suffice to reach 
the village of Entraigues. where there is 
an inn. This derives its name from 
the junction of the Malsanne with the 
Bonne, issuing from the Val Jouffrey. 
A good carriage road leads from hence 
to La Mure, 11^ m. Under the bridge 
by which it crosses the Bonne, 500 yards 
above the junction of the two streams, 
the torrent forms a fine waterfall. 3 m. 
below Entraigues is Valbonnais, pic- 
turesquely placed on the rt. bank of 
the Bonne, and somewhat lower down 
the road returns to the 1. bank, and 
winds at a great height above the stream 
along the channelled slopes which have 
eaten into vast deposits of gravel and 
detritus that at some period filled a 
great portion of the valley. 5 m. below 
Valbonnais the road joins the high 
road from Grenoble to Gap, close to the 
Pont Haut, a bridge over the united 
streams of the Bonne and the Roisonne. 
Just below their junction the bridge 
is crossed, and a rather long ascent to- 
wards the NE. is required to reach La 
Mure. The new road winds in long 
zigzags for a distance of 3 m., but pedes- 
trians prefer the old road, which in 1 ^ m. 
reaches 

La Mure (Inn: Hotel Pelloux), a 
small town of 3,000 inhabitants, famous 
for the resistance made by its Huguenot 
population, when besieged, in 1580, by 



ROUTE M. LA MURE TO LA 



CHAPELLE IN VAL GODEMAR. [93] 



the Duke of Maycnne. Built on a pla- 
teau 2,860 ft. above the sea, the climate 
in winter is very severe. The distance 
by the high-road from La Mure to Gre- 
noble is 38 kil. = 23^ m. Before reach- 
ing Pierre Chatel, the road passes near 
some of the works connected with the 
anthracite mines, which are here worked 
on a great scale, the consumption having 
enormously increased of late years. 

[A few miles to the W. of the high- 
road is La Motte les Bains, a watering- 
place chiefly frequented by rheumatic 
and scrofulous patients. Excepting one 
inn, called Hotel du Bois, all the accom- 
modation is under the single roof of 
the etablissement^vhere 300 persons find 
beds, besides baths, salons, dining- 
rooms, reading-rooms, &c. The scenery 
of the neighbourhood is agreeable, but 
scarcely equal to that of Uriage or 
Allevard J 

About 8 m. from La Mure is Laffrey, 
a small village, with an inn, and a 
church built by the Templars, com- 
manding a very extensive view. It 
stands on the highest part of an exten- 
sive plateau, more than 3,000 ft. in 
height, on which are four lakes, the 
largest about 2 m. long and ^ m. broad. 
Here was the first meeting of Napoleon 
on his return from Elba with the royal 
troops. From Laffrey to Vizille the 
road descends constantly for 5 m. a 
height of more than 2,000 ft. Vizille 
to Grenoble — see § 8, Rte. A. 

The preceding Rte. may be varied 
by taking a different and rather more 
interesting course from Ornon to La 
Mure. Instead of crossing the Col 
d'Ornon. another path, which keeps to 
the rt. from the hamlet of Rivier, fol- 
lows the stream of the Lignare to a pass 
called Clot Beaumont, and in 4 Ins. 
from Bourg reaches the highest hamlet 
in the valley of the Roisonne, called 
jSj oulin Vieux. ^ far, farther is Laval- 
dens, and 1 hr. beyond this La Valette, 
the principal villages in the valley of 
the RoLsonne. Serpentine and crystal- 
line rocks of varied composition are 
found in this valley, as well as metallic 
ores, which cannot be worked to advan- 



tage in consequence of the difficulty of 
access. A rough road leads in 2 hrs. 
from La Vallette to La Mure; 1\ hrs. 
from Bourg d'Oisans by this Rte. 

A pedestrian might easily reach 
Laffrey from Bourg in 8 hrs.' walk by 
following the Rte. last described so far 
as Moulin Vieux, 4 hrs. From thence 
a path crosses a low Col (4,422') to La 
Morte in 1 hr., and Laffrey is then 
reached in 1\ or 3 hrs., passing the 
hamlet of Le Desert, and following a 
ridge which overhangs the gorge of 
S^chilienne in the valley of the Ro- 
manche. 



Route M. 

LA MURE TO LA CHAPELLE IN VAL 
GODEMAR. 

8| hrs.' walk by the Col de la Vaurze. 

By this Rte. the highest summits of 
the Pelvoux group may be approached 
from the valley of the Drac. Entrai- 
gues is reached by a good road from La 
Mure in 11^ m. (see last Rte.). Instead 
of following the Malsanne torrent, a 
rough carriage-road follows the 1. bank 
of the Bonne, passing Gragnolet until 
it crosses to the rt. bank opposite to La 
Chapelle, the chief village of Valjonffrey, 
1 hr. 20 min. from Entraigues. Here is 
the junction of the torreut from Valse- 
nestre with the Bonne. [Two passes 
lead from Valsenestre to the valley of 
the Veneon. One by the Col de la 
Muzelle to Venos is mentioned in Rte. 
A. The other, more difficult and little 
used, leads by the Breche de Valsenestre 
(8,642') to the valley of Lauvitel. The 
lake of the same name which is passed 
in descending towards the Veneon is 
considered the finest in Dauphine, and 
is renowned for its trout. A boat kept 
by a fisherman will save the pedestrian 
a troublesome detour by ferrying him 
across the lake.] 

The way from La Chapelle to Val 
Godemar follows the rt. bank of the 



DAUPHINE ALPS- § 9. PELVOUX DISTRICT. 



[94] 

Bonne, crossing to the I. bank near Les 
Clarets. By this hamlet is the narrow 
opening of a gorge, through which a 
path leads over the Col de Menoux to 
St Maurice in Val Godemar. A more 
direct path returns to the rt. bank of the 
Bonne, to which it adheres till it reaches 
the highest hamlet, called Le Desert 
(4,216'), 2 J hrs. from Entraigues. Here 
the track quits the Bonne, and in 1 hr. 
mounts by the lateral glen of the Echa- 
renne in a SE. direction to the Col de la 
Vaurze. The descent is steep but uot 
difficult, and in another hour the Val 
Godemar is reached at the hamlet of 
Villard Loubieres. Less than 1 hr. suf- 
fices from thence to reach La Chapelle 
en Val Godemar. 

Another and much more difficult way 
from Le Desert follows the torrent of 
the Bonne, first to the NE. and then to 
SE., till near its source in the glaciers 
of the Pic d'Olan (11,739'). Between 
this and the Pic de Turbat (9,941') is 
a rarely- used pass, called Col de Tur bat 
(9.800' ?), from whence the descent 
along the Clot torrent leads to the Val 
Godemar, a few hundi'ed yards above 
La Chapelle. ' Time from Le Desert to 
La Chapelle, 4 hrs.' [Joanne]. Prom 
La Chapelle the traveller may reach La 
Berarde by the Col de Sais, or Val- 
louise by the Col du Celar. (See Kte. F.) 



Route N. 

ST. CHRISTOPHE TO LA CHAPELLE BY 
THE COL DE LA MUANDE. 

This rarely-used and not very inter- 
esting pass may be convenient for a 
mountaineer, who having entered the 
head of Val Godemar by the Col de 
Sais (Rte. F) would return by a dif- 
ferent way to the valley of the Veneon. 
Mr. Bonney, who has favoured the 
Editor with his notes, considers it a 
difficult, and at certain times a some- 
wh it dangerous, pass. The path from 



St. Christophe to La Berarde (Rte. A) 
is left about 1 hr. from the former vil- 
lage, just below the junction of the 
stream from the Vallon de la Muande. 
The track along the 1. slope of the latter 
glen soon becomes stony and desolate. 
In 1|- hr. from the junction you reach 
the hamlet of La Lavey, and the Col is 
seen at the head of a large glacier, 
between the Cime du Vallon to the rt. 
and the Sommet des Ronges to the L 
Crossing the stream, and mounting a 
steep bank of debris near the rocks on 
the rt. side of the glacier, you reach a 
tolerably level plateau of ice strewn 
with stones. Two possible routes pre- 
sent themselves — one up the steep ice- 
fall near the inaccessible cliffs above 
the rt. bank of the glacier, the other by 
crossing nearly to the 1. bank, ascend- 
ing a short icefall and returning by a 
more gradual slope to the upper snow- 
field. The more direct but more ardu- 
ous course was chosen by Mr. Bonney, 
but can scarcely be recommended, as it 
involves much laborious step-cutting, 
and some risk of falling stones. The 
upper part of the glacier is compara- 
tively easy, and in 4 hrs. 10 min. walk- 
ing from La Lavey, or nearly 65 hrs. 
from St. Christophe, the Col was at- 
tained. This is a natural gateway 
about 30 ft. wide, commanding a fine 
view of the Grandes Rousses, and of 
the dark ridge on the S. side of Val 
Godemar, whose highest points must 
exceed 11,000 ft. in height. The de- 
scent is at first by shattered rocks, then 
down a steep snow couloir leading to a 
small level glacier. After this the way 
is over debris and rough pastures, first 
bearing to the rt., then to the 1., when 
a solitary chalet is reached in 1^ hr. 
from the top. Another ^ hr. or less 
takes the traveller to the hamlet of 
Rieu du Sap; 50 min. beyond this you 
cross the stream of Val Godemar from 
rt. to 1., and in 25 min. more arrive at 
La Chapelle, where Mr. Bonney found 
good food in an uninviting inn, but 
many fleas. Time in the descent 2>\ 
hrs. ' walking ; in all about 9f hrs. from 
St. Christophe. 



95 



CHAPTER IV. 
SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. 



Section 10. 
chambery district. 

Route A — Paris to Chambery — Lake of 

Bourget 97 

Route B — Grenoble to Chambery, by the 

right bank of the Isdre . . 99 
Route C — Grenoble to Chambery, by Mont- 

melian and left bank of the 

Isere 101 

Route D — Chambery to the Baths of Alle- 

vard — Excursions from Alle- 

vard 102 

Route E — Chambery to Uriage— Ascent of 

the Belledonne . . . .104 
Route F— Chambery to Grenoble, by the 

Grande Chartreuse . . .106 
Route G— ChambtVy to Pont de Beauvoi- 

sin, bv Aiguebellette . . 109 
Route H—Aix le's Bains to Chatelard — 

Beauges Mountains . .111 
Koute I — Chatelard to Chambery . .112 
Route K — Chatelard to Albertville . .114 
Route L _ Chatelard to Annecy . . .114 



Section 11. 

tarentaise district. 

Route A — Chambery to Bourg St. Maurice 116 
Route B — Bourg St. Maurice to Lansle- 

bourg, by the Col d'Iseran . 119 
Route C — Tignes to Moutiers Tarentaise, 



or Bourg St. Maurice, by the 
Col du Palet — Ascent of the 
Mont Pourri . . . .123 

Route D — Tignes to Lanslebourg, by the 

Col de la Leisse . . 126 

Route E— Moutiers Tarentaise to Lansle- 
bourg, by the Col de la Va- 
noise 126 

Route F — Pralognan to Modane, by the Col 

de Chavidre, or Col d'Aussois 130 

Route G — St. Michel to Moutiers Taren- 
taise 132 

Route H — St. Jean de Maurienne to Mou- 
tiers Tarentaise, by the Col de 
la Platiere . . . .133 

Route I — La Chambre to Moutiers Taren- 
taise or Albertville, by the 
Col de la Madeleine . .134 



Section 12. 
albertville district. 

Route A — Albertville to Sallanches— -Mont 

Joli 135 

Route B — Albertville to Annecy . . 136 
Route C — Annecy to Bonneville . .138 
Route D — Annecy to Sallanches or Cluses 139 
Route E — Albertville to St. Gervais, by the 

Valley of Beaufort . . .140 
Route F — Albertville to Bourg St. Mau- 
rice, by Beaufort . . .141 
Route G— St. Maxime de Beaufort to 

Moutiers Tarentaise . . 142 



From the Roche Melon to Mont Blanc 
the main chain of the Alps, dividing 
the waters which flow to the Adriatic 
from those which are poured into the 
Mediterranean through the Rhone, runs 
in a tolerably direct line from S. to N. 
for about 42 English miles. On the 
E. side of the watershed a very lofty 
group fills the space between the Dora 
Riparia and the Dora Baltea. In the 
opposite direction a still more exten- 
sive, though less elevated, mountain 
PART i. 



region includes the greater part of 
Savoy, and throws out some consider- 
able outlying ranges into the neigh- 
bouring departments of France. Some 
geographers have included both these 
groups under the general designation of 
Graian Alps. It appears, however, 
more convenient and in accordance 
with ancient usage to reserve that de- 
nomination for the eastern guoup. The 
other, which we shall call the South 
Savoy Alps, bear to the Graians a 



90 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 10. CHAMBERY DISTRICT. 



relation somewhat analogous to that 
between the Dauphine and the Cottian 
Alps, with this additional ground for 
distinction — that whereas the Graian 
Alps proper are composed almost ex- 
clusively of crystalline slate, these are 
scarcely anywhere seen in the higher 
ranges of South Savoy, where com- 
paratively little altered sedimentary 
rocks have been carried to the summit 
of the highest peaks. 

The principal group of the South 
Savoy Alps, nearly all appertaining to 
the province of Tarentaise, is com- 
pletely enclosed between the Isere and 
the Arc. N. and W. of the junction 
between those rivers are a number of 
parallel ridges of limestone with inter- 
vening valleys broken through by a 
broad depression, where stands Cham- 
bery, the ancient capital of Savoy. 
Though of no great height, the scenery 
of this latter district, and especially of 
the ranges S. of Chambery, which en- 
close the famous monastery of the 
Grande Chartreuse, has obtained just 
celebrity. N. of the Isere, and between 
Alont Blanc and Annecy, a considerable 
tract of mountain country extends 
towards the valley of the Arve. This, 
which we shall call the Albertville 
district, from the name of its chief 
town, is proposed rather with a view to 
convenience in the arrangement of this 
work than as corresponding to a region 
orographicaliy distinct. (See § 12.) 

With the exception of the main val- 
leys, which are for the most part 
traversed by carriage-roads, the Alps 
described in this chapter have been 
very little visited by English tourists. 
The scenery of the Tarentaise is doubt- 
less inferior in grandeur to that of the 
adjoining Pennine chain, or the High 
Alps of Dauphine ; yet there is no 
want of snow-clad peaks and glaciers 
to tempt the aspiring mountaineer, 
while among the lower ranges W. of 
the Isere many excursions full of 
novelty and interest are open to those 
who prefer to avoid risk and fatigue. 
The accommodation usually available 
£o a traveller in South Savoy is de- 



cidedly superior to that of Dauphine, 
but usually deficient in cleanliness. 
The worst quarters are found in the 
upper valley of the Isere, where, as not 
seldom happens, a strong desire to prey 
upon the purses of strangers is accom- 
panied by the absence of all decent 
provision for their comfort. 



SECTION 10. 

CHAMBERY DISTRICT GRANDE 

CHARTREUSE. 

A line drawn from SSW. to KNE., 
between Grenoble and Sallanches, 
through the valley of the Isere and that 
of its affluent the Arly, marks a bound- 
ary which appears to have much sig- 
nificance in the orography of this part 
of the Alpine chain. W. of that line, 
many parallel ridges of limestone, rarely 
attaining 7,000 Eng. feet in height, 
form a series of deep trenches, which 
are cut through, but not at rt. angles, 
by three parallel valleys. These are 
the valley of Chambery, that of the 
Cheran, and the still deeper hollow 
which is occupied by the Lake of 
Annecy and the valley of the Eau 
Morte. Although there are clear indi- 
cations that the forces which have 
given their direction to these western 
ridges have also operated on the ad- 
joining groups of the Tarentaise and 
Oisans, it would appear that there is a 
still closer relation between the former 
and the chain of the Jura, whose SW. 
extremity is in the adjoining depart- 
ment of the Ain. 

In the Chambery district we include 
the greater part of the region here 
defined, excluding only the portion 
NE. of the Lake of Annecy and the path 
which, after passing Faverges and the 
Col de Tamie, joins the Isere at Clery 
Frontenex, this being more conve- 
niently placed in the Albertville dis- 
trict. As thus limited, this district 
includes three groups — the Beauges, 



ROUTE A. LAKh OF BOUEGET. 



97 



lying between Chambery and the Lake 
of Annecy ; the Grande Chartreuse 
group, extending from Chambery to 
the bend of the Isere below Grenoble ; 
and the range of the Mont du Chat, 
W. of the Lac de Bourget. The valley 
of the Isere, between Grenoble and 
Montmelian, known in Dauphine by 
the name of Graisivaudan, along with 
the minor valleys which intervene be- 
tween it and the chain of the Belle- 
donne, are also included in this district. 
The baths of Allevard and Uriage 
both offer desirable head- quarters for a 
mountaineer, while the entire district 
abounds in agreeable scenery, easily 
accessible to ladies, and even to in- 
valids. 



Route A. 

PARIS TO CHAMBERY — LAKE OF 
BOURGET. 

Railway in less than 14 hrs. by express train, 
596 kilometres=370i Eng. miles. 

There is but one direct train daily 
from Paris to Chambery. This is the 
night express (carrying first-class pas- 
sengers only), • which leaves Paris at 
8.40 p.m., reaches Macon at G a.m., and 
Chambery at 10.17 a.m. Travellers by 
the so-called omnibus trains, carrying i 
1st, 2nd, and 3rd-class passengers, are 
subjected to long delays and to incon- 
veniences from the shifting of luggage. 

Persons who do not wish to travel 
by night may take the morning express 
from Paris at i 1 a.m., which reaches 
Macon at 8.30 p.m., and proceed on 
their journey at 6 a.m. next morning. 

The main line of the railway from 
Paris to Lyons and Marseilles is fol- 
lowed as far as 

Macon (Inns: Europe, good; Champs 
Elysees ; Sauvage). Here the line to 
Geneva and Chambery leaves the Lyons 
rly. to run along the rt. bank of the 
Saone, and, after crossing that river, 

ii 



traverses the Department of the Ain, 
passes Bourg, its chief town, close to 
which is the famous church of Brou, 
one of the finest monuments of the 
later Gothic architecture in France, 
and at the station of Amherieux meets 
the rly. from Lyons to Geneva. Three 
trains usually meet at this station; and 
as their direction is reversed, mistakes 
are frequently made, to the serious in- 
convenience of travellers, who should 
ascertain by enquiry that they are 
placed in the right train for their des- 
tination. Between Amberieux and 
Culoz the rly. passes through the last 
ramifications of the chain of the Jura 
mountains, and in approaching the 
latter station winds round the S. base 
of the Mont Colombier (4,7330. From 
the summit, easily reached in 4 hrs. 
from the rly. stations of Culoz or Arte- 
mart, there is an admirable view of the 
Savoy Alps, with the lakes of Bourget, 
Annecy, and Geneva, while on the side 
of France it extends to Lyons and the 
mountains of the Ardeche. At Culoz, 
where there is a good refreshment-room, 
the rly. to Geneva turns nearly due X., 
ascending the valley of the Rhone ; 
while the Chambery line crosses that 
river on a long bridge, and is then 
carried SE. across the marshy tract 
that separates the river from the Lake 
of Bourget. 

It is here apparent that within a 
period geologically very recent, and 
i perhaps since this region was inhabited 
by man, the waters of the Lake of 
Bourget extended over a large area on 
either side of the Rhone ; while in the 
opposite direction they reached to 
Chambery, and perhaps even to the 
valley of the Isere. At about 4 m. 
from Culoz the rly. attains the N. shore 
of the lake, close to the village and 
castle of Chatillon. From thence to 
Aix les Bains it is carried along the E. 
side of the lake, passing by four tunnels 
under as many rocky promontories, 
but for the greater part of the distance 
commanding very beautiful views of 
the lake and the range of the Mont du 
Chat. At about 12 m. from Culos 
2 



93 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 



10. CHAMBER Y DISTRICT. 



a short branch line turns off to the 1., 
and in 1| m. reaches 

Aix les Bains, one of the most fre- 
quented and agreeable watering-places 
on the continent. All the principal 
houses are either hotels or pensions. 
Thefollowingare considered first-class : 
H. Imperial ; H. de I s Europe ; H. 
Verrat — all rather dear: in the next 
rank are H. Victoria ; H. Guilland ; 
H. de 1' Univers ; H. Jeandet ; H. des 
Princes ; with many of lower grade, 
and numerous pensions at rates varying 
from 5 to 10 fr. a day. The Cafe 
Dardel is recommended. The tariff for 
carriages, horses, donkeys, and boats 
will be found in all the hotels. 

The mineral waters of Aix have been 
known for at least IS centuries, and 
are now frequented by about 6,000 
patients annually, without counting the 
neighbouring country people. The 
position of the place, amidst the undu- 
lating and richly-cultivated slopes that 
intervene between the Beauges moun- 
tains and the lake of Bourget, is too low 
and too warm to suit a mountaineer, 
but offers to those who use the waters a 
variety of interesting excursions, for the 
most part very easy of access. One of 
the best points for a view over the lake 
and the surrounding country is the 
Revars (5,112'), one of the summits of 
the ridge called Mont tfAzy, which 
bounds on the E. side the plain of Aix. 
This may be easily reached by the 
village of Mouxy in about 3 hrs. The 
descent need not occupy more than 
2 hrs. The chief natural attraction of 
which Aix can boast is, however, the 
neighbourhood of the beautiful lake of 
Bourget, which may well vie with many 
others of greater celebrity. Reduced 
to less than half its original dimensions 
by the detritus carried down by the 
Rhone at the north, and the Laisse at 
its southern extremity, it is at present 
about 10 m. in length, with an average 
breadth of fully 2 miles. The W. side 
is bounded by the long and steep ridge 
of the Mont du Chat, which is the con- 
necting link between the outer ranges 
of the Savoy Alps and the chain of the 



Jura. The height of this very uniform 
ridge exceeds 3,500 Eng. feet, but 
opposite to Aix is a depression — the 
Col du Mvnt da Chat — not more than 
2,070 ft. in height, and immediately 
to the S. a bold craggy peak — the 
Dent du Chat — the Rigid of this part of 
Savoy, vying with that famous moun- 
tain in the extent of its panorama, but 
not comparable for the exquisite com- 
bination of all the elements of Aipine 
scenery in which the Righi remains un- 
surpassed. There is this further differ- 
ence, that whereas the Swiss mountain 
is easily accessible on every side, and 
is covered with places of entertainment 
for strangers, the Dent du Chat is 
decidedly difficult of attainment by all 
but practised cragsmen, the path on 
the upper part being scarcely traced. 
The usual course is to cross the 
lake to the little village of Bordeau, 
whence the summit may be reached in 
3 hrs.: 15 min. suffice to reach the 
high-road from Chambery to Yenne, 
which mounts in long zigzags to the 
Col. An easy ascent leads in J hr. to 
the summit level, a little above the 
hamlet of Grateloup. The view from 
the Col is very extensive, and will 
well reward those who cannot achieve 
the remainder of the ascent. To reach 
the peak of the Dent du Chat it is 
necessary to descend along the high- 
road for about 15 min. on the slope 
towards Yenne (Rte. G), and then turn 
to the 1. along a path which leads in 
20 min. to a little country inn. Here 
the steeper part of the climb com- 
mences ; the way, which is but faintly 
traced, lies in turn amidst trees, up 
steep slopes of debris, and over rocks, 
till in | hr. from the inn the ridge 
of the mountain overlooking the Col 
is attained. This is followed for i hr. 
to the base of the highest peak", or 
toot/i of rock, which from a distance 
appears quite inaccessible. On the E. 
side, overlooking the lake, the rocks 
form a rough staircase, by which the 
summit (5.302') is gained without any 
real difficulty. The descent need not 
occupy more than 2 hrs. 



ROUTE B. VALLEY OF THE 1SERE. 



99 



Among other excursions to be made 
from Aix, that to the Abbey of Haute 
Combe should not be omitted. This 
stands on the steep W. shore of the 
lake, about 5 m. N. of Aix. Founded 
in 1125, it was for many centuries the 
burial place of the princes of the 
house of Savoy. The present building 
is a modern restoration, executed with 
questionable taste, but many of the 
tombs are interesting and deserve notice 
as works of art. 

The distance from Aix to Chambery 
by rly. is about 10 Eng. miles. The 
approach to the capital of Savoy through 
the broad valley which separates the 
mountains of the Grande Chartreuse 
from those of Beauges abounds with 
fine points of view. Belonging to the 
former group are the Mont Grelle 
(4,649') SW., and the Mont Granier 
(6,348') due S., while to the NE. the 
Dent de Nivolet (4,597'), an advanced 
bastion of the Beauges, presents a very 
bold front. 

[This summit, marked by a large 
wooden cross, is easily reached in 4 hrs 
from Chambery, following the carriage- 
road to Chatelard (Rte. I) as far as 
Desert, and thence ascending the E. 
slope of the mountain. The direct way 
from Chambery is very steep. The view 
is not equal to that from the Dent du 
Chat.] 

Chambery (Inns : H. de France; H. 
de l'Europe — both good ; Petit Paris, 
near the diligence office) is a small city 
of cheerful aspect, now reduced from 
its rank as capital of Savoy to that of 
chief town of a department and residence 
of a prefect. The slopes of the hills in 
the neighbourhood, covered with villas 
and gardens, give an air of wealth and 
importance to which the interior of the 
city scarcely corresponds. Of the nu- 
merous excursions to be made in the 
neighbourhood the most frequented is 
to Les Charmettes, well known to the 
readers of the 'Confessions' of J. -J. 
Housseau, about £ hr.'s walk from the 
city. The house and garden have 
been kept nearly in the same state 
Since his time. To the lover of nature 



a more interesting walk is that to the 
Bout du Monde, at the base of the Dent 
de Nivolet, reached in 1 hr. by either 
bank of the Laisse torrent ; the path 
turns aside towards the N. at the open- 
ing of the gorge of the Doria, a stream 
which descends through a cleft between 
the Dent de Nivolet and the Chaffar- 
don. 

A somewhat longer expedition is that 
to the Abimes de Myans, most easily 
reached from the first station on the rly. 
to Modane, called Route de Grenoble. 
Several small lakes lying in the midst 
of a number of conical hillocks have 
attracted the attention of geologists 
ever since the time of Saussure. It ap- 
pears certain that both the lakes and 
the hillocks owe their origin to a yreat 
berg-fall from the neighbouring peak of 
the Mont Granier. That mountain is 
noticed in Rte. B 



Route B. 

GRENOBLE TO CHAMBERY, BY THE RIGHT 
BANK OF THE ISERE — MONT GRANIER. 



St. Ismier . 


. 11 


Lumbin 


9 


Le Touvet . 


. 7 


Barraux 


9 


Chapareillan 


4 


Les Marches 


5 


Chambery . 


. 11 




56 



The direct way from Grenoble to 
Chambery lies through the beautiful 
valley of the Isere as far as Mont- 
melian. A railway has lately been 
opened between the latter town and 
Grenoble along the 1. bank of the river. 
There are high roads along both banks, 
but the post-road is on the rt. bank. 
Either road offers attractions in point of 
scenery, but that of the rt. bank com- 
mands the finest views of the neighbour- 
ing Alps. 

The road leaves Grenoble by the 
Porte St. Laurent on the N. side of the 
river, and winds along the base of the 



100 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 10. CHAMBER Y DISTRICT. 



Mont St. Eynard, a long ridge which 
encloses the valley on this side, and is 
frequently visited by the botanists of 
the neighbourhood. After passing Mont- 
bonnot, a picturesque village surmounted 
by a ruined castle, the range of the 
Belledonne conies well into view to the 
E., and is the most striking object in the 
fine panorama which is almost every- 
where discovered in this part of the 
valley of Graisivaudan. 2 m. beyond 
Mombonnot is St. Jsmier, a village at 
the foot of the highest part of the Mont 
St. Eynard (4,846'). [A rough foot- 
path mounts from the village towards 
the N. and leads to the Grande Char- 
treuse in about 5 hrs. (?) Another 
path, practicable for mules, and more 
interesting, leaves the high-road about 
1 m. beyond St. Ismier, after it has 
traversed the torrent of Manival. 
The track mounts for ^ hr. by the 1. 
bank of that torrent through a fine 
gorge, and then ascends by zigzags to 
the ridge on the E. side, which forms 
the edge of a plateau crowned by the 
Dent de Crolles. The way now keeps 
to the 1ST. towards a pass, called by 
Joanne Col de Manival, and descends 
from thence to St. Pierre de Chartreuse. 
By this way the Grande Chartreuse may 
be reached in less than 5 hrs. from the 
high-road. A third track leaves the 
road at the village of Bernin, about 2 m. 
farther from Grenoble, and after passing 
Craponnoz ascends to St. Pancrace, 
meeting the last route to the N. of the 
Col de Manival. An active pedestrian, 
taking a light carriage from Grenoble, 
may reach the Chartreuse in less time 
by any one of the above paths than by 
the more frequented route by Sappey.] 
Bernin, 9f m. from Grenoble, stands 
beside a stream of the same name, which, 
when full, forms, near Craponnoz, one 
of the most picturesque waterfalls in 
Dauphine. N. of the village is the 
Dent de Crolles, or Petit Som (6,778 ), 
one of the highest summits in the range 
W. of the Isere. About 3 tn. farther 
is Lumbin, a post- station, and several 
other small villages and hamlets are 
passed before reaching Le Touvet (H. 



de la Poste), a large village, near to 
which is a suspension bridge over the 
Isere. The ridge to the E., called Haul 
du Seuil, commands a magnificent view 
of the valley of Graisivaudan and the 
ranges of the Dauphine Alps. Near 
the summit is a very curious amphithe- 
atre of rock, resembling on a small scale 
the cirques of the Pyrenees. 

3 m. beyond Le Touvet (20 m. from 
Grenoble) is La Buissiere, at the foot 
of the ridge of the Alpette (6,040'), a 
portion of the almost continuous range 
which extends from the Mt. St. Eynard 
to the Mont Granier, and which every- 
where commands noble views of the 
High Alps. Across this range lies a 
track leading^ by St. Pierre d'Entre- 
mont to Les Echelles (Pvte. F). Less 
than a mile beyond La Buissiere the 
new road to Chambery turns to the rt., 
passing between the Fort of Barraux 
and the Isere. The Port stands on a 
rock 430 ft. above the river, and sepa- 
rated from the village of the same 
name, standing on the lower slopes of 
the Alpette, by a little col or saddle 
over which the old road was carried. 
A third way, recommended to pedes- 
trians, passes to the 1. of the old road 
through the picturesque village of Bar- 
raux. The three roads unite about 
4 m. farther on, passing a few hundred 
yards to the rt. of the village of Cka- 
pareillan, which stands near the foot of 
the Mont Granier. 

[Of all the mountain excursions in 
the outer ranges of the Savoy Alps 
there is none, excepting perhaps that 
of the Mont du Chat (Pvte. A), so in- 
teresting and agreeable as the ascent 
of the Mont Granier. Prom 4 to 4£ 
hrs. are requisite for the ascent, and 
about 3 hrs. for the return to Chapa- 
reillan. Although not more than 6,348 
ft. above the sea, the upper part of the 
mountain is quite alpine in character, 
and the panorama is admirable. The 
excursion may be easily made from 
Chambery, and may be recommended 
to those who are approaching the Savoy 
or Dauphine Alps from that city. To 
avoid the inconvenience of taking 



ROUTE C. D03IEXE. 



101 



wrong paths in the forest, it is expe- 
dient to take a guide. The way 
usually followed is by the hamlet of 
La Palud (where a guide may be 
engaged), £ hr. above Chapareillan. 
For % hr. farther the way lies over 
marshy meadows, and then through a 
forest, in which deciduous trees ulti- 
mately give place to pines. After a 
rather steep ascent the track passes a 
shepherd's hut. and soon after attains 
the highest plateau of the mountain, 
composed of calcareous rock, traversed 
by a system of fissures much resembling 
glacier crevasses.] 3 m. beyond Cha- 
pareillan is the village of Les Marches, 
about ^ m. distant from the rly. 
station, called Route de Grenoble. 
From thence Chambery (Rte. A) is 
reached either by road or rly., passing 
through very pleasing scenery. 



Route C. 

GRENOBLE TO CHAMBERY, BY MONT- 
MELIAN AND THE LEFT BANK OF 
THE ISERE. 



Kilomdtres Eng. miles 



Domene 


. 10 


6i 


Tencin . 


. 16 


10 


Goncelin 


4 


n 


Pontcharra . 


. 10 




Montmelian 


. 10 




Chambery . 


. 14 


J 




64 


40 



The rly. along this hank of the 
river, between Grenoble and Montme- 
lian, has supplanted the diligences, but 
light carriages are easily hired. 

On leaving Grenoble the road is 
carried nearly due E., avoiding the 
banks of the Isere, which here follows 
a very sinuous course. On the oppo- 
site bank many villages and hamlets 
are seen, perched upon a sort of terrace 
running along the middle height of the 
mountain range that extends from the 
Mont Rachais to the Mont Granier, 
but which are invisible from the road 
of the rt. bank. At Gieres, about 4 m. 
from Grenoble, where there are many 



pretty villas, the road crosses the Son« 
nant torrent, descending; from St. Martin 
d'Uriage. The next village is 

Domene (H. du Commerce), on the 
Domenon, one of the chief torrents 
descending from the Belledonne. This 
supplies abundant water-power, which 
is applied to various industrial uses. 
There are here the ruins of a church 
belonging to a monastery destroyed 
during the Revolution ; and at a short 
distance is a bridge leading to the 
rt. bank of the Isere. 3 m. farther on 
the high-road is Lancey, where the 
road crosses a powerful torrent de- 
scending fromtheLac duCrozet(6,457')» 
which lies under tHe peak of the Grande 
Lance (9,246'). To the rt. of the road 
is seen a fine chateau belonging to M. 
de Boys, which commands an admir- 
able view of the valley of Graisivau- 
dan. 1 65- m. from Grenoble is Tencin, 
on a torrent from the Dent de la Prat, 
another of the peaks of the Belledonne 
range. In the grounds of a chateau 
belonging to M. de St. Eynard, the 
representative of one of the oldest 
families in this part of France, is a 
gorge abruptly barred across by a 
wall of rock. This spot, cailed Bout 
du Monde, is often visited by strangers. 
Near to this is the suspension bridge 
over the Isere, leading to Le Tou- 
vet. 2^- m. farther on is Goncelin, a 
large scattered village, the lower part 
of which was utterly destroyed by 
a waterspout in 1827. A country 
road leads in 8 m. to the Baths of 
Allevard (Rte. D), a more direct way 
from Grenoble, but less interesting 
than the road by Pontcharra, a large 
village, just half-way between Goncelin 
and Montmelian, close to the junction of 
the Breda with the Isere. For the road 
from thence to Allevard, see Rte. D. 
About a mile from Pontcharra are the 
remains of the Chateau de Bayard, the 
birthplace of the illustrious Chevalier 
de Bayard. Though in sadly neglected 
condition, the place deserves a visit. 
The offices serve as a farm-house, and 
but one of the three floors which com- 
posed the main building now remains. 



102 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 



10. CHAMBER!" DISTRICT. 



The road from Pontcharra to Mont- 
melian is very beautiful, lying chiefly 
among orchards, with the fine range of 
the Mont Granier on the opposite side 
of the valley full in view. 

Montmelian (Hotel des Voyageurs) 
was once famous as one of the strongest 
fortresses in Europe. The works are 
now in ruins, and the chief importance 
of the place arises from its position at 
the junction of the Victor Emmanuel 
rly. with the road to Grenoble. There 
are but three trains daily to Chambery. 
(See Ete. B.) 



Route D. 

CHAMBERY TO THE BATHS OFALLEVARD. 
EXCURSIONS FROM ALLEVARD. 

36 kilometres=22i Eng. miles to Allevard. 

The road to Allevard turns off from 
the railway between Chambery and 
Grenoble (Rte. C) at the station of 
Pontcharra. Those who hire a carriage 
at Chambery may choose between that 
road and another equally interesting, 
and about the same in distance, by Les 
Marches and the Fort of Barraux (Rte. 
B), reaching Pontcharra by a suspen- 
sion bridge across the Isere. From 
Pontcharra the road mounts along the 
1. bank of the Breda through very 
beautiful park-like scenery, and com- 
manding pleading views of the sur- 
rounding mountains, especially in de- 
scending from Allevard. Near the 
village of Montaret (5^ m. from Pont- 
charra) the valley turns sharply to the 
S., and the road, keeping to the 1. bank, 
mounts gradually above the Breda, 
which runs in a deep gorge below. The 
snowy mass of the Gleyzin appears to 
close the head of the valley. 

At 14 kilomeires, or 8f Eng. m.. 
from Pontcharra, are the Baths of 
Allevard (Inns : H. des Bains, in the 
court of the etablissement ; H. Planta, 
both good; H. du Louvre; H. de la 



Terrasse, commanding a fine view; be- 
sides many other second-rate houses). 
As usual at watering-places, there are 
many houses let in furnished lodgings. 
The waters of Allevard have only of 
late years attracted much notice, but 
are now annually frequented by many 
hundreds of visitors. In composition 
and qualities they are said to resemble 
those of the Eaux Bonnes. Allevard 
no doubt owes much of its attraction 
to the beauty of its scenery and the 
mildness of its climate, which is un- 
usually free from fog. The village stands 
on both banks of the Breda, at about 
1,550 feet above the sea. The Chateau 
is not remarkable, but the adjoining 
grounds are prettily laid out and much 
resorted to by visitors. A serious 
drawback tb the advantages of this 
place is the prevalence of goitre and 
cretinism among the natives. Invalids 
should be cautioned against the rapid 
fall in temperature which usually takes 
place after sunset. 

Among the numerous excursions to 
be made from the Baths, the most fre- 
quented is that to the gorge called Bout 
du Monde, passing a large foundry. 
The ascent of the Brame Farine (3,983'), 
a point in the ridge between the valley 
of the Breda and that of the Isere may 
be made in hr. 20 min. from Al- 
levard is a curious ruin called the 
Tour de Treuil, dating from the 9th or 
10th century, being the remnant of a 
castle belonging to the ancient family 
of Crouy Chanel. A path mounts 
thence through a ravine planted with 
walnut trees, and then winds up the 
mountain side to the hamlet of Crozet. 
Several other paths lead from the Baths, 
and there is no difficulty in finding the 
way to the Brame Farine, which forms 
the crest of the ridge. From another 
rocky summit, | hr. farther S.. called 
Les Cinq Pointes (4,232'), the view is 
still finer. In descending from Crozet, 
visitors often avail themselves of the 
sledges which are used tor the convey- 
ance of wood, reaching the Baths in 
15 min. — charge, 2 fr. for two persons. 
E. of the Baths is the TaiUat( 4.558'), 



ROUTE D. EXCURSIONS FROM ALLEVARD. 



103 



often ascended for the sake of the view. 
Mountaineers will prefer to reach the 
Petit Charnier (6,969'), 4| hrs., or the 
Grand Charnier (8,412'), 6 hrs., from 
Allevard. (See §8, Rte. F.) The 
guides at Allevard are paid from 2 to 
3 fr. for short excursions, and from 5 to 
6 fr. for longer walks, considered equi- 
valent to a day's work. 

In § 8, Rtes. E and F, the principal 
passes leading from Allevard and the 
upper valley of the Breda to the val- 
ley of the Romanche, and to that of 
the Arc, have already been described. 
Many other easier passes lead in va- 
rious directions, and may here be briefly 
noticed. 

To Grenoble. A carriage-road much 
frequented passes by the village of St. 
Pierre d' 'Allevard (2^ m.), where a 
ruined tower is the only remaining ves- 
tige of a monastery, dating from the 
11th century. 2j m. farther is the 
village of Moretel, near which are seen 
the remains of two ruined castles. In 
traversing by a comparatively low pass 
the ridge which separates the Breda 
from the Isere, the road commands a 
fine view of the opposite range of the 
Grande Chartreuse. About 7 m. from 
Allevard is Goncelin, on the railway 
from Montmelian to Grenoble, 18f m. 
from the latter town. See Rte. C. 

To Chamousset. A char-road leads 
in about 4| m. to Arvillard, and thence 
to La Rochette, in the valley of the 
Gelon. Following that stream it reaches 
Chamousset in the valley of the Arc 
(§ 7, Rte. A), 15 m. from the Baths. 

To Aiguebelle. The Gelon torrent 
makes so sharp an angle at La Rochette, 
that by turning slightly to the right at 
that village from the road just described 
you ascend the valley, and at its head 
reach a low pass, Col de Mont Gilbert, 
by which Aiguebelle is reached in 5^hrs. 
from Allevard. 

To Epierre. Three paths lead thither, 
but though the distance in a direct line 
is less than to Chamousset or Aigue- 
belle, from 6 to 7 hrs. are required. The 
easiest but most circuitous way is by 
La Rochette. The path mounts thence 



by the 1. bank of the Gelon, passing 
the hamlets of Presle and Verneil, 
turns to the SE. through a lateral 
valley, leading to the Col d'Herbarie- 
tan, and then descends to St. Pierre 
de Belleville, on the 1. bank of the 
Arc, about 1^ m. below Epierre. An- 
other path mounts from Arvillard 
in 20 min. to the hamlet of Moliex, 
and thence ascends the glen of the 
Soudron torrent to the Col de la Per c he, 
2| hrs. from Arvillard. From the Col 
the easiest way is to descend the ravine 
to the NE., which leads in about 2 hrs. 
to St. Pierre de Belleville. Another 
and rather shorter way is to pass a 
second Col lying to the E. of the Col 
de la Perche, which leads direct to St. 
Leger, a short distance above Epierre 
on the opposite or I. bank of the Arc. 

To St. Remy. The most direct course 
from Allevard to the upper valley of 
the Arc is by the Col de la Freche, 
which leads by a tolerable path, practi- 
cable for mules, in 5 hrs. to St. Remy 
on the 1. bank of the river, about half 
way between Epierre and La Chambre. 
From Arvillard the path follows the rt 
bank of the Bens torrent for about 1 hr. 
to the Chartreuse de St. Hugon, 2| hrs. 
from Alkvard, and often visited by 
strangers from the Baths. Keeping to 
the N. side of the valley, often called 
Combe de St. Hugon, the path reaches 
in ^ hr. farther the hamlet of Plan, and 
then, ascending by zigzags the moun- 
tain to the 1., attains the Col in 1 hr. 
from the Chartreuse. From the summit 
St. Remy is reached in 1^ hr. of rapid 
descent. By a slight detour of less than 
^ hr. through wilder and more striking 
scenery the traveller may reach another 
pass — the Col d'Arpingon — lying a 
short distance farther S. than the Col 
de la Freche. Both paths unite again 
a short distance above St. Remy. 



104 SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 10. CHAMBERY DISTRICT. 



EOUIE E. 

CHAMBERT TO TRIAGE — ASCENT OF 
THE BELLEDOXXE. 

64 kilometres =40 Eng. miles. 

(Triage is scarcely 4 m. distant from 
the Gieres station on the line from 
Charabery to Grenoble, and is therefore 
easily reached from both places. A 
pedestrian might occupy two or three 
days very agreeably on the way 
from Chambery to Uriage, avoiding 
carriage-roads, and taking en route 
St. Pierre d ! Entremont and the Grande 
Chartreuse (Ete. F), the valley of the 
Isere at Eernin or St. Ismier, cross the 
river to Domene, and follow a path 
which leads direct to Uriage. At Gieres, 
which is only 4 m. from Grenobie, the 
carriage-road turns abruptly into the 
narrow gorge of the Sonnant About 
half way, less than 2 m. from Gieres, 
the road crosses from the L to the 
rt bank of the stream, passes the 
hamlet of Sonnant, composed chiefly 
of cabarets and some remains of a 
ruined castle, and on reaching Uriage 
enters the court-yard or place of the 
Etablissement des Bains. This forms 
a square wherein stand the principal 
hotels— H. du Cercle ; Grand Hotel; 
Ancien Hotel; H. des Bains. Lodg- 
ings may be had in a building called 
Le Chalet, which is an appurtenance 
of the etablissement. Other lodging- I 
houses and several second-rate hotels i 
are to be found at a distance of nearly j 
a mile from the Baths. 

Uriage (1,35S'). though its waters 
were known to the Eomans, has become 
a convenient and attractive watering- 
place only within the last 20 years. 
Of the large number of visitors, some- 
times nearly 1,500, a large proportion 
come from the neighbouring town of 
Grenoble (7f m.), and from Lyons, 
easily reached by rly. The build- 
ings are handsome and convenient, 
especially the Cercle or subscription 
rooms, which include a very large 
saloon, billiard rooms. &c. The foun- 



tain is under a covered gallery, where 
water-drinkers may take exercise in 
bad weather. The Chateau dUriags 
contains a collection of local anti- 
quities, some good pictures, and collec- 
tions of Natural History — all open to 
visitors. This belongs to M. de St. 
EerreoL who is the proprietor of the 
entire place, and who has laid out 
large sums in improvements. Of the 
many excursions that may be made from 
Uriage, the following may be noticed : — 

The ascent of the Montagne des 
Quatre Seigneurs (3, 09-4'). The sum- 
mit, reached in 1^ hr., commands a fine 
view of the neighbouring country. 

The Cascade de VOursitre, at the 
foot of the Belledonne, often visited 
from Uriage, is distant 3f hrs. This 
may be taken in the ascent to the 
Chanrousse, or in that of the Belle- 
donne. 

The Chartreuse de Premol is in a 
fine position (3,593'); little now remains 
of this convent, once very considerable, 
but destroyed at the Eevolution. It 
may be reached in if hr. from Uriage. 

hr. from the Chartreuse is the Col de 
Premol, whence a path descends in 2 
hrs. to Sechilienne in the valley of the 
Eomanche (§ 8). 

Vfzille (§ 8, Ete. A) is reached by a 
carriage-road in 5| m., passing Vaul- 
naveys, where are several inns and 
lodging-houses, frequented for the sake 
of economy by many of those who use 
the waters of Uriage. 

The ascent of the Chanrousse is often 
made by pedestrians who do not under- 
take the more difficult and laborious 
escalade of the Belledonne. The sum- 
mit (7,372') is marked by a cross, which 
from its great size is apt to mislead those 
who suppose themselves near to the 
top of the mountain. The view is very 
fine, but to the N. and XE. the pano- 
rama is closed by the higher summits 
of tne Belledonne range. The easiest 
way is by the Chartreuse de PremoL 
If "hr.— Thence to the top 3f hrs. A 
steeper and shorter way is by the 
Eecoin, a gorge E. of the Baths of 
Uriage, by which the summit may be 



ROUTE E. ASCENT OF THE BELLEDONNE. 



105 



reached in \\ hrs. A longer but 
more interesting path is by the Cascade 
de 1'Oursiere, and the Lac Robert — an 
Alpine lake traversed by a curious 
natural causeway. In descending from 
the summit by way of the Lac Robert, 
a traveller bound for Bourg d'Oisans 
may reach the Col des Escombailles in 
2 hrs. from the lake, and then descend 
in 1 hr. 40 min. to Livet in the valley 
of the Romanche, 8 m. from Bourg 
d'Oisans (§ 8, Rte. A). 

To a mountaineer the most interest- 
ing excursion to be made from Uriage 
is the ascent of the Belledonne. This 
may be reached by various paths, all 
of them rather steep, but none of them 
presenting serious obstacles. If made 
in one day, the expedition is long and 
fatiguing, and it is desirable to start 
before daylight. A good mule-path 
leads in 3f hrs. to the Cascade de 
1'Oursiere. The path then ascends 
through a pine forest to an Alpine pas- 
ture with a chalet, apparently walled in 
by a steep range of rocks. These, 
however, are climbed without much 
difficulty; above them is another chalet, 
the highest on this side of the moun- 
tain, where strangers, bent on the 
ascent, sometimes pass the night. This 
stands in the midst of a cirque, or 
natural amphitheatre, whence there 
is no exit save by a stiff climb up 
the rocks to the 1. A succession of 
small pools now lead to a mountain 
tarn of larger size, the Lac de Domenon, 
often frozen over throughout the sum- 
mer. The direct way to the top is 
by a steep slope of neve, which may, 
however, be avoided by a slight de- 
tour. In either case the traveller 
reaches a considerable snow-field, nearly 
level, where in hot summers a small 
lake is sometimes formed. A fur- 
ther ascent of ^ hr. now leads to the 
highest accessible peak of the moun- 
tain (9,780'), marked by a cross. The 
highest peak of all, which surpasses 
this by a few metres, is considered 
utterly inaccessible. With the slight 
drawback of the horizon being broken 
at this single point, the panorama is 



magnificent, as might be expected from 
the position of the peak, the western- 
most high summit in the range of the 
Alps. 

A somewhat less laborious way than 
that just described is from the village 
of Revel, most easily reached from 
Domene (Rte. C) in the valley of the 
Isere. The track along the rt. bank 
of the Domenon torrent, ascending by 
the second path, which turns to the 1, 
(the first path is said to be too steep), 
leads in l£ hr. from Domene to Revel. 
Food and beds are found here chez 
Belot, traiteur. Mules may also be 
hired for the first 3 hrs. of the ascent, 
which conduct the traveller to the Lac 
du Crozet (6,457'), very finely placed in 
a gorge between the Grande Lance 
(9,246') and the Colon (7,851')- A steep 
ascent, not practicable for mules, 
leads thence to the Petit, and then to 
the Grand Lac de Domenon, at the 
latter of which this path joins that 
above described. The Lac du Crozet 
may also be reached direct from Lan- 
cey, on the high-road, 3 m. N. of 
Domene, through the Combe de Lan- 
cey. The Belledonne is also accessible 
from the valley of the Olle and from 
that of the Romanche; and an active 
pedestrian, starting very early, may 
take the summit in his way from 
Uriage to Bourg d'Oisans. Bearing to 
the S., a descent of f hr. from the top 
leads to a streamlet which descends 
into the Vallee du Baton between the 
Grande Lance and the Grande Vow- 
dene. This stream is followed for a 
considerable distance until, on ap- 
proaching the verge of the deep gorge 
of Infernet through which the Romanche 
runs, between the Taillefer and the 
range of the Belledonne, the Baton ia 
left on the rt., and a track leads nearly 
due E., parallel to the course of the 
Romanche, until, in 4^ hrs. from the sum- 
mit, it descends into the valley a short 
distance from Sables, 5 m. from Bourg 
d'Oisans. The descent from the Belle- 
donne into the valley of the Olle is 
very steep and rapid. An active 
pedestrian may reach Articol, about 



106 SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 10. CHAMBER DISTRICT. 



£ hr. below Rivier (§ 8, Rte. D), in 
3 hrs. from the summit. 

Route F. 

CHA3IBERY TO GRENOBLE, BY THE 
GRANDE CHARTREUSE. 

The celebrated monastery of the 
Grande Chartreuse stands about the 
centre of the range of limestone moun- 
tains that extend along the rt. bank of 
the Isere between Grenoble and Cham- 
bery. It is one of the few great monas- 
tic establishments that have survived 
the revolutions of the last century. Re- 
maining nearly in its original state, 
and with the primitive severity of its 
discipline unrelaxed, it still presents a 
living image of the institutions which 
had so great a part in forming the 
religious, intellectual, and social con- 
dition of Europe during the long period 
between the fall of the Roman Empire 
and the diffusion of printing. The inte- 
rest naturally attaching to the building 
is much enhanced by the beauty and 
singularity of the scenery which sur- 
rounds it. It is true that since railway 
trains have begun to carry holiday- 
seekers from Lyons and Grenoble to the 
not distant stations of Voiron and 
Voreppe, and a good road has been 
carried up to the very gate of the mo- 
nastery, those who come here intending 
for a moment to revert from the present 
to the past are liable to unexpected dis- 
enchantment. Such persons should 
choose for their visit the season of win- 
ter or early spring, when the commu- 
nity. undisturbed by visitors, have, in 
addition to the severity of their rule, to 
struggle against the rigour of the cli- 
mate. The lover of nature may at every 
season find the tranquillity which he 
desires, for, excepting the road from St. 
Laurent du Pont and the bridle-road 
from Grenoble by Sappey, the other 
approaches to the monastery herein in- 
dicated are rarely disturbed by the pre- 
sence of a stranger. 

As already intimated, the mountains 
of this range are, on the one hand, un- 



mistakeably connected with the Alps 
through the parallel range of the Belle- 
donne, while, on the other, they are 
linked to the Jura by the ridge of the 
Mont du Chat. Although much bolder 
and more imposing, the scenery nas 
perhaps more of the character of the 
Jura than the Alps. As in the former 
range, the general outline is very uni- 
form, and the summits, which are in 
truth ridges rather than peaks, all lie 
nearly within the limits 6,300-6,800 Eng. 
ft. But this outward uniformity gives 
place to great variety and boldness of 
scenery in the interior of the valleys, 
which are for the most part clefts of 
variable width, walled in by steep rocks, 
often quite precipitous. The whole dis- 
trict is traversed by paths not seldom 
intricate and misleading, and the moun- 
taineer who may suppose that among 
ranges of such moderate height no 
especial precaution is necessary, is 
warned that local knowledge is more 
needed here than in the higher regions 
of the Alps. In the valleys, even where 
the path does not lie through pine-forest, 
the view is generally much restricted, 
while from the upper ridges a precipice 
more than 1,000 ft. in depth is often not 
suspected until the traveller has reached 
its very verge. 

A detailed account of the many 
routes that traverse this range, and the 
numerous excursions that may be made 
from the Grande Chartreuse, scarcely 
enters into the plan of this book. The 
more interesting: of them are briefly 
noticed here. For further details the 
traveller may consult Joanne's 4 Guide 
to Dauphine,' Part I., or some of the 
numerous local Guides to be found at 
Chambery or Grenoble. 

It will be most convenient to notice 
separately the principal ways for reach- 
ing the Chartreuse from Chambery, and 
then the routes thence to Grenoble. 

1. Chamben/ to the Grande Chartreuse, 
by St.^ Laurent du Pont. J 4^- miles to 
Les Echelles; 4^- hrs. or about 14 m. 
thence to the Chartreuse. About 5^ 
hrs. in a light carriage, exclusive of -a 
halt at St. Laurent du Pont. 



ROUTE F. GRANDE CHARTREUSE. 



107 



The ridge of the Mont du Chat is to 
some extent continuous with the range 
of the Chartreuse, and though dimi- 
nished in height, it serves to form a con- 
tinuous barrier between the basin of 
Chambery and the plains of France. 
The lowest , point of this barrier is 
near to Les Echelles, but the natural 
difficulties of the passage were such, that 
until the completion of the new road and 
tunnel in 1815, the longer and steeper 
ascent of the Mont du Chat was the 
road ordinarily followed between France 
and Savoy. , From Chambery the 
road to Les Echelles, after passing the 
village of Cognin, follows the upward 
course of the Hiere, which flows from 
the SW. The basin of Chambery gra- 
dually contracts, until, at the village of 
St. Thibaud de Coux, the road fairly 
enters the defile leading to the pass, be- 
tween the Mont Grelle (4,649'), belong- 
ing to the range of the Mont du Chat, 
and the Cochette, directly connected 
with the Grande Chartreuse group. In 
less than 4 m. of gentle ascent the road 
reaches the summit of the pass which, 
from the name of the small village that 
stands at the top, is called Col de St. 
Jean de Coux, 2,040 ft. above the sea. 
From the village, just 10 m. from Cham- 
bery, the descent commences through a 
natural cleft in the limestone rock, until 
the road enters a tunnel about 340 yards 
in length. At the opposite end a re- 
markable view suddenly presents itself. 
The tunnel has been bored through a 
great wall of limestone, and the W. end 
issues at about 850 ft. above the valley of 
the Guiers, which is backed by the higher 
mountains of the Chartreuse range. 
After descending a part of the way to- 
wards Les Echelles, the apparent im- 
possibility of carrying a road across the 
formidable wall of rock that bars the 
passage is more striking than from 
above. The ancient route lay in part 
through a cavern, which was at the same 
time the channel of a stream, and which 
was reached on the W. side by ladders 
fixed to the rocks. In 1670 Charles 
Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy, achieved 
the construction of a new road passable I 



for chars ; though long abandoned, it 
still exists, very rough and difficult, but 
worth a visit by a pedestrian. The 
present road and tunnel were com- 
menced by Napoleon, and completed in 
1815 by the Piedmontese Government. 

Les Echelles (Inns :Jaou d'Or;St.Jean) 
derives its narge from the ladders that 
gave access to the above-mentioned 
ancient passage. The village stands on 
both banks of the Guiers, which has 
here united the two streams — Guiers 
V/f and Guiers Mort — that drain the 
hirger portion of the Grande Chartreuse 
ran<ic. 

[From Les Echelles the high-road to 
Lyons, little used since the opening of 
the rly., leads in 9^ m. along the Guiers 
to Pont de Beauvoisin (Rte. G). About 
half way the road is carried at a consi- 
derable height above the stream through 
the defile of La Chaitle, and on emerg- 
ing from it gains an admirable view 
over the richly cultivated undulating 
country to the NW.] 

Following up the stream of the Guiers 
Mort, it is little more than 4 m. from Les 
Echelles to St. Laurent du Pont, where 
there are several inns, at which vehicles 
or mules may be hired, f hr. from the 
village is the narrow cleft that allows 
the stream to escape from its mountain 
birth-place, and at the same time affords 
the only easy access to the retreat which 
for so many centuries has been inha- 
bited by the followers of St. Bruno. A 
gate formerly closed the road, and held 
guard over all communication between 
them and the outer world. For 1 hr. 
the road is carried along the L bank of 
the Guiers Mort through scenery which, 
if not of the grandest character, is, wild 
and impressive. At the Pont de St. 
Bruno the stream is crossed, and here 
the new road begins. The work pre- 
sented considerable engineering diffi- 
culties, and involved the construction of 
three tunnels ; but whatever other ad- 
vantages it may possess, it has certainly 
deprived the monastery of a portion of 
the charm which it formerly owned ©.yer* 
the imagination of the poet and ^h,e 
artist. Turning to the 1., the road, quita 



108 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 



10. CHAMBERY DISTRICT. 



the valley of the Guiers, and mounts 
towards the N. till it enters an upland 
basin, in great part clothed with pine 
forest, and overhung on the E. side 
by the mural precipices of the Grand 
Som. In the centre of this solitude, 
at 3,170 ft. above the sea, stands 
the pile of buildings that form the 
monastery. In this, the parent house 
of the Carthusian order, the original 
rule is observed in all its severity. The 
monks never eat meat, and their diet 
is at all times of the most frugal kind; 
they rise at midnight for prayer, and 
their lives are passed between the church 
and manual labour. Excepting those 
whose office requires intercourse with 
strangers, they never speak save on 
special and rare occasions, and their 
only recreation is to walk within certain 
specified bounds near the monastery. 
Strangers are received by one of the 
monks appointed for that duty- and 
twice in the day they are conducted to 
see the church and the rest of the build- 
ing. Their dietary includes fish and eggs, 
but no meat. The beds are rough, but 
quite clean. Without special permission 
no stranger is allowed to remain more 
than two nights On leaving, a moderate 
payment is made by each person. As 
no women are allowed within the walls 
of the monastery, ladies are forced to 
remain at an outer building, where it is 
said that they find but indifferent ac- 
commodation. 

The scenery surrounding the monas- 
tery is fine enough to make the place 
interesting, apart from any special asso- 
ciations. To the botanist this neigh- 
bourhood is made attractive by the 
presence of several species which are 
elsewhere rare or quite unknown in the 
Alpine chain — e.g. Hypericum nummu- 
lar ium, Erinus Alpinus, &c. 

The most interesting excursion for 
the mountaineer is the ascent of the 
Grand Som (6,660'). This involves a 
considerable detour, for every apparent 
short-cut in the direction of the summit 
leads to the base of the formidable pre- 
cipices that form its W. face. Half an 
hour's walk from the monastery is the 



Chapelle de St. Bruno, erected on the 
supposed site of his original hermitage. 
About 2 hrs. more suffice to reach 
the summit. The view is fine, and 
the expedition presents great variety 
of scenery within comparatively narrow 
bounds. Among other interesting plants 
the botanist will observe Potentilla nitida. 
Less than 2 hrs. suffice for the return 
to the monastery. 

2. Chambery to the Grande Chartreuse, 
by the Col de la JRuchcre. This way is 
somewhat longer than that above de- 
scribed, and the scenery, though fine, is 
in itself less striking; but it has the ad- 
vantage of approaching the monastery 
by an unfrequented path away from the 
ordinary track of visitors. From Les 
Echelles the char-road along the Guiers 
is followed for 1 hr. 40 min. to Riou- 
bregond, whence a foot path leads in 
20 min. to the hamlet of La Ruchere. 
An ascent of 1^ hr. now suffices to 
reach the Col de la JRuchere, about 
4,600 ft. in height, commanding a very 
fine view of the neighbouring moun- 
tains. A descent of 20 min. leads from 
the Col to the Vacherie, where the cows 
of the monastery are kept ; j hr. farther 
is the Chapelle de St.Bruno; and another 
| hr. — 4 hrs. 50 min. from Les Echelles 
— conducts the traveller to the monas- 
tery. 

3. Chambery to the Grande Char- 
treuse, by St. Pierre d'Entremont. St. 
Pierre d'Entremont (2.940') is a village 
finely situated in the valley of the Guiers 
Vif, with an inn chezPaquet. Itmaybe 
reached in about 2^ hrs.' walking from 
Les Echelles, but a pedestrian will prefer 
some one of several mountain paths that 
lead thither in 5 or 6 hrs.' walk from 
Chambery. The most interesting is by 
the Col de Frene, immediately NW. of 
the Mont Granier. The ascent of that 
peak (Rte. B) might easily be included 
in the day's walk. [An interesting ex- 
cursion may be made from St. Pierre to 
the source of the Guiers Vif. An hour's 
walk from the village, at the hamlet of 
Mesme, it is necessary to take a guide, 
with a ladder and lights, by which to 
gain access to the cavern whence the 



ROUTE G.- — AIGUEBELLETTE. 



109 



torrent issues, A rough path leads to 
the Col de Vulfroide, and thence, by 
a very steep and rather difficult de- 
scent, to the valley of the Isere near 
to Le Touvet (Rte. B), which in 
this way is 5^ hrs. distant from St. 
Pierre.] The Grande Chartreuse is 
easily reached in 3^ hrs. from St. Pierre 
d'Entremont by the Col de Bovinant. 

( 1 ) Grande Chartreuse to Grenoble, by 
Voiron or Voreppe. The easiest route 
to Grenoble is to return by the road to 
St. Laurent du Pont, l^- hr. in a car- 
riage, descending the valley. Thence 
an agreeable drive of 10 m. through 
very pleasing scenery leads to Voiron 
(Inns : H. du Midi; H. du Commerce; 
H. du Cours; H. de la Poste), a station 
on the rly. from Lyons to Grenoble, 
about 16 m. from the latter city. There 
are 5 trains daily in 45 min. A pedes- 
trian may shorten the way from St. 
Laurent to Voiron by following a path 
through a cleft, called Le Petit Cros- 
sey. 

There is another road from St. Lau- 
rent, leading in about 11 m. to the 
Voreppe station, only about 9 m. by 
rly. from Grenoble. 

(2) Grande Chartreuse to Grenoble, by 
the Col de la Cochette. This way is 
little frequented, though decidedly more 
interesting than that by Sappey. It 
being easy to take a wrong turn in the 
pine forest, it is advisable to hire a guide. 
About 2^ hrs. are required to reach the 
Col de la Cochette, which is a narrow 
cleft in a ridge of limestone rocks. 
A walk of 1^ hr., for the most part 
through a nobie pine forest, now leads 
to a second and lower pass— Col de (a 
Charmette (about 3,940') — whence there 
is a rather long descent of 3£ hrs. to St. 
Robert, the last station on the rly. to 
Grenoble, only 4£ m. from the city. 

(3) Grande Chartreuse to Grenoble, by 
Sappey, 6 hrs.' walk or ride. This is 
perhaps the least interesting of the 
various tracks leading to the monastery, 
but, being a perfectly easy and safe 
bridle-path, it is, with the exception of 
the road from St. Laurent du Pont, by 
many degrees the most frequented 



approach. About a mile from the 
Grande Chartreuse is a large building 
called La Courrerie, a dependency of 
the monastery, containing a printing 
office and various other appurtenances. 
\ hr. farther the path passes through a 
narrow defile, where a gateway, called 
L'Entree du Desert, marks the boun- 
dary of the Chartreuse. On the way to 
the hamlet of Cottaves, the track passes 
below a very ancient village, St. Pierre 
de Chartreuse, which originally gave 
its name to the monastery. In about 
3 hrs. from the monastery the traveller 
reaches the highest point of the route 
at the Col de la Porte (4,436'), and 
in § hr. more attains 

Sappey (Inn : A 1' Arrive e des Tour- 
istes), a small village where visitors 
and their guides usually halt for re- 
freshment. In 1^ hr. from hence the 
summit of Chamechaude (6,847'), the 
highest point of the Grande Chartreuse 
range, is reached without difficulty. 
From Sappey to Grenoble the descent 
through a depression between the Mont 
Rachais and the Mont St. Eynard is 
long (2 to 2| hrs.), and for the most 
part uninteresting. At 1 hr. from 
Sappey is a house called La Maison 
Pilon, where, although it is not an inn, 
tourists mounting from Grenoble often 
breakfast better than at Sappey. On 
approaching Grenoble, some fine views 
are gained over the valley of Graisi- 
vaudan and the higher ranges of the 
Dauphine Alps. 

Three other paths leading from the 
Grande Chartreuse to St. Ismier and 
Bernin in the valley of the Isere are 
noticed in Rte. B. 



Route G. 

CHAMBERY TO PONT DE BEAUVOISIN, 
BY AIGUEBELLETTE. 

Mule-path in 7 hrs. 

Between the Dent du Chat (Rte. A) 
and the high-road from Chambery to 
Les Echelles, the prolongation of the 
ridge of the Mont du Chat, called Mont 



110 SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 

de rEpine, maintains an average height 
of about 4,000 feet. On the W. side of 
the watershed, at a height of 500 or 600 
ft. above the level of the Guiers and the 
Rhone, is an extensive plateau, the 
southern portion of which is occupied 
by the lake of Aiguebellette. The direct 
way from Chambery to Pont de Beau- 
voisin lies by the shores of the lake, and 
it is one of the many agreeable excur- 
sions available to a pedestrian in this 
part of Savoy. 

Beyond Cognin, l£ m. from Cham- 
bery, a path mounts in 40 min. to Vi- 
mine (Via Minima), and from thence 
follows the line of the ancient Roman 
road, very rough and not passable for 
horses, till in 2\ hrs. from the city it 
attains the Col d' Aiguebellette (2,995'), 
commanding an admirable view of the 
basin of Chambery, the Lake of Bourget, 
and the ranges of the Savoy Alps, The 
Col is accessible by a char-road from 
Chambery, which makes a considerable 
detour by the village of St. Sulpice. 
[From the same village another road, 
practicable for chars, mounts by zigzags 
to the NW., passes the Mont de l'Epine 
by a col about 3,300 ft. in height, 
descends to Novalaise, a village where 
many Roman medals and inscriptions 
have been found, thence bears due N. 
to Marcieux, and follows the Flon torrent 
to Yenne on the Rhone, at the W. base 
of the Col du Mont du Chat.] The 
char-road descends in f hr. from the 
Col d'Aiguebellette to the miserable 
village of the same name, where a very 
poor inn (Cheval Blanc) affords scanty 
entertainment. During the descent the 
road commands very pleasing views 
of the Lake of Aiguebellette. This tran- 
quil sheet of water is about 2| m. in 
length, and 1^ m. wide ; on its shores, 
and upon an island, are various vestiges 
of the Roman occupation of this district. 
A low ridge is crossed between Aigue- 
bellette and the equally poor village of 
Lepin, both surrounded by magnificent 
walnut trees. From the latter village 
the path follows the shore, and thence 
descends along the Tier torrent, which 
drains the lake, as far as the village of 



10. CHAMBERY DISTRICT. 

Bridoire,UQSix\j 2 hrs. from Aiguebellette. 
To reach the valley of the Guiers, it ia 
now necessary to descend a steep es- 
carpment of limestone, which is a con- 
tinuation towards the N. of that pierced 
by the tunnel above Les Echelles. The 
main track makes a circuit, but there is 
a shorter foot-path, which descends the 
face of the rock by steep and narrow 
ledges. From the base of the rocks the 
path passes through a rich tract and 
over a low wooded hill to^Dormessin, on 
the high-road from Les Echelles, \\ m. 
from 

Pont de Beauvoisin (Inns : La Poste, 
very good ; H. des Courriers ; Parfaite 
Union), formerly the frontier town be- 
tween France and Savoy on the main 
road to Chambery. Those who have 
come hither from Chambery by the 
above route, or by Les Echelles, may 
prolong an agreeable excursion by fol- 
lowing the road along the rt. bank of 
the Guiers to St Geniv d'Aoste (Inn : 
chez Labully, looks comfortable), once 
an important Roman station, near the 
junction of the Guiers with the Rhone. 
Thence a road is carried along the 
E. or 1. bank of the Rhone, at some 
distance from the stream, and in 10 
m. reaches La Balme, a village lying 
at the base of a range of precipitous 
rocks, pierced by many grottos, or 
balmes, and connected by a suspension 
bridge with the opposite bank of the 
Rhone, on the site of an ancient bridge, 
probably of Roman origin. Nearly 
opposite is an isolated rock about 500 
feet above the river, surmounted by the 
Fort of Pierre Castel. The original 
building was a Carthusian monastery, 
which was seized at the Revolution, and 
has since served as a prison and fortress. 
The view of the valley of the Rhone 
from the hill above the Fort (about 
1 hr.'s walk) is extremely fine. 2 m. 
from La Balme is Yenne (Inns : Clef 
d'Or; Rose Couronnee. 'The inn at 
Yenne very good and comfortable,though 
rather dear.' — E. L.), a small town on 
the Rhone which, after escaping from 
the marshes near Culoz that occupy the 
depression between the Mont Colombier 



ROUTE H. — BEAUGES MOUNTAINS. 



Ill 



and the Mont du Chat (Rte. A), flows 
to the S. along the W. flank of the latter 
ridge. Yenne is about 7 m. from the 
Col du Mont du Chat (Rte. A), whereby 
Chambery is distant 33 kilometres = 
20£ Eng. miles. 



Route H. 

AIZ LES BAINS TO CHATELARD — 
BEAUGES MOUNTAINS. 

As stated in the introduction to this 
section, the Beauges mountains consist 
of a series of parallel ridges running 
from NNE. to SS W., bounded to the N. 
by the Lake of Annecy and the valley 
of the Eau. Morte, to the S. by the basin 
of Chambery, and cut through in the 
midst by the valley of the Cheran. 
These ridges form a distinct district, 
which has preserved from very early 
times its own peculiar manners and 
customs, and where even now, with the 
exception of an occasional naturalist, 
strangers are rarely seen. Possessing 
unusually fine pastures, the district 
abounds in cattle, and cheese is its chief 
product. Excepting in the chief village, 
Chatelard, the population is dispersed 
in small communities or clans, which 
have a system of internal self-govern- 
ment essentially republican; the general 
manager, the head dairy-woman, and 
the chief herdsman being elected by 
the clan. An excursion of 2 or 3 
days from Aix or Annecy to Chatelard, 
and from thence by some one of the 
passes that lead to Chambery, will 
interest a traveller curious to observe 
the primitive customs of a secluded 
people. It is said, however, that within 
the last few years increased communi- 
cation with the outer world has begun 
to modify the traditional existence of 
the district. A char-road leads from 
Aix les Bains to Chatelard, and there 
aro several mountain paths, which are 
briefly noticed below. 

1. Aix to Chatelard by Cusy. Char- 
road. 6£ hrs.' walking. — About 2 
m. from Aix is the village of Gresy 

PART I. 



sur Aix, near to which is a pretty 
waterfall, one of the chief resorts of 
visitors. Beyond the village the road 
gradually ascends along the Sierroz 
stream to an undulating plateau, where 
(3 hrs. from Aix) stands the village of 
Cusy. To the N., on a rock washed 
by the Cheran, are the extensive ruins 
of an ancient castle. The road, which 
has hitherto been directed to the NE., 
now makes a sharp turn to the SE., 
ascending along the 1. bank of the 
Cheran. On the opposite bank are 
seen the hamlet of Aiguebellette and 
the castle of St. Jacques. Here three 
singular peaks, or rather obelisks, of 
rock rise abruptly from the valley, 
standing side by side, with an interval 
of but a few yards between them. The 
road is still carried along the 1. bank at 
a considerable height above the river, 
and about 4^ m. beyond Cusy passes 
opposite the village of Alleves. 2 hrs. 
from Cusy the Cheran is crossed by a 
very ancient bridge— Pont de Bange — 
the foundations of which are said to be 
of Roman construction, and thencefor- 
ward the road keeps to the rt. bank of 
the stream. [A road along the rt. bank 
of the Cheran leads in 5% hrs. from the 
Pont de Bange by Alleves and Mures 
to Alby, on the road from Aix to An- 
necy (§ 12).] Not far from the bridge, 
where the road is hemmed in between 
the rocks and the stream, is the entrance 
to the Grotte de Bange, a cavern which 
contains a subterranean lake, 216 feet 
below the level of the entrance, and ap- 
proached by a gallery about 270 yards 
in length. The lake appears to be 
about 100 yards in circumference, but 
it has never been thoroughly explored. 
Leaving on the 1. hand the new road 
leading by the Col de Leschaux (Rte. 
L) to Annecy, the road to Chatelard 
crosses the torrent which descends from 
that pass by the Pont de la Chamia, 
leaves on the rt. hand a bridge over the 
Cheran leading to the village of Les 
Cheraines, and in l£ hr. from the Pont 
de Bange reaches 

Chatelard (Inn: chez Lubin), a village 
2,500 feet above the sea, composed of a 



112 



SOUTH SAVOT ALPS. § 



10. CHAM BERT DISTRICT. 



single long street backed by a steep 
escarpment of rocks. On the opposite 
Bide of the valley rises the steep ridge 
of the Rosanne, and to the SE. opens 
the picturesque upper valley of the 
Cheran. A very fine view of the valley 
and the surrounding mountains is ob- 
tained from the ancient castle, standing 
on a rock above the village. This is 
most easily reached by following the 
road up the valley, which descends to 
the level of the river, and crosses to its 
rt. bank. £ hr. from the village there 
is a second bridge, which recrosses the 
Cheran, and leads to a shady path as- 
cending from the 1. bank of the stream 
to the castle, f hr. from Chatelard. 

2. By the Col de Prabarno and Saint 
Offenge. Mule-path in 5\ hrs. — Nearly 

2 hrs. from Aix, on the road to Cusy, 
a mule-path turns to the rt., crosses the 
Sierroz, and traverses the villages of 
St. Offenge- Dessous and St. Offenge' 
Dessus. From thence a steep and stony 
path leads up to the Col de Prabarno, 

3 hrs. from Aix, commanding a fine 
view of the Lake of Bourget to the W. 
and the Lake of Annecy to the NE. 
The path descending from the Col 
winds amidst rich pastures, passing 
some chalets and the hamlet of Mon- 
tagny, to Aritk (Inn: chez Mouchet 
Laurent), a rather large village over- 
looking the valley of the Cheran. A 
steep descent leads to a bridge over the 
lateral stream of the Noyer, and soon 
after to the Pont de les Cheraines, from 
whence it takes 15 min. to gain the 
road to Chatelard, which is 2| hrs. from 
the Col. 

3. By the Col de la Cochetta. h\ hrs. 
— The Col de la Cochetta is a notch 
sharply cut into a rocky ridge about 
\ m. farther S. than the Col de Pra- 
barno. The approach to it on both 
sides is somewhat longer and steeper. 
It may be reached from Aix by the 
village of Trevignin, or else by the road 
leading from Gresy to Cusy, taking a 
path which leaves on the 1. the two 
villages of St. Offenge, and passes the 
hamlets of Crosel, Gonard, and Coral 
Vaulier. On the E. side of the Col it 



joins the path from the Col de Prabarno 
at the hamlet of Montagny. 

4. By the Pas de la Cluse. 5^ hrs. — 
A bridle-path leading E. from Aix, and 
ultimately mounting through a wooded 
ravine, attains in nearly 1 hr. (ascending) 
the village of Trevignin. About 2 m. 
farther is Decampoux, the highest ham- 
let. From hence the path winds for a 
considerable distance round the head of 
the glen, whose torrent joins the Sierroz 
below St. Offenge, partly over a rocky 
slope, partly through woods. The 
highest point is passed in traversing a 
ridge of rock before reaching the pass. 
In following this route from Chatelard 
to Aix it is necessary to avoid a path 
which descends the glen towards the 
Sierroz, as that involves a considerable 
detour. Nearly 3 hrs. from Aix are 
required to reach the Pas de la Cluse, a 
depression between grass-grown rounded 
knolls, that leads into the valley of 
the Noyer, one of the affluents of the 
Cheran. A few minutes below the pass 
is a chalet with a spring, and before 
long the path gains a point where it 
overlooks the valley of the Noyer and 
the principal ranges of the JBeauges. 
Exactly opposite is the ridge of the 
Margeria (5,909') ; beyond it to the 1. 
is the Rosanne, between Aillon and 
Chatelard ; thfn the Cime de Bellevaux 
and the Mont Trelod. The path de- 
scends gradually, winding at mid-height 
along the side of the valley. In little 
more than 1 hr. it reaches Arith, and in 
2£ hrs. Chatelard. 



Route I. 

CHATELARD TO CHAMBERY. 

The Beauges mountains are traversed 
in all directions by paths for the most 
part of no difficulty. It is therefore 
easy to multiply the routes which a tra- 
veller may, if so minded, discover for 
himself. It will be sufficient here to 
indicate the more interesting paths. 

1. By the Col de Plain Palais. 63 
hrs.' walking. A char-road. — From the 



ROUTE I. CHATELARD TO CHAMBER Y. 



113 



Pont des Cheraines, about f hr. below 
Chatelard, tbe char-road mounts to the 
village of the same name at the opening 
of the valley of the Noyer. A road 
runs along both banks of the stream ; 
that of the S. side, or the rt. bank, is 
the better for vehicles. On that side is 
the village of Noyer (2,713'), 1 hr. from . 
Les Cheraines, 2 hrs. from Chatelard. 
In following the road of the 1. bank, the 
traveller passes near the remains of a 
Roman aqueduct, partly cut into the 
rock, known to the natives as La Creche. 
1 hr. ascending from Noyer suffices to 
reach the Col de Plain Palais (3,717'). 
A gentle descent of 40 min. leads to 
the village of Desert, standing on a 
plateau between the Mont Margeria 
and the Dent de Nivolet. Either sum- 
mit may be reached from here, but the 
ascent of the former is said to be from 
this side difficult and dangerous, while 
the view is decidedly inferior to that from 
the lower, but better situated, Dent de 
Nivolet. The road descending along 
the rt. bank of the torrent, round 
the base of the rocks of Chaffardon, in 
1 hr. 50 min. from the Col reaches St. 
Jean d'Arvey, and in 3^ hrs., passing 
through very agreeable scenery along the 
rt. bank of the Laisse, attains Chambery. 

2. By the Valley of Aillon and Thoiry. 
5£ hrs. — Nearly opposite to Chatelard 
is the opening of the picturesque Vallee 
(T Aillon. The road crosses the Cheran 
a little below the village, and after 
passing several small hamlets reaches 
in 1 hr. Aillon le Vieux, standing at the 
W. base of the Rosanne. 1 hr. farther is 
the highest village, A illon le Jeune. Here 
the direct way to Chambery lies to the 
rt., or SSW., through a short glen, and 
in £ hr. reaches the Col des Pres. The 
track then winds along the side of 
the mountain, and in 1 hr. reaches 
the village of Thoiry, and then crossing 
the valley and the torrent which de- 
scends from Desert, joins the carriage- 
road close to St. Jean dArvey. 

3. By the Chartreuse d' Aillon and the 
Col de Bandar. 7^ hrs. — Above the 
village of Aillon le Jeune, 2 hrs from 
Chatelard, a narrow defile, wherein are I 



seen some remains of ancient forges, 
opens to the E. After \ hr. the prin- 
cipal track turns to the S., leading 
towards Chambery, while another path 
to the 1. is the entrance to the Combe 
de la Chartreuse dAillon. This is an 
enclosure formed by steep mountain 
ridges, a natural trough, with this 
single opening, so narrow that it was 
formerly closed by a gate. The only 
other access is by a difficult pass — Col 
de Feille— leading to the upper valley of 
the Cheran. In this secluded spot for- 
merly stood the Chartreuse d Aillon, a 
monastery founded in 1184, once rich 
and extensive, now utterly a ruin. It 
might, however, repay the visit of a 
competent antiquary. The rich pastures 
of the valley produce a kind of cheese, 
called vacherin, which is much es- 
teemed. 

Returning to the point where the 
paths diverge, 1 hr. suffices to reach 
the Col de Bandar, lying E. of the 
pointed summit of the Mont Ga- 
loppaz, a peak commanding a very 
fine view of the valley of the Isere. 
The picturesque village of La Thuile 
lies J hr. below the Col, at the N. 
foot of a ridge which on the S. side 
immediately overlooks Montmelian. 
From thence it is a walk of 3 hrs. to 
Chambery, along the 1. bank of the 
Laisse torrent, passing the village of the 
same name about 7 m. below La Thuile. 
It is also possible to descend along the 
rt. bank of the Laisse by the village of 
Puisgros, from whence the ascent of the 
Galoppaz may be made in 3 hrs. In 
the ascent the botanist may find Baetuca 
Plumieri, Tozzia alpina, Tulipa celsiana, 
and other rare plants. 

4. By St Pierre d'Albigny. 4^- hrs. 
by char-road to St. Pierre ; railway to 
Chambery 15 m. — Though a consi- 
derable detour, this is the easiest way 
to reach Chambery from Chatelard. By 
taking the short-cuts a pedestrian may 
much abridge the distance. From 
Chatelard the road descends to the level 
of the Cheran, and crosses to its I. bank, 
reaching in 45 min. the pretty village 
of Ecole, at the junction of two lateral 
2 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 10. CHAMBER Y DISTRICT. 



114 

valleys with the main torrent of the 
Cheran. The road mounts nearly due 
8. through the rt. hand valley, and in 
2 hrs. from Chatelard passes Sainte 
Heine, the highest village. An ascent 
of | hr. leads to the Col du Frene, which 
commands a very fine view of the valley 
of the Isere and the ranges beyond it ; 
the road descends in long zigzags, but 
a pedestrian may avoid these, and so 
reach in 1 hr. St. Pierre d'Albigny. 
The station for the rly. to Montmelian 
and Chambery is rather more than a 
mile from the village. By this route a 
pedestrian may easily reach Chatelard 
from Chambery in 5 hrs. 



Route K. 
chItelard to albeetville. 

6 hrs. 

The road from Chatelard to St. Pierre 
d'Albigny turns aside from the valley of 
the Cheran atEcole (see last Rte.). Pol- 
lowing up the main valley from that 
village, the traveller reaches its termina- 
tion at the ruins of the Benedictine priory 
of Bellavaux, standing at the junction 
of three mountain torrents. Following 
that which mounts towards SSW., he 
may reach the Col de la Chacette, from 
whence a foot-path descends in steep 
zigzags to Fretterive, on the old road 
from St. Pierre to Albertville. A more 
direct way lies through the wild glen 
which descends nearly due W. to the 
ruins of the priory, called Combe de 
Bellavaux. After crossing the torrent 
several times, the path reaches the chalet 
of Chafuiuet, where it divides. The 1. 
hand path mounts to a pass called 
Croix de Veraisse, leading NE. by the 
•tillage of Seitenex to Faverges, 6 hrs. 
from Chatelard. The way to Albertville 
mounts by the rt. hand path to the pass 
oi'Haut duFour, from whence it descends 
t,o Verrens, and in 6 hrs. from Chatelard 
reaches Albertville (§ 12). 



Route L, 

CHATELARD TO ANNECT. 

A new and direct road has been for 
some time in course of construction, and 
is probably now completed; but to a 
pedestrian, either of the two mountain- 
paths indicated below will be found 
more interesting : — 

1 . By the Col de Leschaux. Char-road 
6 hrs.' walking. — As far as the Pont de 
la Charnia. f hr. from Chatelard, this 
route follows the main road on the 
rt. bank of the Cheran (Rte. H). The 
road to Annecy here turns to the NE., 
ascending along the rt. bank of the 
Leschaux torrent. A slight detour by 
the old road on the opposite bank leads 
to the Pont du Diable, a bridge thrown 
over the torrent at a point where it has 
cut a deep and narrow cleft through the 
rock. Passing the village of Glapigny, 
2^ hrs.' steady walking will lead to the 
summit of the pass, on either side of 
which are portions of the scattered vil- 
lage of Leschaux. The church (3,047') 
stands close to the top of the Col. The 
highest point of the long ridge of the 
Mont Setnnoz, NNW. of Leschaux, may 
be reached in If hr. from the village. 
The height, though only about 5,900 ft., 
suffices to give an extremely fine pano- 
ramic view of the Savoy Alps. It is 
possible to descend from the summit to 
Annecy, but a local guide is required. 
From the Col the road descends for 
about 1^ hr., gaining on the way some fine 
views over the Lake of Annecy, and then 
reaching the level of the plain, joins-the 
road from Albertville (§ 12) along the 
W. shore of the lake, near the village of 
St. Jorio, 1^ hr. distant from Annecy. 

2. By the Col d'Entrevernes. — In 
ascending to Leschaux from the Pont 
de la Charnia, about f hr. above the 
bridge, a path turns off to the rt. at the 
hamlet of Entreves, leading to Belle- 
combe, and thence to the Col d'En- 
trevernes, a low pass at the head of a 
glen containing the single small village 
of Entrevemes. The mule-path which 



§11. TAEENTAISE ALPS. 



115 



crosses the Col joins the road to Annecy 
at Duingt, the most picturesque point 
on the shores of the lake. , 

3. By the Col de Cherel. — At Ecole, 
in the upper valley of the Cheran (lite. 
I), a valley opens towards the NE., which 
leads by the village of Jarsy to the Col 
de Cherel, between the Mont Trelod and 
the Rocher d'Arealin. The first-named 
mountain is sometimes ascended for the 
sake of the view, and is interesting to 
the botanist for the rare plants, such as 
Cephalaria Alpina, Pedicularis Barre- 
lieri, &c, that have been found there. 
From the Col the glen descends nearly 
due N. to Chevaline and Doussard, vil- 
lages standing near the S. end of the Lake 
of Annecy, and close to the road which 
runs along its western bank (§12, Rte. B). 



SECTION 11. 

TARENTAISE DISTRICT. 

The name Tarentaise properly belongs 
to the upper valley of the Isere, above 
Hopital Conflans, with its tributary 
valleys. The most considerable of these 
— the valley of the Doron — drains most 
of the higher summits of the range of 
high Alps separating the Isere from 
the Arc. The first of these rivers rises 
on the N. side of the Col d'lseran, 
while the principal source of the Arc is 
close to the southern side of the same 
pass, and both streams unite at, Cha- 
niousset, about 45 m. in a direct line 
W. of the Col. The Alpine group in 
question is therefore perfectly defined, 
and connected with the main range of 
the Graian Alps only at a single point 
by the isthmus-like ridge of the Col 
d'lseran. It is to this group, and to the 
main valley of the Isere, from Chamuus- 
set to its source, that we restrict the 
present section, under the denomination 
Tarentaise district ; the greater part of 
it being included in that province of 
Savoy. Erom its source to Aiguebelle, 



near to its junction with the Isere, the 
Arc describes a semicircle whose diameter 
is about 40 m. in length. The Isere, 
on the contrary, in the interval between 
its source and the junction, forms a 
tolerably regular zigzag, or reversed w, 
whose re-entering angle, where stands 
the town of Moutiers, is pretty near to 
the centre of the semicircle formed by 
the Arc. The direction of these succes- 
sive joints of the valley of the Isere 
appears to be intimately connected with 
the forces that have elevated this portion 
of the Alps; but as regards the position 
of the principal peaks, and the direction 
of the secondary valleys, no part of the 
Alps shows so little trace of regularity 
as this district. The reason may pro- 
bably be that it is mainly composed of 
slightly altered sedimentary rocks, 
which have yielded so extensively to 
erosive action, whether that of water 
or of ice, as to preserve little trace of 
their original conformation. 

The higher portions of the Taren- 
taise Alps were till of late very im- 
perfectly known, and very ill depicted 
in the general maps published by the 
War Department at Turin. Even in 
the first edition of Joanne's ' Guide to 
Savoy,' the latest and best work upon 
this part of the Alps, to which the 
Editor is indebted for much useful in- 
formation in regard to the more ac- 
cessible districts, many of the serious 
errors of preceding writers were repeated. 
Without adverting to the singular 
series of errors by which a peak which 
has no real existence came to be repre- 
sented on nearly all existing maps, and 
to have ascribed to it a height exceed- 
ing 13,000 feet (see Rte. B), it suffices 
to say that the highest summit properly 
belonging to the Tarentaise has been 
placed on the maps in acomplettdy false 
position, and under a name (Aiguille 
de la Vanoise) by which it is unknown 
to the natives of the district. It is to 
the enterprise and perseverance of Mr. 
William Mathews, jun., a well-known 
member of the Alpine Club, that we 
owe the first accurate account of the 
higher peaks of this group. In addition 



116 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. 



TAEEXTAISE DISTRICT 



to his valuable paper in ' Peaks, Passes, 
and Glaciers,' the Editor received from 
that gentleman much other valuable 
information, obtained by him in a sub- 
sequent visit to the same district, during 
which he reached the highest summit 
of the Mont Pourri. It is now known 
that the culminating point of this group 
is the Grande Casse (12,780'), lying NE. 
of the Col de la Vanoise ; next in height 
is the Mont Pourri (12, 491' ), between 
the Yal Pesey and Ste. Foi ; while the 
third peak isthe Dent Parassee (12,137'), 
W. of Termignon. The Grande Motte, 
and several summits in the range N. of i 
the valley of the Arc, appear to exceed 
11,500 ft. The accommodation avail- 
able for strangers in this district is but 
indifferent, and is especially bad at the 
head of the valley of the Isere, which 
would infallibly become one of the fa- 
vourite resorts of mountaineers if decent 
quarters were to be found there. The 
occasional passage of strangers has as 
yet produced no other effect than to 
create a general desire to extract as 
large a sum as possible from the pocket 
of the next traveller. Though the inn is 
far from good, Pralognan is, on the 
whole, the most eligible place for 
a mountaineer's head-quarters. (See 
Pvte. E.) 

The geological structure of the Taren- 
taise Alps has given rise to discussions 
which at one time seemed to shake the 
foundations of the science. The reversal J 
of the natural order of superposition in 
strata that have been extensively dis- 
turbed is a phenomenon not very un- 
common in the Alps, but nowhere has 
it taken place so extensively, and under 
such singular circumstances, as in this 
part of Savoy. Between the zone of 
crystalline rocks extending from St. 
Al'axime de Beaufort to the valley of 
the Romanche, and the still more con- 
siderable metamorphic mass of the Gra- 
ians, rocks of varied mineral composi- 
tion, chiefly belonging to the carboni- 
ferous series, fill the greater portion of 
the area which once apparently formed 
a trough, but where by subsequent dis- 
turbance they have been raised more than 



12.0^0 ft. above the sea-level. Beds of 
anthracite, often thick enough to be 
worked for fuel, are extremely fre- 
quent throughout this formation, and 
are often associated with black argil- 
laceous slates, abounding in impres- 
sions of ferns, either identical with, 
or nearly allied to, undoubted carbo- 
niferous species. In the midst of 
the carboniferous zone a narrow strip 
of liassic rocks, containing belemnites 
and other characteristic fossils, runs 
parallel to the general strike of 
the strata, from NE. to SW., and by 
the peculiarity of its relations with 
the earlier formations has raised doubts 
in the minds of some geologists as 
to the value of paleontological evi- 
dence in the identification of strata. 
Sometimes the carboniferous rocks 
appear bodily to overlie the lias, 
sometimes a thin bed of the former 
appears intercalated in conformable 
stratification between two of the latter. 
An instance of the latter phenomenon, 
which was first noticed by Elie de Beau- 
mont, and has been since constantly 
visited by geologists, is seen near to the 
high-road from Albertville to Moutiers 
(lite. A), in the bed of a torrent a short 
way above the village of Petit Cceur, 
near to the junction of the crystalline 
with the sedimentary rocks. M. Mor- 
t il let has called attention to a neigh- 
bouring locality at La Cudraz, near 
Briancon, on the SW. side of the Isere, 
where both carboniferous and secondary 
rocks are involved in the folds of the 
metamorphic crystalline slates. 



Eocte A. 

CHA3IBERY TO BOURG ST. MAURICE. 

Kilometres Eng. ir.ileg 

Montmelian (by railway) 14 8f 

Chamousset ... 14 8f 

Albertville ^by road) . 22 13f 

Moutiers ... 23 17* 

Aime . . . . 15i 9f 

Bourg St. Maurice . I4£ 9 

103~ 67i 

From Chambery to Chamousset (§ 7, 



ROUTE A. — MOUTIERS TARENTAISE. 



117 



Rte. A) four trains run daily on the 
Victor Emmanuel rly. A line from 
thence to Albertville and Annecy is 
projected. An omnibus, corresponding 
with each train, plies to Albertville in 
2\ hrs., and at 1 p.m. a diligence starts, 
which reaches Moutiers at 6. A traveller 
may proceed on the same evening to 
Bourg St. Maurice with the courier, who 
arrives there about 8.30 p.m. 

After crossing the Isere the new road 
runs along the embankment which re- 
tains the rt. bank of that river. To the 
1., at the base of the mountain, is the old 
road from Montmelian, traversing the 
village of Gresy, which abounds in 
Roman remains. To the NW. the 
valley is enclosed by the rugged ridge 
which divides the Combe de Bellavaux 
(§ 10, Rte. K) from the Isere. About 
4 m. from Albertville the new road, 
which is hot, dusty, and disagreeable 
for the pedestrian, joins the old road 
near the point where the path to Fa- 
verges by the Col de Tamie turns to the 
N., and another less frequented track 
goes by the Haut du Four to Bellavaux. 

Albertville (Inns : Balances, well 
spoken of ; Nord, not recommended ; 
H. de Londres; Parfaite Union) is the 
modern name given by the late King 
Charles Albert to two small towns 
standing on the opposite banks of the 
Arly, close to its junction with the 
Isere. The name is, however, usually 
confined to the town on the rt. bank of 
the Arly, formerly called Hopital, while 
its opposite neighbour, Conflans, built 
on the slope of a hill, is still generally 
known by its ancient name. The road 
to Moutiers, after crossing the Arly, 
passes under Conflans, leaving on the rt. 
hand the extensive smelting houses 
where the ore from the mines of Macot 
and Pesey is reduced. Having hitherto 
followed the direction of NE., it now 
bends to the SSE.,and about 4 m. from 
Albertville runs close under the ancient 
castle of La Bdthie. The valley here 
contracts to a narrow gorge, and to sus- 
tain the road the embankment has en- 
croached on the b«d of the Isere. Just 
before reaching La lioche Cevins (Inn : 



Croix Blanche), 8 m. from Albertville, 
a bridge across the Isere leads to 
the village of St. Paul, on the I. 
bank, and a path leads to Aiguebelle 
(§ 1) by the Col de Basmont. Erom 
La Roche Cevins the road is carried 
through a very beautiful part of the 
valley, and nearly 2 m. farther reaches 
a defile called Pas deBriancon, formerly 
commanded by two castles, now in ruins. 
Under the Chateaux de Briancon a 
bridge of a single arch spans the river, 
here contracted to a torrent. About 2 
m, farther, after leaving the defile, 
the road passes near to a fine water- 
fall of the Glaise, along which stream 
the path from the Col de la Louze 
(§ 12, Rte. G) descends to the ham- 
let of Petit Cceur. This part of the val- 
ley is interesting to the botanist as 
well as the geologist. Amongst other 
scarce plants, Cartina nebrodensis has 
been found near the Chateaux de Brian- 
con, and Achillea nobilis is abundant 
near Moutiers. ' A pedestrian should 
take the old road, which is better shaded 
and more picturesque, in preference to 
the new one, which avoids the hamlet 
of Grand Cveur, opposite to the glen 
which mounts SW. to the Col de la Ma- 
deleine (Rte. I). After passing Aigue~ 
. blanche, 8 m. from La Roche Cevins, 
I the road ascends above a gorge, the 
lower part of which is too narrow to 
I give space for a passage, and then de- 
scends to Moutiers, often called, for the 
sake of distinction, 

Moutiers Tarentaise (Inns : Cou- 
ronne, much improved, reasonable 
prices; H. des Diligences), foi'merly the 
chief town of the province of Tarentaise, 
standing at a height of about 1,600 
ft., at the junction of the Doron with 
the Isere. The cathedral, though in 
part very ancient, does not appear in- 
teresting. The passes leading from 
Moutiers to the valley of the Arc are 
described in Rtes. E, F, G, and H. 
Those who wish to make a halt in this 
neighbourhood will find better quarters 
at Brides les Bains (Rte. E) than at 
Moutiers. 

Less than a mile S. of the town are 



113 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 11. TAEEXTAISE DISTRICT. 



the salt-springs of Salins, where there is 
a small bathing establishment, and an 
hotel (des Bains), where about thirty 
patients are usually found during the 
season. The water contains a consi- 
derable proportion of common salt and 
sulphate of lime, along with a moderate 
quantity of carbonate of lime and other 
salts. The chief utility of the springs 
arises from the salt-works, wherein 
culinary salt is extracted in large quan- 
tities. This operation, carried on in a 
large building close to the town of 
Moutiers, deserves examination. The 
process is of the simplest kind, yet quite 
effectual. The water from the springs 
is conducted through a long succession 
of sheds through gutters, from which it 
is allowed to drop slowly over faggots 
of thin twigs, and is finally brought into 
a building, where it trickles down a vast 
number of cords arranged vertically in 
frames. The effect is to deposit on the 
branches of the faggots and the cords 
the greater part of the calcareous salts 
which it holds in solution, and to pro- 
duce a highly concentrated solution of 
common salt, which is then evaporated 
with a comparatively trifling expendi- 
ture of fuel. When the deposit of stalac- 
titic matter has become excessive, the fag- 
gots are renewed, and the cords cleaned 
of their load by a few blows of a mallet. 

The salt-springs of Salins rise at the 
S. base of the Hoc du Diable, a peak 
immediately E. of Moutiers. The view 
from the summit (about 8,200') is said 
to be very fine. It may be reached 
without difficulty in about 4 hrs. from 
the town, and if the traveller be bound 
for Bourg St. Maurice, he may descend 
from the top by the X. slope of the 
mountain to the high-road opposite 
St Marcel 

A diligence plies between Moutiers 
and Bourg St. Maurice ; but ir starts at 
an inconveniently early hour— 3.30 a.m. 
The charge (to a stranger) for a one- 
horse carriage is 25 fr. Above Moutiers 
the Isere makes a second acute angle, 
resuming its original direction from 
NE. to SYT. The road, which through- 
out the valley keeps to the rt. bank, at 



j first enters a narrow gorge overlooked 
j by a castle belonging to the Bishop of 
Moutiers ; then, as the valley opens, it 
passes the village of St. Marcel, till at 
a second still narrower defile, called De- 
troit du Ciel, where roches moutonnees 
attest the former passage of a glacier, 
it has been necessary to mount the rocky 
slope to a height of 800 or 900 ft. above 
the Isere. In the next open basin, amid 
vineyards and fine trees, the small vil- 
lage of Centron has preserved the name 
of the original inhabitants of this dis- 
trict. To the S. is seen the summit of 
the Mont Jovet (8,373'), said to com- 
mand a still finer view than the Roc du 
Diable. A path over the shoulder of 
the former mountain leads to Bozel 
(Rte. E) in 4 hrs. After passing Villette 
the road reaches Aime (Inn: An Petit 
St. Bernard), anciently Axuma, one of 
the chief towns of the Centrones, still 
containing many Roman remains. For 
the pass to Beaufort by the Col du 
Conner, see § 12. On the opposite 
side of the Isere is the village of Macot, 
whence it is a walk of 2 hrs. up the 
valley which opens to the S. to the ex- 
tensive Mines of Macot. Paths lead 
from the mines into the Yal Pesey, and 
also to Champagny (Rte. C). 

Above Aime the valley is somewhat 
bare, and about 4 m. farther, at the 
village of Bellentre, the last vines 
are seen. On the opposite side of 
the river, through the opening of the 
Yal Pesey (Rte. C), there is on one side 
a fine view of the snowy peak of the 
Mont Pourri, and on the other of the 
range separating the Yal Pesey from 
the Yal de Premou. Approaching 
Bourg St. Maurice, the pass of the Little 
St. Bernard comes well into view, and 
appears to be the natural termination 
of the valley of the Isere. After pass- 
ing a wide torrent from the X.. at about 
9 m. from Aime, the road reaches 

Bourg St. Maurice (Inns: H. des 
Voyagei;- <. fair u-.ommodatioc, charges 
sometimes high; II. Royal), a small 
town (2,792' , where the meeting of 
the routes from Aosta by the Little 
St. Bernard, from St. Gervais by the 



ROUTE B. SAINTE FOI. 



119 



Col du Bonhomme, and from Lansle- 
bourg by the Col dTseran, with the 
main road of the valley of the Isere, 
produces a considerable amount of 
traffic. 



ROUTE B. 

BOURG ST. MAURICE TO LANSLEBOURG, 
BY THE COL D'lSERAN. 



Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 



Sainte Foi . 


• n 


8 


La Thuile . 


: i 


2| 


Brevities 


6 


Tignes 


. l 


3 


Laval 


: f 


a 


Col d'Iseran 






Bonneval 


. 3 




Bessans 


. If 


it 


Lanslebourg 


. 24 


8 




16| 


"494 



This is a very interesting route, the 
scenery of the Upper Isere, especially 
below Tignes, being very beautiful ; but 
it is subject to the serious drawback of 
the utter want of decent accommodation 
throughout the entire distance between 
the above-named places. An imperial 
road is however in progress, and cannot 
fail to lead to the opening of some 
decent inns on the way. 

After passing a square tower, said to 
date from the 4th century, the road 
leading from Bourg St. Maurice to the 
pass of the Little St. Bernard crosses 
first the Versoie torrent descending from 
the Col de Bonhomme, and then the Re- 
cluse, which flows from the first-named 
pass, and reaches the village of Scez 
(2,953'), where the upper valley of the 
Isere, turning first E. and then SSE., 
marks the boundary between the main 
chain of the Graian Alps to the E. and 
the Tarentaise group to the W. The 
new road, open for traffic to Ste. Foi, 
mounts along the Isere, amid scenery 
continually increasing in beauty and 
grandeur, traverses the village of Longe- 
foy, passes within sight of several other 
villages and hamlets, and after a rather 
steep ascent, in 2^ hrs. from Bourg St. 
Maurice reaches 

Sainte Foi (Inns : H. du Mont Blanc, 



poor enough, but not so bad as Tignes— 
fleas in abundance ; several other inns 
appear still more mean and dirty), beauti- 
fully situated (3,209') above the junction 
with the Isere of a torrent which drains a 
portion of the glaciers of the Ruitor and 
the N. side of the Ormelune. (For the 
passes leading to the Val Grisanche, see 
§ 15, Rte. C.) Nearly opposite to Ste. 
Foi is the magnificent peak of the Mont 
Pourri, sometimes called Chaffe Quarre, 
the second in height of the Tarentaise 
Alps (see Rte. C), rising in one unbroken 
mass from the bank of the Isere to the 
height of 12,491 ft., and forming the 
most conspicuous object throughout this 
part of the valley. About f hr. farther 
up the valley is La Thuile de Ste. Foi, 
with an inn (H. des Voyageurs) better 
than any higher up in the valley, 
but without fresh meat. Francois Ruet, 
a chamois hunter and fisherman, lives 
here, and though no longer a young 
man, would be useful as a guide to the 
neighbouring mountains. Game of all 
kinds is abundant here, and bears are 
not uncommon. [From this village an 
agreeable and easy excursion may be 
made to the Croix de Feuillette, one of 
the minor peaks of the Ormelune, com- 
manding a very fine view of the range 
of Mont Blanc and the nearer Alps of 
Savoy. It is probable that the highest 
point of the Ormelune (10,833') may be 
accessible from this side. The most 
agreeable way to return to La Thuile 
is by the track leading from the Col 
du Clou (§15, Rte. C). The scenery 
in descending towards the Isere is varied 
and beautiful.] 

Above La Thuile the mule-path to 
Tignes mounts through a forest, at a 
considerable height above the valley. 
A very striking position is that of the 
hamlet of La Gure, standing just below 
an impending glacier of the Mont Pourri, 
which from time to time launches against 
it masses of ice and rocks. Farther on, 
near the hamlet of Bioley, the traveller 
crosses a torrent fed by one of the largest 
glaciers of the Sassiere, and forming a fine 
cascade close to the bridge. After cross- 
ing another ridge, the path descends to 



120 SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 

the level of the Isere, and soon reaches 
a green basin where stands the village 
of Brevieres, with a poor cabaret. Among 
many interesting plants found in this 
part of the valley, the botanist will ob- 
serve the beautiful Cortusa Malthioli, 
growing on steep damp rocks near the 
banks of torrents. On the W. side of the 
valley the ravine of La Sache leads by 
the Col of the same name to the Val 
Pesey (Rte. C). A little farther S. is 
the pleasant Alp of Marai, worth a 
visit for its noble view of the Mont 
Blanc range. Thence the traveller may 
reach the Lac de Tignes without re- 
descending to the valley. Beyond 
Brevieres the path to Tignes crosses 
the Isere by a wooden bridge, mounts 
through a pine forest along the moun- 
tain-side, in order to avoid an impass- 
able ravine through which the stream 
forces its way, then descends nearly to 
the bank, until in 1 hr. from Brevieres 
the valley opens out again at the moun- 
tain village of 

Tignes (5,415'), standing on a grassy 
plain at the junction with the Isere of 
the torrents from the Lac de Tignes 
and the Lac de la Sassiere. There 
was here in 1864 but one inn, kept by 
Florentin Re vial. It is somewhat im- 
proved, but is still poor, dirty, and 
dear. The position of Tignes is very 
beautiful and attractive to the moun- 
taineer. At the foot of the Aiguille de la 
Sassiere, and in immediate connection 
with no less than eight high passes, 
leading into as many different valleys, 
it requires nothing but a decent inn 
to make it a frequent resort of Alpine 
travellers. The passes leading from 
hence are — 1. Col de la Gailletta to 
Val de Rhemes. 2. Col de Galese to 
the Valley of the Oreo. 3. Col de 
ITseran to Lanslebourg. 4. Col de La- 
rossor to the valley of the same name. 

5. Col de la Leisse to Entre-deux-Eaux. 

6. Col du Palet to Champagny. 7 and 
8. Col de Tourne, and Col de la Sache, 
both leading to Val Pesey. The two 
first are described in Chap. V., and the 
last five are noticed in the two next 



11. TARENTAISE DISTRICT. 

Rtes. [The most interesting excursion 
to be made from Tignes is the ascent of 
the Aiguille de la Sassiere, moderately 
easy of access to practised mountaineers, 
and commanding one of the finest pano- 
ramic views in this part of the Alpine 
chain. An account of the ascent is 
given by Mr. Mathews in the second 
series of ' Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers.' 
Having crossed the Isere, he mounted 
by the S. side of the fine waterfall oppo- 
site the village, formed by the torrent 
descending from the Lac de la Sassiere. 
Above the fall the torrent is crossed by 
a wooden bridge, and a path leads into 
an upland glen, in the centre of which 
lies the Lac de la Sassiere. Looking 
up the glen to a large glacier which 
appears to close its upper end, over 
which lies the way to the Col de la 
Gailletta (§ 15), the Aiguille is seen on 
the 1. hand, presenting a range of steep 
rocks surmounted by a cornice of snow, 
and rising into a dome of snow at its 
further or E. extremity. At the W. 
end towards Tignes is a buttress of the 
mountain, connected by a snowy arete 
with the snow cornice above mentioned. 
Ascending by the western buttress, Mr. 
Mathews, with his guide, Michel Croz 
of Chamouni, gained the upper snow 
calotte by a notch in the ridge, and then 
without further difficulty, reached the 
summit, 12,326 ft. in height, taking a 
mean of the nearly concordant baro- 
metric measurement of Mr. Mathews, 
and the trigometric measurement by 
M. Corabceuf. The summit had been 
reached about 40 years before by a 
native of the valley, who had erected a 
cross, of which some fragments were 
found by Mr. Mathews. In a favour- 
able state of the snow, it is easy to 
descend, in great part by glissades, over 
steep snow-slopes on the side of the 
mountain towards Brevieres. By that 
way Mr. Mathews effected the descent 
in 2 hrs. 5 min.] 

The valley of the Isere between Ste. 
Foi and the Col dTseran is sometimes 
called Val de Tignes, and, in addition 
to its other attractions, is interesting to 



EOUTE B. — COL D'iSERAN. 



121 



the geologist, as marking the limit 
between the crystalline rocks of the 
Graian range and the sedimentary strata 
of the Tarentaise, and to the botanist, 
because of the many rare Alpine plants 
which it produces. Among others may 
be mentioned Draba frigida and D. 
nivalis, Oxytropis Gaudini, Gentiana 
punctata, G. brachyphylla and G. tenella, 
Pedicular is rosea and P. cenisia, Primula 
pedemontana (on the rt. hand of the path 
approaching Tignes from Brevieres), 
Carex rupestris, C. microglochin, C. cur~ 
vula, C. lagopina and C. bicolor, Alope- 
curus Gerardi, and Avena subspicata. 
Between the plain of Tignes and the 
next and highest basin-like expansion 
of the valley, is a defile even grander 
than those lower down, and so nar- 
row that the path has to be carried 
to a great height above the torrent. 
After crossing back to the 1. bank, | 
this leads, in l| hr., to the plain of 
Laval — the short name for La Val 
de Tignes — the highest village in the 
valley; a so-called inn, chez Gillie, is 
even worse than those at Tignes, and 
equally extortionate. Another, chez 
Bonnevie, is said not to be quite so 
bad. A path from hence mounting to 
the W. joins the track from Tignes to 
the Col de la Leisse, and another, rarely 
used, leads to Entre-deux-Eaux by the 
Col de Larossor. The way usually 
taken to the Col dTseran passes a group 
of houses called Fornet, whence lies 
about due E. the way to the Col de 
Galese (§ 14); but it is shorter to as- 
cend by the 1. bank of the Isere, now 
reduced to a mountain stream, by a 
succession of moderately steep zigzags. 
In less than an hour above Laval, the 
traveller will see the first of a line of 
stone pyramids, which serve not only to 
direct wayfarers when snow lies on the 
pass, but also to give shelter in bad 
weather; each of them being fitted with 
a niche that holds two or three persons. 
At the time when the first edition of 
this work appeared, the universal be- 
lief, maintained by the testimony of 
guide-books and the most authentic 
maps, affirmed the existence at the 



head of the valley of the Isere of the 
Mont Iseran, described as the giant 
of this part of the Alps, 13,271 feet in 
height, and giving birth from its glaciers 
to the rivers Isere, Arc, and Oreo. It 
was merely necessary for travellers to 
use their own eyes, to assure themselves 
that no great peak lay close to the pass. 
The existence of a pass implies of 
course that eminences of some descrip- 
tion lie on either side of it. Such exist 
both E. and W. of the Col d'Iseran, 
and have, since the annexation of 
Savoy to France, been fully explored 
by the engineers connected with the 
French Etat Major. They have given 
the name Mont Iseran to a summit 
10,831 ft. in height — apparently that 
marked Pte. du Vallon on the Sardinian 
map. Mr. Nichols, one of the most 
diligent explorers of this region, iden- 
! tifies with the Mont Iseran of the Sar- 
dinian map a somewhat higher point, 
11,322 ft. in height, according to the 
French engineers. The former is the 
summit that was ascended in 1860 by 
Mr. Cowell, whose notes respecting 
this and other neighbouring peaks are 
published in the first series of * Vacation 
Tourists.' 

To explain the singular errors con- 
nected with the imaginary peak of the 
Mont Iseran, it is necessary to call to 
mind the fact, that although the passes 
over the Alps which have long been 
known and used acquired early the 
names which they still retain, very few 
of the higher summits obtained fixed 
and recognised names until compara- 
tively recent times. Even at present, 
although every frequented pass is well 
known by its name to the natives of 
the neighbouring valleys, they are often 
quite uncertain as to the names of high 
peaks which they never think of at- 
tempting to ascend. All the ancient 
passes in the Western Alps received the 
descriptive name of ' Mons ' or ' Mont,' 
e.g. Mont Genevre, Mont Cenis, Mont 
St. Bernard, Mont Moro, Mont St. 
Gothard, and many others ; and in 
like manner the ancient pass leading 
from the Maurienne to the valley of the 



122 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. §11. TARENTATSE DISTRICT. 



Iserc was called Mont Iseran, by 
which name the pass is now known to 
the natives of the adjoining valleys. 
Geographers, and other writers who 
have treated of the Alps with little or 
no local knowledge, have been con- 
stantly misled in the attempt to identify 
one or other of the neighbouring peaks 
with each of the names above cited. In 
all the other instances referred to it has 
gradually become clear that no peak 
existed bearing the name Mont Genevre, 
Mont Cenis, &c ; but the neighbour- 
hood of the Col d'Iseran being little 
known, the error survived much longer. 
It so happened that three high peaks — 
the Grand Paradis, the Levanna, and 
the Aiguille de la Sassiere — whose 
summits, 12 or 13 miles apart, form a 
nearly equilateral triangle, are so placed 
that, when seen from a distance, one or 
other of them pretty nearly coincides 
with the supposed direction of the Mont 
Iseran, and have thus helped to keep up 
the popular delusion. The first of these, 
which is the highest, and that best seen 
from the neighbourhood of Turin, was 
measured trigonometrically by Colonel 
Corabceuf, and that measurement is the 
authority for the supposed height of the 
Mont, Iseran. The second summit has 
usually represented the imaginary peak, 
when viewed from the W. and SW. ; 
while the Aiguille de la Sassiere has 
played the same part in views from the 
N. and NE. It is needless to say that 
if a map of this part of the Alps founded 
on actual survey were in existence, so 
gross an error could not have so long 
held its ground ; but unfortunately the 
general map of Piedmont and Savoy, 
published by the War Department at 
Turin, has no claim to be admitted as 
the bona fide result of even a rude 
survey of the higher Alps. The officers 
under whose direction it has been pro- 
duced have not even turned to account 
the limited, but valuable, materials al- 
ready in existence, which were published 
by the Scientific Commission for the 
measurement of the parallel of lati- 
tude between Lombardy and France. 
Some doubt in regard to the Mont 



Iseran of the maps had previously 
existed in the minds of Alpine tra- 
vellers ; but it is to three members 
of the Alpine Club — Messrs. Cowell, 
W. Mathews, and Tuckett — that the 
public are indebted for the complete 
demolition of an unqualified pretender 
to Alpine honours, and for a correct 
knowledge of the three genuine peaks 
whose claims had hitherto been unduly 
estimated. 

The Col d'Iseran, 9,085 ft. in height, 
by the measurement of the French 
engineers, is reached in 2^ hrs., as- 
cending from Laval. To enjoy at once 
the entire view, it is well to mount for 
a short distance on either side, as from 
the actual Col the view to the S. is 
limited ; but after descending a very 
short way, the Uja di Ciamarella, the 
Mont Chardonnet. and farther on the 
Pointe de Sea come into view. The 
downward track lies for some way over 
bare Alpine slopes gradually contract- 
ing towards a ravine, through which 
the path descends very steeply. About 
half way from the top to the valley of 
the Arc several clusters of chalets are 
passed, and then again the descent be- 
comes rapid and fatiguing. To the 1., 
at mid-height of the Levanna, the main 
source of the Arc is seen to break out 
from the face of the mountain. More 
than 3 hrs. are needed for the ascent from 
Bonneval to the Col, but the descent may 
be made in 2 hrs. or even less. [For those 
who may wish to vary the way from Laval 
to Bonneval. there is another pass lying 
W. of the Col d'Iseran, called Col du 
Fond, not much higher or more difficult, 
than the ordinary route. It would be 
advisable to take a guide for this way, 
as the pass is very rarely used.] 

Bonneval (6,020'), the highest village 
in the valley of the Arc, has a clean 
and reasonable little inn with only two 
beds, kept by Jean Culet, a civil land- 
lord and good local guide, who is also 
mayor of the commune. He accom- 
panied Mr. Cowell to the summit of 
the Levanna, and knows most of the 
difficult passes leading into Piedmont 
(see § 13). To escape the severe cold 



ROUTE C. COL DU PALET. 



123 



of winter, the natives partially excavate 
the ground floors of their houses, and 
live in a single room, which serves 
also during that season as a stable for 
their cattle and other domestic animals. 

On leaving Bonneval, the new road 
to Lanslebourg, Avhich is soon to be 
extended across the Col d'Iseran, crosses 
the Arc by a stone bridge, which seems 
out of character in so rugged and poor 
a place, and follows the 1. bank of the 
stream through a wild defile which 
continues for about 2 m. ; then, after 
passing some wretched hamlets, the 
valley widens out, and about 3 m. far- 
ther the opening of the Combe d'Ave- 
role is seen on the 1. (For the passes 
thence to Lanzosee § 13, Rtes. D and E.) 
In 1^- hr., descending, the traveller 
reaches Bessans (Inn, poor and extor- 
tionate, but good honey and cheese are 
had here), whence the summit of the 
Roche Melon may be reached in 5^ 
or 6 hrs. (§ 7, Rte. B). After pass- 
ing Lans-le-Villard, where a path 
mounting to the 1. joins the road of the 
Mont Cenis, a walk of 2\ hrs. from 
Bessans conducts the traveller to Lans- 
lebourg (§ 7). An active pedestrian, 
starting very early, and taking a char 
to Bonneval, may reach Bourg St. 
Maurice (on foot from Bonneval) on 
the same day. 



Route C. 

T1GNES TO MOTJTIERS TARENTAISE, OR 
KOURG ST. MAURICE, BY THE COL 
DU PALET — ASCENT OP THE MONT 
POURRI. 

2j hrs. to the Col du Palet. 9 hrs. thence to 
Moutiers. 7 hrs. to Bourg St. Maurice by Val 

Pesey. 

In its downward course from Tignes 



to Moutiers, the Isere makes a long de- 
tour to the N., in which it flows round 
the base of the great ridge whose highest 
summit is the Mont Pourri. A more 
direct course from Tignes to the valley 
of the Isere lies over the Col du Palet, a 
comparatively low pass, easily accessible 
from Tignes, which leads either W. 
through the Val de Premou to Moutiers, 
or NNW. to the Isere between Aime 
and Bourg St. Maurice. 

A brawling stream, descending im- 
mediately to the W. of Tignes, flows 
from the Lac de Tignes, a rather large 
tarn, 60 or 70 acres in extent, lying in 
a shelf or hollow of the mountains, 
about 1,500 ft. above the village. The 
chalets near the lake may be reached in 
lj hr., ascending by a tolerable mule- 
path. Should the traveller be able to 
secure from the fisherman some of the 
fine trout of the lake, which are sent 
during the summer to Courmayeur and 
St. Didier, they may make up for the 
deficiencies of the usually empty larders 
of the inns at Tignes, Laval, &c. The 
path to the Col du Palet mounts a little 
S. of W. from the lake, and leads with- 
out difficulty to the top in about 1 f hr. 
In descending, Tignes may be reached 
in 2 hrs. from the Col. The Col leads 
to an undulating plateau, which descends 
on the one hand to the Val Pesey, and 
on the other to the Val de Premou ; 
and when clouds lie on the pass, it ap- 
pears to be no easy matter to preserve 
the right direction. 

1. To reach Moutiers it is necessary 
to pass on the S. side of the little Lac de 
Cracalery, about the level of the Col, 
and thence to ascend for a few minutes 
S W. to the Croix de Fretes, which is 
the culminating point of this pass. The 
descent through the Val de Premou is 
long, and not very interesting. After 
passing three small tarns the path winds 
along the N. slope of the valley, passing 
along an alp called La Grande Plagne, 
and then descends more steeply by zig- 
zags to the bank of the torrent near to 
a large chalet. Here the track crosses 
to the 1. bank, which it follows for 
several miles, till, on approaching Cham- 



124 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. §11. TARENTAISE DISTRICT. 



pagny, it returns to the rt. bank, and 
ascends to the terrace on which that 
village stands, opposite to the opening 
of the valley of Pralognan (Rte. E). 

Champagny, a rather large village, 
in the midst of very agreeable scenery, 
has preserved the national costume 
better than in most parts of the Taren - 
taise. It is reached in 5 hrs. descend- 
ing from the Col du Palet, but 6 hrs. are 
required for the ascent. From hence 
there is a good road, which descends 
rather steeply to Bozel (Rte. E), a 
large village with two inns, 3 m. below 
Champagny, and about 4 m. above 
Brides les Bains, or 8 m. from Moutiers 
(Rte. A). 

2. If bound for the Val Pesey, the 
traveller commences the descent at once 
from the Col du Palet, turning about 
due N., and leaving on his 1. hand the 
Lac de Cracalery. In rather more than 
an hour he may reach the chalet of 
Autre Lai (or Estralet ?), near to a 
small lake of the same name. From 
this chalet a path mounts SW. to the 
Pas de Valyeret, by which Champagny 
is reached in 1 hr. less than by the Croix 
de Fretes. In the opposite direction is 
the Col de la Sache, leading to Brevieres, 
which has been traversed by Mr. W. 
Mathews. It does not appear to be 
much shorter, while it is certainly 
rougher, than the Col du Palet. A third 
pass, called Col de Tourne, lies between 
the latter and the Col de la Sache, and 
probably offers the most direct way from 
Autre Lai to Tignes. 

The head of the Val Pesey is wild 
and solitary, enclosed between the lofty 
range of the Mont Pourri to the E. and 
a glacier-clad mass which separates it 
from the Val de Premou, one of whose 
highest summits has the common name 
Aiguille du Midi. Nearly 4 hrs. are 
required from the Col to reach the Mines 
of Pesey (6,024'), formerly very produc- 
tive, but of late years considerably fallen 
off in importance. As at the neigh- 
bouring mines of Macot, the ore is an 
argentiferous 'sulphuret of lead. The 
direct track from the mines to Bourg 
St. Maurice descends along the rt. 



bank of the torrent for 1 hr. to the 
hamlet of Moulin, leaving the village of 
Pesey on a height to the rt. hand. [At 
Moulin a tributary stream descends 
from the SSW. through a wild valley, 
through which a track leads past the 
hamlet of Pramain to a Col, by which 
Champagny is reached in 5 hrs.] From 
the junction of the two torrents it is an 
easy walk of 1-hr. to Landry, where the 
Val Pesey opens into the valley of the 
Isere. Following the char-road, it is a 
walk of nearly l£ hr. from Landry to 
Bourg St. Maurice ; but there is a path 
which crosses the Isere by a foot-bridge, 
and leads to the town in l| hr., rather 
more than 3 hrs. from the mines and 7 
hrs. from the Col du Palet. Should the 
traveller be bound for Aime, he should 
enquire for a path leading from Moulin 
to Bellentre (Rte. A), by which Aime 
may be reached nearly as soon as Bourg 
St. Maurice. 

Ascent of the Mont Pourri. The 
Mont Pourri, also called Chaffe Quarre, 
and Mont Thurria, is the noble peak 
which is so conspicuous from the W. side 
of the pass of the Little St. Bernard, and 
throughout a considerable part of the 
upper valley of the L£re. Rising boldly 
as it does to a height of from 9,000 to 
10,000 ft. above the Isere, there are few 
peaks in the Alps which present a more 
imposing aspect. The ridge of the 
mountain, running for 8 or 10 m. pa- 
rallel to the Isere and the Val Pesey, 
which drain its E. and W. flanks, con- 
sists of a central highest peak, flanked 
on either side by two attendant summits. 
The southern of these, which stands 
opposite to Brevieres in the Val de 
Tignes, was reached by Messrs. Mathews 
and Jacomb in 1861, and was found by 
them to be 11,769 feet in height, but 
about 2 m. to the NNW. the middle 
peak was seen to rise much higher, 
and on fhat side appeared very difficult 
of access. At the suggestion of Mr. 
Mathews, one of his guides, Michel 
Croz of Chamouni, attempted the ascent 
later in the same year, and succeeded 
in reaching the highest peak alone. In 
the following year Mr. Mathews, ac- 



ROUTE C. — MONT POURRI. 



125 



coinpanied by the Rev. T. G. Bonney, 
■with Michel and Jean-Baptiste Croz, 
effected the second ascent. A good 
path, after crossing the Isere a little 
above Bourg St. Maurice, mounts along 
the mountain side to Pesey (Inn : Au 
Soleil, chez Garc^on, not bad, fresh 
meat), leaving Landry on the rt. below 
the path. Near the village a stream 
descends from the E. to join the main 
valley, and leads in 2£ hrs.' easy walk- 
ing to the chalets of Entre-deux-Nants 
(6.840'), situated, as the name imports, 
at the junction of two torrents. The 
party passed the night at one of these 
chalets, belonging to Baudin, the inn- 
keeper at Pesey. Starting next morning 
at 3.30 a.m., they followed an easterly 
course to the head of the glen, a plateau 
dotted with small lakes, divided from 
Bourg St. Maurice by a rocky ridge, 
and communicating with another glen 
which descends towards the Isere a little 
above Scez. Turning to the rt. towards 
the Pourri, they had before them a small 
glacier flanked on the 1., or NE., by a 
rocky peak, and on the opposite side by 
slopes of debris, which they mounted, 
thus gaining, in 2 h. 40 min. from Entre- 
deux-Nants, a craggy ridge connecting 
the peak above mentioned with another 
higher summit, the third peak of the 
Pourri. From this Col, 9,620 ft. in 
height, which is the direct way from 
Pesey to Sainte Foi or La Thuile, they 
overlooked a wide glacier which de- 
scends towards the last-named village. 
Descending a few paces to the glacier, 
they next steered S. to gain the ridge 
which connects the highest peak with 
the third peak above mentioned, encoun- 
tering a wall of neve about 20 ft. high, 
which formed the chief difficulty of the 
ascent. Having gained this second 
ridge, they had before them an immense 
amphitheatre of neve, which opens to- 
wards the Val Pesey. Above its SE. 
corner rises the highest peak of the 
mountain, which throws out a spur of 
rock towards the S W. Circling round the 
head of the amphitheatre, they climbed 
by steep snow-slopes to the crest of this 
spur, and along it reached the base of the 



terminal cone. This was mounted from 
the S. side, partly by rocks and partly by 
snow-slopes. From the Col 3 hrs. 50 
min. sufficed to reach the summit, com- 
manding a magnificent panoramic view 
of the Western Alps. 2^ hrs. were 
spent in observing with a theodolite 
the azimuths and zenith distances of 
the principal peaks, and in barometric 
observations which made the height of 
the peak 12,491 ft. Returning by the 
same route in about 2 hrs. to the Col, 
they separated, in order to complete the 
exploration of the mountain. Mr. 
Mathews and J. B. Croz scrambled 
down a steep ravine by the side of 
glacier seracs, and then descended by 
shingle-covered ice to a sloping alp, 
whence, bearing to the 1., they arrived 
without difficulty at Villaroger, a village 
opposite to Ste. Foi. A path thence 
along the 1. bank of the Isere leads to 
a bridge and joins the ordinary track 
half-way between Ste. Foi and Scez. 
Mr. Bonney descended from the Col 
towards the N. into the glen which 
reaches the Isere near Scez. About 
half-way down the stream falls in cas- 
cades over a range of steep precipices, 
but a path leads to the 1. and winds down 
the steep face of the mountain opposite 
to Bourg St. Maurice. In a more 
recent ascent by Mr. H. T. Mennell, 
with J. M. Claret of Chamouni, and 
Martin Poccard of Pesey as porter, the 
night was passed at chalets at the 'lake- 
dotted plateau,' higher than those of 
Entre-deux-Nants. They descended 
by the rt. side of the glacier facing La 
Thuile, and reached that place by a 
steep descent from the highest chalet. 

In 1865 Mr. R. C. Nichols effected a 
pass from the Lac de Tignes to Cham- 
pagny more direct than the way by the 
Col du Palet and Croix des Fretes. 
The new pass, called Col de Plantrin 
(about 9,700'), lies to the 1. of a little 
pyramid of rock that rises S. of the Col 
du Palet. It is approached by crossing 
a small glacier. Time from Tignes to 
Champagny 6^- to 7 hrs. 



126 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 



11. TAREXTAISE DISTRICT. 



EotTTE D. 

TIGNES TO LANSLEBOURG, BT THE COL 
DE LA LEISSE. 
lOhrs.' walking. 

From the chalets of the Lac de Tignes, 
mentioned in the last rte., a path turns 
to the 1. about due S.. and enters a gorge 
which leads to the Col de la Leisse. A 
short way below the Col this track is 
joined by another vhich mounts from 
Laval (Rte. B). The upper part of 
the gorge displays traces of glacial ac- 
tion, and even at the summit, which by 
the mean of different measurements is 
9,127 ft. in height, the rocks are rounded 
and smoothed in the form characteristic 
of the passage of a glacier. A good 
deal of snow usually lies here, but the 
pass, which is reached in 2| hrs. from 
the lake, is recognised even in bad 
weather by an iron cross fixed to the 
summit of a boss of rock. The Vallon 
de la Leisse, into which the traveller 
now descends, is one of the wildest in 
the Alps. Along the valley and the 
slopes on either hand, nothing is seen 
but the traces of ruin and desolation — 
everywhere broken fragments, from the 
size of fine gravel to that of huge blocks; 
and even the snow which lies in hollows, 
and in several places bridges over the 
stream, is soon discoloured by the new 
rubbish that is constantly discharged 
from the heights above. Although every- 
thing looks bare and inanimate, the 
botanist may detect several scarce plants 
growing in the midst of the debris, 
amongst which Alopecurus Gerardi is 
abundant. One object alone presents 
an agreeable contrast to the dreary 
aspect of the glen. This is the peak 
of the Grande Motte, rising in a beauti- 
ful snowy pyramid W. of the Col to 
about 11,800 ft. The summit, reached 
in 1864 by Messrs. Blandford, Cuthbert, 
and Rowsell is a snow cornice set at a 
high angle, inconvenient as a resting - 
place. In the midst of the debris 
fhrough which the way lies, the path 
can scarcely be traced, but there is 
BO other difficulty in advancing than 



the roughness of the ground. In less 
than 2 hrs. from the summit the Leisse 
torrent, descending from the Col, joins 
the stream from the Col de la Vanoise, 
about 1 m. above Entre-deux-Eaux. 
From those chalets Lanslebourg is 
reached in 4 hrs. by the Plan du Loup, 
following the path described in the 
next rte. 



Route E. 

MOUTIERS TAKEN TAISE TO LANSLE- 
BOURG, BY THE COL DE LA VANOISE. 



Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

Bozel . 2* 8 

Planay . l| 4 

Pralognan . 2 6 

Col de la Vanoise 2| 6 

Entre-deux-Eaux 1* 4 

Termignon . 3 9 

Lanslebourg . 1 3 

131 40 



This is a very interesting route, 
leading through the very centre of the 
Tarentaise Alps. There is a good road 
from Moutiers to Bozel, and a rough 
char-road thence to Planay. A tra- 
veller not wishing to put up with the 
indifferent accommodation at Pralog- 
nan may take a vehicle to Bozel or to 
Villard Goitreux, and thence reach 
Lanslebourg on foot in 1 1£ or 12 hrs., 
allowing 1 hr. or 1| hr. for halts. 

The carriage-road from Moutiers to 
Bozel keeps to the rt. bank of the 
Doron, and at 4 m. from the town com- 
municates by a stone bridge with the 
opposite bank, where, near the junction 
of the Combe des Allues with the Doron, 
stands the pretty watering-place of 

Brides les Bains (Inns : Pension des 
Bains, the chief hotel, and well kept ; 
H. de laCouronne; and several others). 
The mineral springs were lost for more 
than a century, and again brought 
to light in 18 i 8 by an inundation of 
the Doron, which washed away the 
earth and rocks by which they were 
obstructed. The waters are strongly 
impregnated with various salts, and 
should not be used either in drink or 
baths without medical advice. About 



ROUTE E. — COL DE LA VANOISE. 



127 



400 Swiss and Savoyard visitors resort 
hither every year. The charge for a 
room and diet is from 6 to 8 fr. daily. 
For tourists it offers the best accommo- 
dation to be found in this district, and 
a variety of excursions. The most 
agreeable way from Moutiers is by a 
path which, after passing Salins and 
crossing the Doron, follows the 1. bank 
of the stream, mounts to the plateau 
of Villarlurin. and again descends to the 
level of the Doron, ^ m. from the Baths. 
There is a good road from Brides to 
Bozel, better shaded and more pictur- 
esque than that by the rt. bank, but 
about | hr. longer. 

Bozel, a large village with two 
inns, lies at the S. foot of the Mont 
Jovet, opposite to a rocky pyramid 
called La' Dent, which stands above the 
fork of the valley where the torrent 
of La Riviere joins the Doron. A track 
passing E. of the summit of the Mont 
Jovet leads in 4 hrs. to the mines of 
Macot (Rte. A), and in 2 hrs. more to 
Aime. [The two parallel valleys of 
Allues and La Riviere, which join the 
main valley of the Doron at Brides and 
Bozel respectively, would probably re- 
ward the pains of a mountaineer who 
should undertake to explore them, and 
the passes which may be effected from 
the S. end of each of them. The Combe 
des Allues is said to terminate in impass- 
able glaciers — an expression which,as has 
been well observed, merely means that 
no one has yet attempted to pass them.] 

Less than 1 m. beyond Bozel the road 
to Pralognan separates from that lead- 
ing to Champagny (Rte. C), turns to 
the rt., and descends towards the bed 
of the Doron, which here issues from 
the SS W. At the junction of the main 
stream with the Premou, 2 m. from 
Bozel, the village of Villard Goitreux 
stands in the midst of beautiful scenery, 
but afflicted, like most of this neigh- 
bourhood, with the plague of goitre. 
Above the junction of the two streams 
the valley of the Doron presents a steep 
rocky slope, which must be surmounted 
in order to reach the upper level, which is 
often called Val de Pralognan. Through 

PART I. j 



this barrier the Doron has cut its way 
in an impenetrable ravine, where it 
descends in a succession of cascades. 
The old mule-path keeps as near as the 
ground will permit to the gorge of the 
Doron, or Gorge de Bellentre, while a 
new char-road is carried in zigzags up 
the slope. Either way is interesting to 
the pedestrian, the new road giving a 
fine view down the valley. No time is 
saved, but rather the reverse, by taking 
a vehicle beyond Villard, as the new 
road stops at the village of Planay, near 
the summit of the steep ascent. To 
reach that point, about f hr. from the 
bridge over the Premou (1^- hr. from 
Bozel) are required. The scenery here 
completely changes its character. The 
Doron flows gently through a nearly 
level valley, whose lower slopes, covered 
with pine forest, are surmounted by 
peaks of great boldness and variety of 
form. Leaving on the rt. hand two 
wooden bridges, which merely serve for 
access to the forests on the 1. bank of the 
stream, the mule-path advances to a 
narrower part of the valley, leading to 
another ascending step of rock. After 
passing on the rt. the hamlet of Ville- 
neuve, about £ hr.. above Planay, the 
Doron is crossed for the first time, and 
a steep ascent through pine forest im- 
mediately commences. After £ hr. the 
summit, marked by a large cross, is 
attained, and the path descends a little 
to the open pastures^ where a bridge 
leads back to the rt. bank of the Doron. 
Some scattered houses are passed, and 
the path reaches some bosses of rock, 
rounded by the passage of ancient 
glaciers, until in 2 hrs. from Planay a 
sudden turn of the path discloses the vil- 
lage of Pralognan (4,700', W.M. ), finely 
placed at the junction of the Gliere 
torrent, descending from the Col de la 
Vanoise, with the Doron, which flows 
nearly due N. from the Col de Chaviere 
(Rte. P). There are two small inns 
here, both poorly provided. In default 
of other requisites, Mr. Mathews found 
civility and moderate charges at that 
kept by Marie Joseph Pavre, one of a 
cluster of houses above the church. 



128 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 11. TARENTAISE DISTRICT. 



The inn 'Des Barges' has the prefer- 
ence in Joanne's 'Itineraire.' 

Pralognan is extremely well situated 
as head-quarters for a mountaineer who 
would explore the central mass of the 
Tarentaise Alps ; and although much 
light has been thrown on the orography 
of the district through the exertions of 
Mr. W. Mathews, there is yet room for new 
and interesting expeditions amidst little- 
known peaks and glaciers. This central 
mass lies between the valleys of the 
Doron, which descends towards the N. 
from the Col de Chaviere to Villard 
Goitreux, and the nearly parallel valley 
of the Leisse flowing in the opposite 
direction — from N. to S. — from the Col 
de la Leisse (Rte. D) to Termignon. 
To the N. this tract is limited by the 
Val de Premou (Rte. C), and to the S. 
by the valley of the Arc from Modane 
to Termignon. This great mass, about 
13 m. in length by 5 or 6 in breadth, 
presents on every side bold peaks and 
faces of rock, which are the sustaining 
walls and buttresses of a vast glacier 
plateau, of which, until lately, next to 
nothing was known. In one direction 
only it is easily traversed — namely, by 
the depression over which lies the track 
of the Col de la Vanoise, between Pra- 
lognan in the valley of the Doron, on 
the W., and Entre-deux-Eaux in that 
of the Leisse, on the E. Everywhere 
else it rises considerably above the limit 
of perpetual snow, It was known that 
one summit somewhere near to the Col 
de la Vanoise approached to 12,700 ft. 
in height; but the exact position of this 
peak, to which the name Aiguille de la 
Vanoise seems to have been given con- 
jecturally, remained uncertain. Most 
maps have placed it immediately S. 
of the Col, while others omit it alto- 
gether. The six-sheet Picdmontese map 
does not profess to indicate the posi- 
tion of the Aiguille, but has the name 
' Ghiacciaja della Vanoise,' extending 
over the whole glacier region between 
the Col and the Roche Chevriere. 

The following conclusions have been 
established by the researches of Mr. 
Mathews : — 



1. There is no peak known in the 
district by the name Aiguille de la 
Vanoise, and no high summit in the 
place where that supposed mountain has 
been represented on maps. The name 
should therefore be expunged. 

2. The highest summit of the Taren- 
taise Alps, known at Pralognan as the 
Grande Casse, lies NE. of the Col de la 
Vanoise, between Pralognan and the 
head of the Val de Premou. Its height, 
as determined by Mr. Mathews, is 
12,780 ft., and to this peak applies the 
trigonometrical measurement by Cora- 
bceuf of the Aiguille de la Vanoise, his 
result being 12,674 ft. 

3. To the S. of the Col de la Va- 
noise, a vast undulating plateau, ex- 
ceeding 10,000 ft. in height, and covered 
with glacier or neve, extends for several 
miles, but only at its S. extremity rises 
into peaks of any importance. Of these 
the two best known are the Dent Pa' 
rassee (12,137'), and the Eoche Chevriere 
(10,765'). When seen from a lower 
level, many of the projecting buttresses, 
which rise from the valleys of the 
Leisse or the Doron, appear to be con- 
spicuous peaks, but, with the above- 
named exceptions, the summits at the E. 
end do not seem to rise much above the 
general level. In the absence of a local 
name for the plateau, it may perhaps 
retain the collective name, Glacier de 
la Vanoise, given in the Piedmontese 
map. 

In going from Pralognan to the Col 
de la Vanoise, the path is so well 
marked, and the position of the Col so 
obvious, that in fine weather a guide is 
not required. The direction is at first 
E., and then ENE., following the 1. 
bank of the Gliere to a group of chalets, 
also called La Gliere, 1 £ hr. from Pra- 
lognan, below which the track passes to 
the rt. bank. The rare Dracocephalum 
Ruyschiana has been found in theVallon 
de la Gliere, ascending from Pralognan. 
Above the chalets the scenery becomes 
wilder and more imposing. A pinnacle 
of rock, called l'Ouille (patois for TAi- 
guille), is seen in the direction of the 
pass. The regular path, marked by 



ROUTE E. ENTRE-DEUX-EAUX. 129 



poles, keeps to its N. side, but it is also 
possible to pass it on the S. side. In 
about l£ hr. ascending from the chalets 
the Col (8,19U', W.M., 8,271', 'LeAlpi') 
is attained. From i he summit the Grande 
Casse comes well into view, and it was 
from thence that in 1860 Mr. Mathews 
effected the ascent, with Michel Croz of 
Chamouni and Etienne Favre of Pra- 
lognan. [A short climb over rocks led 
them to easy snow-slopes, with a glacier 
descending on the rt. hand. Mounting 
these slopes, which are here and there 
broken by rocks, and gradually become 
more rapid, they finally reached the 
base of a steep and lofty slope of hard 
frozen snow, inclined at an angle of 
45°. A laborious climb up this slope, 
requiring 800 steps to be cut with the 
axe, led them to a hollow which lies be- 
tween the two peaks of the Grande 
Casse. That to the rt. is capped by 
a dome of snow easily reached; the 
1. hand and highest summit is more 
difficult of access. It is formed by a 
ritlge or arete of snow, so extremely 
steep and sharp that the last few feet 
were deemed dangerously unsafe, and 
in order to obtain an observation with 
the barometer, Mr. Mathews found it 
necessary to descend to safer standing 
ground, 30 ft. below the summit. The 
ascent from the Col occupied 5 hrs., and 
die descent 4 hrs., exclusive of halts. 

After passing the Col de la Vanoise, 
the way to Entre-deux-Eaux lies for a 
long distance towards the SE., through 
a broad passage or trench which seems 
to have been cut through the steep and 
rugged peaks on either side. A suc- 
cession of four small lakes, the highest 
and largest of which is the Lac de 
VOuille, lies on this comparatively level 
tract, the passage of which in bad 
weather is much feared by the natives, 
on account of the furious blasts which 
traverse it when the wind sets from the 
NW. After about 1 hr. from the Col, 
the path, which is throughout marked by 
poles, reaches the verge of a steep rocky 
slope, overlooking the junction of the 
Leisse with the torrent descending from 
the Col, called, litce many other streams 

K 



in this district, Doron. The descent i? 
rapid and rather steep, lying along the 
rt. bank of the torrent, which falls over 
the rocks in cascades. After the junction 
of the latter with the Leisse, the united 
streams, sometimes called Leisse, and 
sometimes Doron d'Entre-deux-Eaux, 
are crossed to reach the chalets of Entre- 
deux-Eaux, where eggs, bread, and 
wine, and, in case of need, a bed, may 
be procured at a little inn or cabaret. 
The height of these chalets is stated by 
Joanne to be 7,090 ft. — on what autho- 
rity ? Here the little-used track from 
Tignes by the Col de la Leisse (Rte. D) 
joins the present route, and a short dis- 
tance S. from the chalets the mule-path 
passes the torrent issuing from the valley 
of Larossor, through which lies a still 
more unfrequented way to Laval (Rte. 
B). At this point a traveller, endea- 
vouring to make out his way without a 
guide, may feel some embarrassment, 
and if he should carry with him the 
six-sheet Piedmontese map, he will 
almost certainly be led astray. As the 
Leisse torrent pursues a nearly straight 
course to Termignon, where it falls into 
the Arc, the natural direction of the 
track would apparently be along either 
bank of the stream. Accordingly, on 
the Piedmontese map a track along the 
rt. bank, descending by zigzags to the 
valley above Termignon, is conspicu- 
ously laid down. In point of fact, the 
Leisse below Entre-deux-Eaux soon 
enters a narrow defile below high and 
steep walls of rock. The Editor has 
not been able to a -certain whether it is 
possible to pass along the rt. bank, but 
if there be a way, it is certainly very 
difficult and circuitous, and is never 
used by the natives. Parallel to the 
Leisse, but separated from it by a rocky 
ridge, is a trough like depression, less 
elevated than the Col de la Vanoise, 
but nearly as long, and it is over this 
pass that the track leading to the valley 
of the Arc has been carried. An ascent 
of about 20 min. leads from the bridge 
over the Larossor to the plateau called 
Plan du Loup, probably a corruption 
for Plan des Laux, as it contains several 

9 



130 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 1 



1. TAREXTAISE DISTRICT. 



small lakes or tarns. To the 1. on a 
rock is the oratory of St. Bartholome, 
beyond which the plateau continues, at 
first nearly level, and then descending 
slightly, till at its S. end a steep descent 
over the bare side of the mountain leads 
to the village of Chaviere, where com- 
mences a char-road leading to Termi- 
gnon. There is a foot-path which winds 
round the steep slope of the mountain 
SE. from Chaviere, and descends direct 
to Lanslebourg ; but, though shorter in 
distance, it is said to be no saving of 
time. 

The scenery during the descent from 
Chaviere to Termignon is so sin- 
gular and striking that travellers 
should arrange their plans in order 
to make this part of the route by 
daylight. Immediately below the vil- 
lage the gorge of Combarenel de- 
scends very steeply. Down this gorge 
the char-road is carried in long zigzags 
through a forest of fir and pine, dimly 
lighted even at mid-day amid the rocks 
which enclose it. A peculiarity of the 
rock in this neighbourhood is to form 
vertical columns or obelisks, which stand 
out abruptly from the slope of the 
mountain. Several of t these are seen 
near Chaviere, but the most remarkable 
— called Rocs du Felvaux — are close to 
the road in the descent through the pine 
forest. Throughout the descent the 
rocks which rise on either side of the 
gorge present bold and fantastic forms, 
and a fine background gradually opens 
as the road approaches the valley of the 
Leisse. After passing the hamlet of 
Villard, and descending a final stony 
slope, the track returns to the valley of the 
Leisse, or Doron d'Entre-deux-Eaux, 
when the impassable gorge through 
which that stream descends from Entre- 
deux-Eaux comes well into view. On 
the opposite side of the valley another 
torrent, called Grand Puy, issuing from 
a ravine no less inaccessible, the Combe 
d'Enfer, forms a remarkable series of 
cascades. hr.'s walk along the nearly 
level valley leads to Termignon (§ 7, 
Rte. A), I hr. below Lanslebourg. A 
pedestrian, by mounting a little to the L, 



may join the high-road some distance 
above the village, and so save 1 0 min. 



Route F. 

PRALOGNAN TO MODANE, BT THE COL 
DE CHAVIERE, OR THE COL b'aESSOIS. 

7 hrs. by the Col de Chaviere, 8i hrs. by 
the Col d'Aussois. 

The Doron, which has been men- 
tioned in several preceding routes as 
the chief affluent of the Isere, descends 
due N. from the Col de Chaviere, im- 
mediately above Modane, and, bending 
slightly to the E., receives the Gliere at 
Pralognan. The direct route from the 
latter village to Modane is by the Col 
de Chaviere, but the Col dAussois, 
leading to the village of the same 
name, serves as an alternative route, 
and is the shortest way to La Verney 
on the high-road of the Mont Cenis 
(§ 7, Rte. A). The distances have been 
somewhat underrated in Joanne's ' Iti- 
neraire,' and it would be a very long 
day's walk to make either pass from 
Moutiers, or even from Brides. A tra- 
veller bound to or from either of those 
places may save nearly a mile by avoid- 
ing Pralognan, and keeping to the path 
which mounts the valley of the Doron 
along the 1. bank. Opposite to the 
village of Pralognan a bridge leads to 
that path, which here commands a fine 
view of the Grande Casse (Rte. E), and 
mounts over Alpine pastures, passing 
in the way several groups of chalets. 
At the first of these, called Les Dies, 
a path mounting to the rt. traverses 
the ridge which separates the Doron 
from the Val de la Riviere, by which it 
would be possible to return to BozeL 
After crossing the Doron, and returning 
to the L bank, the path reaches the 
chalets of La Motte, which stand below 
a glacier descending from the Roche 
Chevriere. hr. farther, 3 hrs. from 
Pralognan, is the chalet of liitort, where 
the path leading to the Col d'Aussois 
turns to the L About § m. farther in the 
ascent to the Col de Chaviere a path 



ROUTE F. — COL d'aUSSOIS. 



131 



bending sharply to the rt. or- NW. leads 
to the Col de 'Corneilla. About 1^ m. 
farther is the solitary chalet of Chaviere. 
Here another track diverges to the rt., 
and after passing near the Lac Blanc 
leads to the Pas de Souffre. This, as 
well as the Col de Corneilla, connects 
the Col de Chaviere with Brides les 
Bains by the Combe des Allues. The 
summit of the Col de Chaviere, A.\ 
hrs. from Pralognan, and 9,144 ft. in 
height, according to Mr. Mathews, lies 
WNW. of the Pointe de Massa. From 
the Col, and from several points in the 
ascent, there is a very fine view of the 
chain of Mont Blanc. A more exten- 
sive view, perhaps one of the finest in 
this part of the Alps, is obtained from 
a rocky peak some distance W. of the 
Col, which was climbed in 1861 by Mr. 
Mathews. The summit, which was 
reached in 2£ hrs., after crossing an 
extensive glacier plateau, seems to 
remain unnamed and neglected, though 
11,467 ft. in height, and commanding 
an extremely fine view of the Dauphine 
Alps. Mr. Mathews describes it as 
* one of the teeth of a knotted system of 
serrated ridges, sending out a number 
of spurs to the northward, and over- 
topped by several of the serratures of 
the ridge next to us on the W.' The 
descent was effected directly from the 
summit to the chalets of Poleset in 2^ 
hrs. 

From the Col the path to Modane 
passes at first down some rocky slopes, 
and then, becoming gradually steeper, 
descends on the E. side of a nearly 
vertical cliff, seamed with waterfalls 
from a glacier overhead. The rocky 
gorge below leads, amid very fine scenery, 
to the chalets of Poleset (6,014'), l£ hr. 
below the Col descending, but 1\ hrs. 
are required for the ascent. These cha- 
lets are rather superior to the average, 
and afford tolerable night-quarters. The 
glen, or ravine, of Poleset is interesting 
to the geologist, as it lies along the line 
of junction between the carboniferous 
rocks to the W. and newer secondary 
strata to the E. From the chalets the 
path to Modane at first turns E. over 



I pastures, and then descends to the S- 
by a path which zigzags through a fine 
pine forest, reaching the town in 1 hr. 
Nearly 1 ^ hr. should be allowed for the 
ascent. 

As mentioned above, the path to the 
Col d'Aussois, written also Col de Ro- 
soire, and Col de Rosue, apparently 
corruptions of the former name, turns 
to the 1. from the path to the Col de 
Chaviere, at the Chalet of Ritort, 3 hrs. 
above Pralognan. After crossing the 
Doron, here reduced to a narrow stream, 
it ascends at first to the E., and then to 
the S., passing alternately over rocks, 
debris, and patches of snow. In 2 hrs. 
from the chalet, the traveller reaches the 
Col, 9,628 ft. in height, lying immediately 
W. of the Roche Chevriere, which, how- 
ever, is not accessible from this side. 
The Col d'Aussois may also be reached 
from the N. side of the Col de Chaviere 
by the Col des Echelles, traversing a 
ridge which extends to the N. from the 
Pointe de Nassa. The view is not exten- 
sive. A steep descent leads to the highest 
chalets on the S. side of the pass, called 
Plan du Fond. These lie S. of the peak 
of the Roche Chevriere (10,765'), which 
may be reached in 1\ hrs., ascending by 
almost continuous slopes of very steep 
debris. Farther E., between Plan du 
Fond and the gorge of the Leisse 
above Termignon, is the Bent Parassee 
(12,137'). [In 1864 Messrs. Blandford, 
Cuthbert, and Rowsell, reaching the 
summit in 7j? hrs. from the chalets of 
Fournache, found a stone-man at the 
top.] From Plan du Fond the descent 
to Aussois lies over terraces of green 
pasture, separated by steep steps of pine- 
covered rock. Le Verney is reached by 
the new road leading thence to the Fort 
of L'Esseillon. The traveller bound for 
Modan.e should bear to the rt., descend 
to the village of Avrieux, passing near 
a very fine waterfall, and may easily 
reach the town in 3^ hrs. from the Col, 
by a char-road on the N. side of the Arc. 

Both these passes are seen to the 
best advantage when taken from Mo- 
dane ; but as that place is about 1,400 
I ft. lower than Pralognan, nearly I hr. 



i32 SOUTH SAVCY ALPS. § 

additional should be allowed for each 
pass. 

Route G 

ST. MICHEL TO MOUTIERS TARENTAISE. 

For information as to the passes de- 
scribed in this and the two following 
rtes., the Editor is chiefly indebted to 
Joanne's 'Itineraire de la Savoie,'by far 
the most nearly complete guide to this 
part of the Alps, yet not free from 
errors in regard to the higher and less 
easily accessible parts of the chain. 

The direct way from St. Michel to 
Moutiers is by the Col des Encombres, 
a dreary and rather tedious pass. The 
torrent descending from the Col joins 
the Arc about 2 m. below St. Michel ; 
but a path mounts directly from the 
village, winds along the slope of the 
mountain, and after crossing several 
ravines, reaches the village of Baune, 
which commands a fine view up the two 
glens of Valloire and Valmeinier on the 
opposite side of the Arc. The Col des 
Encombres lies due N. of Baune, and 
may be reached in 3^ or 4 hrs. from St. 
Michel : its height is probably a little 
over 8,000 ft. Many impressions of fossil 
plants are found here, and have given 
rise to much discussion among geologists 
as to the age of the rocks in which they 
are found. W. of the Col is the Boc 
des Encombres (9,252'), surmounted by 
a stone mound, which was one of the 
signals used in the measurement of the 
parallel of latitude. The summit may 
be reached in 5 hrs. from St. Michel, by 
ascending directly the steep slope facing 
the village of Baune. The name Perron 
des Encombres has been sometimes ap- 
plied to the Col, and sometimes to the 
peak ; and this circumstance has given 
rise to the mistake of attributing to 
the former the height which belongs 
to the latter. The most direct way to 
Moutiers is to bear to the rt. from the 
Col, and keep for 2 hrs. along the ridge 
dividing the wild stony Yal des En- 
combres from the Vallee de Belleville. 
The way keeps near the crest, but on 
the W. side of the ridge, until you turn 
into the latter valley, and after passing 



11. TARENTAISE DISTRICT. 

a group of chalets, makes a very rapid 
descent to St. Martin de Belleville, which 
is reached in 3| hrs. from the Col. A 
good path through pleasing scenery leads 
thence in 2| hrs. to Moutiers; in all 
nearly 10 hrs. from St. Michel. 

Another way, longer, but more in- 
teresting, turns to the rt., about due E, 
from the Col des Encombres, and pass- 
ing between the peaks of Rochenere and 
Chateau Bourreau, descends into a cir- 
cular hollow, lyiDg at the N. side of the 
latter mountain. Following the torrent, 
a path leads in 2 hrs. from the Col to 
the chalets of Bruyeres, where another 
torrent from the SE. (see below) joins 
the first, and both united form the Nant 
de Belleville. Following the rt. bank 
of the stream, the Vallee de Belleville 
gradually opens, and gives signs of the 
presence of man and of cultivation. 
Several small hamlets are passed, and 
in 3 hrs. from Bruyeres the path reaches 
St. Marcel, the first village. The prin- 
cipal village of the entire valley — SL 
Martin de Belleville — is but ^ hr. below 
St. Marcel, standing on a terrace of 
the valley, in the midst of walnut and 
chestnut trees. A char-road now leads 
down the valley, keeping constantly to 
the rt. bank of the stream. Opposite 
the opening of the Val des Encombres, 
there is a fine view of the snowy summit 
of the Roc des Encombres. St. Laurent 
de la Cote, the next village, hr. below 
St. Martin, is opposite the junction of 
the Nant Brun (Rte. H) with the Nant 
de Belleville. The valley now opens 
out as it approaches its union with the 
Doron and the Isere. The road passes 
below the village of Villarlurin, crosses 
the Doron to Salins, and in 2| hrs. 
from St. Martin reaches Moutiers (Rte. 
A), about 12 hrs. from St. Michel by 
this route. 

A third way from St. Michel to 
Moutiers, rarely used and little known, 
mounts very steeply from Orelle, a 
village near the high-road, 3 m. E. of 
St. Michel (§ 7, Rte. A), to a snow-pass, 
called Col de la Montee du Fond, which 
leads at first over snow-fields, then past 
the Lac Noir to a torrent that flows 
NW. to the chalets of Bruyeres, at the 



ROUTE H. — COL 

head of the valley of Belleville. Oppo- 
site to, and due N. of the Col de la 
Montee du Fond, is the Col du Paclet, 
said to be a very difficult pass, leading 
to the upper end of the Combe des 
Alines, which joins the Doron at Brides 
les Bains. It would doubtless be a 
severe day's work to reach that place 
from St. Michel by these two passes, 
but the expedition would probably be 
very interesting, and deserves the at- 
tention of trained mountaineers, 



Route H. 

ST. JEAN DE MAURIENNE TO MOUTIERS 
TARENTAISE, BY THE COL DE LA 
PLATIERE. 

This is a very interesting pass, and 
when better known will probably be 
often visited by tourists. In the appa- 
rent difficulty of the ascent on the 
Maurienne side, it may almost be com- 
pared to the Gem mi, but it is longer 
and more laborious than that famous 
pass. From 9 to 9^- hrs., exclusive of 
halts, are required to reach Moutiers. 
' It is possible to ride as far as the 
summit of the Col. Charge for a mule 
from Hermillon to the Col, 3 fr. ; for a 
guide as far as St. Jean de Belleville, 
from 5 to 6 fr.' — [Joanne.] 

Crossing the Arc by the bridge, near 
the riy. station of St. Jean de Maurienne, 
a country road loads in 40 min. from 
the town to the poor village of Her- 
millon. From hence the way turns 
sharply to the rt., or rather S. of E.. 
and mounts gradually along the base of 
a range of limestone cliffs, and in 40 
min. more reaches the chapel of Notre 
Dame de Montandrey, a well-known 
sanctuary, annually resorted to by large 
numbers of pilgrims on the 8th Sep- 
tember. Immediately above the church 
is a rock which commands a remark- 
ably fine view of the high peaks between 
the valley of the Arc from that of the 
Romanche, with the intervening ranges 
of the valley of Aryan. After passing 
the mean village of Montandrey, the 



DE LA TLATIEKE. 133 

track turns to the N., and mounts along 
the upper verge of the same cliffs whose 
base it had previously encompassed. 
Hermillon lies at a great depth be- 
neath, and on the W. side of an im- 
passable ravine stand the chalets of 
Chatel. After mounting rapidly for 
^ hr. the path turns NE., in the direction 
of the Col, continuing to ascend for 
another £ hr., amidst fine old pine trees* 
On emerging from the forest, the path 
seems to have entered an impassable 
cul de sac. closed by inaccessible rocks; 
but a couloir or chimney, through which 
the track is carried by steep zigzags, 
affords an issue, and leads to a grass- 
grown terrace of the mountain, called 
Planey, from whence the last view is 
gained of the valley of the Arc, and 
the town of St. Jean de Maurienne. 
Above Planey extensive pastures, with 
several groups of chalets, stretch towards 
the Col, and after skirting the margin 
of a formidably deep ravine which opens 
on the west, the track reaches those of 
Plan Monsieur, 2 hrs. 40 min. from 
Hermillon. In fine weather it is now 
easy to find the way, as the depression 
over which lies the pass remains in 
view, and is marked by a square rock 
in the midst, called Bonnet du Pretre. 
To the rt. the Roc des Encombres is 
seen above the nearer ridge dividing 
this plateau from the Val cles Encom- 
bres. A cross on the ridge marks a 
passage, called Col de Valhaussiere, by 
which it is possible to descend into that 
wild valley (noticed in last Rte.). 1 hr. 
25 min. from Plan Monsieur suffices to 
reach the Col de la Platiere (about 
6,800'), about 4| hrs. from St. Jean de 
Maurienne. It is possible to pass at 
cither side of the Bonnet du Pretre, but 
the track keeps to the 1. The view is 
limited, except to the NE., where the 
range of Mont Blanc, towering over the 
intermediate ranges, produces a grand 
effect. 

The descent on the N. side of the 
Col leads into the valley of Nant Brun, 
or Nambrun, a wild and rather dreary 
glen, bare of trees, surrounded by slopes 
of debris, with here and there a patch 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 11. TARENTAISE DISTRICT. 



of snow. The most direct way down 
lies along a sort of promontory of shat- 
tered slate, which projects between two 
ravines. The point appears very steep, 
but the nature of the rock facilitates the 
descent. After 1 hr. the track reaches 
a point where the torrent of Nant Brun, 
formed by the union of the streams that 
drain the head of the valley, has cut a 
deep ravine through the rock. The 
track keeps to the 1. bank, and after 
passing the highest chalets, soon reaches 
some marshy meadows, the bed of an 
ancient lake. On reaching the next 
gorge, which formerly held back the 
waters of the lake, the path gradually 
recedes from the torrent, and thence- 
forward is carried along the W. slope 
of the valley, at a considerable height 
above the stream. In about 2 hrs. from 
the Col, it crosses a considerable affluent, 
descending from the range to the W., 
and 20 min. farther reaches the hamlet 
of Deux JYants, near the junction of 
another stream from the W. with the 
Nant Brun. The valley here becomes 
more animated and picturesque. A 
pine forest clothes the opposite slope of 
the mountain, and lower down are seen 
corn-fields, with houses and mills scat- 
tered amidst fine walnut trees. After 
passing several scattered hamlets, the 
path, in about 3 hrs. from the Col, 
reaches St. Jean de Belleville, a dirty 
village with a cabaret, picturesquely 
placed above the junction of the Nant 
Brun with the valley of Belleville. A 
bridge over the united streams leads to 
the road on the rt. bank, near to the 
village of St. Laurent de la Cote (Rte. 
G) ; but it is shorter to keep to the 
rough char-road, carried along the W. 
slope of the valley, and, after passing 
under the village of Fontaines, to cross 
the deep gorge where the Nant de 
Belleville joins the Doron, opposite to 
Salins ; thence reaching Moutiers in 
hr. from St. Jean de Belleville, or 
about 9£ hrs. from St. Jean de Mau- 
rienne. 



Ho DTE I. 

LA CHAMBRE TO MOUTIERS TAREN- 
TAISE OR ALBEE.TVILLE, BY THfl 
COL DE LA MADELEINE. 

This pass is traversed by a well- 
marked mule-path, much frequented 
by the country people, being the 
shortest way from the Maurienne to 
Tarentaise, but is rarely visited by 
foreigners. The valley of the Isere 
may be reached on foot or mule-back 
in 7 hrs. — thence it is 2 m. to Moutiers 
or 12 m. to Albertville. A guide is 
quite unnecessary in line weather. 

From the village of La Chambre 
(§7, Rte. A), the mule-path traverses 
the fields on the 1. bank of the Bugion, 
and after crossing a torrent that joins 
that stream from the W., mounts to the 
hamlet of St. Martin. It then passes 
to the rt. bank of the Bugion, and 
after skirting the base of some steep 
rocks, zigzags up a steep ascent to 
Montgellafrey, the highest village on 
this side of the pass, 1 hr. 40 min. 
from La Chambre. The track then 
mounts obliquely across the slopes 
to the NW., having the pass in view 
for a great part of the way; and in 4 
hrs. from La Chambre attains the Col 
de la Madeleine (6,637'). From the 
summit it is apparent that the valley of 
the Glandon, on the opposite side of 
the Arc, and the Vallon des Celliers, 
on the N. side of the Col, are the con- 
tinuation, in opposite directions, of the 
trough whose central portion is the 
valley of the Bugion. 

A stony path leads down from the 
Col to the head of the Vallon des Cel- 
liers. Here the track divides. If the 
traveller be bound for Moutiers he 
should cross the torrent, and for some 
distance follow the rt. bank; then, 
turning to the rt. and crossing a low 
ridge, he will descend by the hamlets 
of Doucy and St. Oyen to the village 
of Bellecombe (3 hrs. from the Col), 
close to the junction of the Moret tor- 
rent with the Isere. Thence after 
crossing, first the Moret and then the 



ROUTE A. — VALLEY OF THE ARLY. 



135 



here, he will fall into the high-road 
to Moutiers (Rte. A) at the village of 
Aigueblanche. [The Moret torrent 
drains the Combe des Avanchers which 
opens to the S. from Bellecombe. 
From the village of Avanchers paths 
lead to Villardy and to Fontaine, in 
the valley of Belleville (Rte. H).] 

Should the traveller's destination 
be Cevins or Albertville, he must keep 
to the 1. bank of the stream throughout 
the Vallon des Celliers. After passing 
the village of Celliers, and the hamlets 
of Thuile and Villard Benoit, he will 
in 2| hrs. reach Bonneval, near the cha- 
pel of Notre Dame de Briancon, at the 
E. end of the defile of Briancon, about 
3 m. from La Roche Cevins (Rte. A). 



SECTION 12. 

ALBERTVILLE DISTRICT VALLEY 

OF THE ARLY. 

It has been seen in § 10 that Cham- 
bery stands in a valley between two 
systems of parallel ridges of lime- 
stone, both connected with the ranges 
that enclose the Grande Chartreuse. 
The western system is directed first 
to the N. and then N W., forming the 
Jura range. The eastern system 
forms near to Chambery the range of 
the Beauges, and a glance at the geo- 
logical maps accompanying this volume 
will show that this is the SW. extre- 
mity of a zone of secondary rocks tra- 
versing Savoy and Switzerland from 
WSW. to NNE., and associated with 
eocene deposits which lie along its 
geometrical axis, between an outer 
fringe of cretaceous and jurassic rocks. 
The geological disposition of the strata 
here corresponds in a general way with 
the orographic relations. The prevail- 
ing tendency of the ridges and the 
main valleys is parallel to the general 
strike of the strata, but the whole mass 
is at intervals cut through, nearly at 
right angles, by deep valleys, often 
narrowed to mere defiles. Of this 
character is the defile of Magland, 



between Cluses and Sallanches in the 
valley of the Arve, which forms a 
natural division between the limestone 
mountains of Chablais and Faucigny 
and those which extend from the Arve 
to the Lake of Annecy. These are sepa- 
rated by the valley of the Arly from a 
group of higher mountains, chiefly com- 
posed of crystalline and metamorphic 
rocks, which form a link in the chain 
connecting Mont Blanc with the Belle- 
donne and the "Taillefer on the oppo- 
site sides of the valley of the Ro- 
manche. This group might have been 
considered as a SW. prolongation ot 
the range of Mont Blanc ; but if, fol- 
lowing the example of most geo- 
graphers, we consider the latter to be 
limited by the Val de Montjoie and 
the Col du Bonhomme, it appears most 
convenient to unite it in the present 
section with the adjoining limestone 
ranges W. of the Arly, and to name 
the district from Albertville, the only 
place of any importance with which it 
is connected. 

Though little known to English 
tourists, this district abounds in agree- 
able scenery, and is full of interest to 
the naturalist and the geologist. The 
most central point in the limestone 
mountain district is Thones, whence 
the ascent of the Tournette, the Mont 
Charvin, and other agreeable excur- 
sions, may be made. The country sur- 
rounding St. Maxime de Beaufort 
is not less interesting, and presents a 
striking contrast in the character of its 
scenery, owing to the different nature 
of the rocks which there prevail. 



Route A. 

ALBERTVILLE TO SALLANCHES — MONT 
JOLI. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

Ugine . 1^ 5 

Flumet . . 3| 10$ 

Wegeve . 2 6 

Sallanches . 2 6 

9 i?J 
There is a good road from Albertville 
(§ 11, Rte. A) to Ugine ; between that 



136 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 12. ALBERTVTLI. £ DISTRICT. 



place and Sallanches a char-mad has 
been in progress for some years ; it was 
for some years open only between Flu- 
met and Sallanches. leaving the space 
between Ugine and Flumet to be tra- 
versed on foot or mule-back, but this 
is now open for traffic. The Annecy 
diligence may be used as far as Ugine. 

The road keeps to the rt. bank ot the 
Arli/, passing opposite to the opening of 
the valley of Beaufort (Rte. E), amidst 
very pleasing scenery, enlivened by 
numerous villages that lie on the E. 
slopes of the Mont VEtoile. About 
44 m. from Albertville the road to Fa- 
verges and Annecy turns off to the L 
before mounting the hill. whereon stands 

Ugine (Inn : Couronne, chez De- 
voust), a large straggling town (1,755'), 
overlooked by the remains of a very an- 
cient castle perched upon a steep rock. 
Due N. of Ugine is the Mont Charvin 
(7.920'), the highest summit of the 
ranges lying W. of the Arly and the 
Isere. It was one of the stations used 
in the triangulation of France, and 
must command an admirable pano- 
rama, but it does not appear to have 
attracted the attention of Alpine tra- 
vellers. Above Ugine the mule-path 
mounts rather steeply the E. slope of 
one of the buttresses of the Mont Charvin 
at a great height above the Arly, and 
in 2 hrs. (ascending) reaches the village 
of Hery (Inn : L'Entree des Voyageurs), 
3,045 ft. in height, beautifully situated 
amidst bold rocks and pine forest. 
Above Hery the ascent is less steep ; a 
little col is soon passed ; the path 
descends to cross the Flons, a torrent 
from the Charvin, and then keeps nearly 
at a level, passing above the village of 
St Nicholas de la Chapelle, till, after 
traversing the considerable stream of 
Norandine, along which is a path to 
St. Jean de Sixt (Rte. C), in 2 hrs. from 
Eery it reaches 

Flumet (3,0 IS'), a little town with an 
inn (Soleil d'Or), and the ruined castle 
of the barons of Faucigny. Several 
paths lead to the valleys of Beaufort 
and Hauteluce (Rte. E). From hence 
the char- road is open to Sallanches. 



! For about 6 m. it follows the rt. bank 
j of the Arly to Megeve (3,700'), with a 
good country inn (Croix d'Or), con- 
venient for those who make the ascent 
of the Mont Joli. This excursion may 
be made from Sallanches, St. Gervais, 
or Contamines ; but it is a better ar- 
rangement to ascend from Megeve and 
descend to St. Gervais, thus saving 
labour, reaching the summit at an earlier 
hour, and securing the most advan- 
tageous points of view. Megeve being 
1,634 ft. above St. Gervais, and more 
than 1,800 ft, above Sallanches, fully 
an hour is saved in the ascent, which 
may be made in 3^ hrs., and the way is 
so easy that a mule may be taken nearly 
to the top. The Mont Joli (8, 760') 
stands in a similar relation to the TV. end 
of Mont Blanc that the Brevent and the 
Cramont hold respectively to the N. and 
S. faces of the great mountain, being 
separated from it merely by the valley 
of Montjoie- Besides the grand view 
of Mont Blanc, the range of the Buet 
and the mountains of Sixt (§ 17) are 
well seen from here, and one of the 
peaks of theBernese Alps C Wildstrubel ?) 
appears over the Col de Balme. In the 
opposite direction the eye ranges along 
the valley of the Isere to the heights 
above Grenoble. 

The road from Megeve to Sallan- 
ches soon crosses the low watershed 
which separates the Arly from a stream 
falling to the N., to join the Arve near 
Sallanches. During the descent the 
chain of Mont Blanc comes gradually 
into sight, and at Combloux, 1 hr. from 
Megeve, the view almost rivals that 
from the Mont Joli. Another hr. suf- 
fices to descend to Sallanches (§ 16), 
amid grand views of the neighbouring 
Alps. The village of St. Gervais is 
reached in 2h hrs. from Megeve by a 
pretty foot-path which winds along the 
mountain side, and crosses the torrent 
above the Baths by the Pont du Diable. 

Route B. 

ALBERTVILLE TO ANKECY. 

A diligence runs daily between Al- 



ROUTE B. — ASCENT 



OF THE TOURNETTE. 



137 



bertville and Annecy, a distance of 
about 28 m., passing close to Ugine 
(Rte. A), and thence to Faverges, 12^ 
in. from the former town ; but a pe- 
destrian may take a much more in- 
teresting way, which will lead him in 
4 hrs.' steady walking to Faverges. The 
path turns off from the high-road to 
Chambery (§11, Rte. A), near the village 
of Tournon, about 3 m. from Albert- 
ville, and mounts directly by steep rocks 
to the Col de Tamie (4,354'), command- 
ing a fine view of the valley of the 
Isere. This low pass separates the 
mountains at the head of the Combe de 
Bellavaux (§ 10) from the Mont VEtoile, 
which may be considered as the con- 
necting link between the Beauges and 
the range of the Mont Charvin, being 
separated from the latter by the valley 
of the Chaise, through which the post 
road runs from Ugine to Faverges. At 
a short distance below the Col on the 
N. side are the ruins of the Abbey of 
Tamie, founded in 1132. Thedescentto 
Faverges lies through very picturesque 
scenery. 

The post-road from Albertville to An- 
necy, as mentioned in last Rte., turns off 
to the 1. at the foot of the rising ground 
on which stands the town of Ugine, and 
ascends along the 1. bank of the Chaise 
to Marlens. At that village the valley 
bends from NW. to SW., and the road 
keeps to the L bank until it crosses the 
stream, in order to traverse the very low 
pass which separates the Chaise from 
the waters of the Eau Morte flowing to 
the Lake of Annecy. 

Faverges (Inn : La Poste, good) is a 
rather large country town, with iron 
works and mills for spinning silk. The 
summit of Mont Blanc is seen from 
the town, and the surrounding hills 
all command fine views; but the ex- 
cursion especially recommended to 
the mountaineer is the ascent of the 
Tournette (7,756'), a long ridge of 
limestone, whose S. end rises from 
the little plain of Faverges, and 
whose steep western slopes face the 
Lake of Annecy. The ascent may be 
made from Faverges or from Thones 



(Rte. C), or by a steeper and mora 
laborious path from Talloires, on the 
Lake of Annecy. The best plan is to 
mount from either of the first-named 
places and descend to Talloires ; in 
each case the ascent requires at least 
6 hrs., and the descent about 4 hrs.; so 
that, allowing for halts, it is a tolerably 
long day's work. It is not prudent to 
start without a guide, as the time lost 
in seeking the way may compromise the 
result of the excursion. The crest of 
the mountain (about 7,500^ is a ridge 
which spreads out into a platform, sur- 
mounted by a.sort of tower of rock, with 
walls not merely vertical, but in some 
places actually overhanging their base. 
The summit of this rock, called the 
Fauteuil, is reached by a fissure or 
chimney, which should not be attempted 
by persons liable to giddiness. The view 
combines the Lake of Annecy and a por- 
tion of the Lake of Geneva, with a grand 
Alpine panorama. It is probable, how- 
ever, that the nearer view of the Savoy 
Alps and Mont Blanc from the Mont 
Charvin is in some respects superior. 

From Faverges to Annecy the tra- 
veller has the choice between two 
roads, or he may avail himself of the 
steamer which plies between Annecy 
and Duingt, Talloires, Menthon, &c. 
The diligence travels by the W. shore 
of the lake, which is reached by fol- 
lowing the Eau Morte, and leaving on 
the rt. hand the marshy plain at the 
head of the lake formed from the de- 
tritus of that stream. Passing close to 
Doussard, whence a path leads to 
the Col de Cherel (§ 10), the road 
reaches the lake about 5 m. from Fa- 
verges. 3 m. farther is the castle and 
village of Duingt, where citizens of 
Chambery and Annecy in search of 
cool air and fine scenery find lodgings 
in the summer. The castle stands on 
a promontory, which narrows the lake 
to half its width. [For the foot-path 
by Entrevernes, and the road from 
St. Jorio, 2^ m. beyond Duingt, both 
leading to Chatelard, see § 10.] The 
distance by the post-road is about 8 m., 
passing St. Jorio and Sevrier, to 



138 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 12. ALBERTVILLE DISTRICT. 



Annecy (Inns: H. de l'Angleterre, 
near the diligence-office; H. de Geneve, 
near the lake; both good; H. de l'Eu- 
rope), an important town, capital of the 
Department of Haute Savoie, and pos- 
sessing many thriving factories partly- 
worked by the water of the lake, which 
is conveyed through the town to the 
river Fier in artificial channels of great 
annuity. The cathedral, the church of 
St. Dominic, and that of the Convent of 
the Visitation, containing the remains 
of St. Francois de Sales, are worth a 
visit. The lake is about 1,450 ft. 
above the sea, 9 m. long, and from 1 to 
2 in breadth. On rising ground N. of 
the town is Annecy le Vieux, whose 
Roman origin is attested by many 
medals, urns, and fragments of statuary. 
Many agreeable walks and drives are 
to be found in the neighbourhood. 

Annecy is now connected by railway 
with Aix les Bains (3 trains daily in 
from 2| to 3 hrs.), and that is the 
shortest way to Chambery or to 
Geneva. Many prefer the road to the 
latter city by Cruseilles, passing the 
remarkable wire suspension bridge of 
La Caille, 212 yds. in length, and 650 
ft above the torrent of Les Usses. 
Diligences run daily to Bonneville (see 
next Rte.). 

The road from Faverges to Annecy 
by the E. shore of the lake is more hilly, 
and perhaps more interesting, than that 
by Duingt. Opposite to the village of 
Doussard a bridge crosses to the rt. 
bank of the Eau Morte, near Verthier, 
and, skirting the S. end of the lake, in 
5 m. from the bridge reaches Talloires, 
beautifully situated opposite the castle 
of Duingt, with a new hotel near the 
landing-place of the steamer; guides 
are found there for the ascent of the 
Tournette. There is a path from 
hence to Thones by the Col de Nantes, 
and the summit of the Tournette (see 
above) may be reached by St. Ger- 
main, the chalet of L6, and that of 
Cassay (5,873'). Less than 2 m. be- 
yond Talloires is Menthon, with re- 
mains of Roman baths, and of piles of 
Roman masonry projecting into the 



lake, supposed to have been the com- 
mencement of a bridge designed to 
unite the opposite shores (?). The 
castle, still in partial preservation, con- 
tains a room which is pointed out as 
the birth-place of St. Bernard of Men- 
thon, the founder of the Hospice of 
the Great St. Bernard. 



Route C. 

ANNECY TO BONNEVILLE. 

The post-road from Annecy to Bon- 
neville runs at first nearly due N. along 
the rt. bank of the Filliere, an affluent 
of the Fier, and leaving on the rt. hand 
the picturesque valley of Thorens, 
through which the Filliere descends 
from the E., follows a stream from the 
NE., leading to a low col (2,605'), 
which it passes, to the village of La 
Roche, overlooking the valley of the 
Arve. A road descending to the N. 
leads to Geneva, and another due E. 
reaches Bonneville (§ 16, Rte. A) in 21| 
m. from Annecy. 

Another longer but more interesting 
road, passable for chars, after a slight de- 
tour by Annecy le Vieux to avoid the in- 
tervening range of hills, mounts through 
the valley of the Fier in a direction 
somewhat S. of E. to the bridge of St. 
Clair (5 m. from Annecy), leading to the 
curious remains of a Roman road, partly 
excavated through the limestone rock. 
Here the Vallon de Dingy opens to the 
N., and leads directly to the summit of 
the Parmelan (6,007'), a rugged lime- 
stone ridge, commanding a fine view. 
In this mountain are three of the 
singular ice-caves, or Glacieres, to 
which attention has recently been called 
in Mr. Browne's interesting work, 
' The Ice Caves of France and Switzer- 
land.' They are called Glaciere de 
Grand Anu, Gl. de l'Enfer, and Gl. de 
Chapel sur Villaz. « Of these the Gl. 
de Grand Anu is the most remarkable. 
The way from Annecy is by road (1 
hr. in a char) to Charvonnaz, thence 1 
hr. on foot to Aviernoz, where resides 
M. Me trail, the proprietor, from whom 



ROUTE D. VALLEY OF THE BORNE. 



139 



a guide (needful) may be obtained. 
The Grand Ami, which may thence be 
reached in 2£ hrs., is a cavern entered 
by a natural" rock portal 60 ft. high. 
The floor and walls of the glaciere are 
covered with ice, and in the former is 
a deep natural pit or well at least 70 
ft. deep.' [T. G. B.] From St. Clair 
a road runs along either bank of the 
Fier, in 6j m., to 

TJiones'a. large village, with an inn, in 
a picturesque situation at the meeting of 
several mountain glens. One of these 
lfads SSW. by the Col de Nantes 
W. of the Tournette, to Talloires (Rte. 
B). A second glen leads, about due 
S., by Les Clefs and a low pass be- 
tween the range of the Tournette and 
that of the Mont Charvin to Ser- 
raval, the best starting-point for the 
ascent of the latter mountain. From 
thence one path leads direct to Faverges, 
and another, crossing a spur of the 
Charvin, descends to Marlens (Rte. B). 
Either place may be reached in 5 hrs. 
from Thones. A third glen, La Combe 
de Manigod, descending from the E. to 
Les Clefs, above Thones, bears down 
the head waters of the Fier, which rises 
on the N. side of the Mont Charvin. 
The fourth of the glens which meet at 
Thones is that of the Nom torrent, 
through which lies the way to Bonne- 
ville. At La Cour, about l£ m. above 
Thones, the road crosses from the 1. to 
the rt. bank, and continues in a direct 
course to the NE., till in about 5| m. 
(or 17 m. from Annecy) it gains the 
summit of a low pass, Col de St. Jean 
de Sixt, which separates the Nom from 
the valley of the Borne. [In mounting 
to the Col the road passes about ^ m. to 
the W. of the village of St. Jean de Sixf, 
whence a path leads SE. by La Clnsaz 
to the Col des Aravis (4,928'), and de- 
scends by La Giettaz to Flumet (Rte. A). 

In less than a mile from the Col de 
St. Jean de Sixt, the road reaches the 
Borne (for the way to Sallanches and 
Cluses, see next Rte.), crosses a bridge 
to the rt. bank, and descends through a 
defile where there is a fine waterfall to 
Entremont Qnn: Epee Couronnee), 3 



m. from the Col. [Entremont may be 
reached from Thuy, in the valley of the 
Fier, l£m. below Thones, by a path 
parallel to the course of the Nom, cross- 
ing the Col de la Buffa. This way is 
rather shorter, but much rougher and 
steeper than the char-road.] 

4 m. below Entremont is Cret, the 
chief village of the valley of the Borne, 
The road keeps along the rt. bank, pass- 
ing several hamlets, and rises to a great 
height above the torrent, till about 4 m. 
from Cret it gains a point overlooking 
the junction of Borne with the Arve, 
and commanding a fine view of the 
broad valley, in the midst of which lies 
Bonneville, about 6 m. from Cret, or 30 
m. from AnDecy by this rte. 



Route D. 

ANNECY TO SALLANCHES OR CLUSES. 

From 12 to 13 hrs.' walk to either place. 

To reach Sallanches or Cluses from 
Annecy involves rather more than a 
fair day's walk; but by starting very 
early in a char, which may be taken as 
far as Thones, and breakfasting there at 
the village inn. the expedition is brought 
within moderate limits. The least labo- 
rious way from Thones to Sallanches, 
though it involves a considerable circuit, 
is to pass by the village of St. Jean de 
Sixt and the Col des Aravis (noticed in 
last Rte.) to Flumet, and there hire a 
char to Sallanches (see Rte. A). The 
direct way is to cross the Col de St. 
Jean de Sixt, 5% hrs. from Annecy, 
and on descending to the bridge over 
the Borne, mentioned in last Rte., to 
turn to the rt., ascending the course 
of that stream, here flowing from the 
NE., to Villeneuve (Inn: A la Vic-, 
toire), | hr. from the Col, the chief hamlet 
of the commune of Gra?id Bornand, 
4,227 ft. above the sea. Here the char- 
road ends, and the valley of the Borne 
divides ; the eastern branch passes to 
the S. of the Mont Fleury, and a path 
leads to Sallanches over the Col des 
Fours. [Further information is desired. | 



140 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 12. ALBERTVILLE DISTRICT. 



The way to Cluses lies through the 
glen which descends from the N. to 
join the Borne at Villeneuve. Two tor- 
rents meet at the head of the glen above 
the hamlet of Chinaillon, and each of 
them leads to a pass. The most direct 
way is by the 1. hand path, mounting at 
first to NE., and then nearly due E., to 
the pass called Haut du Col, lying im- 
mediately under the pyramidal summit 
of the Jallouvre. A steep descent 
through woods and meadows leads to 
Prolong (3,199'), 4 hrs. from Ville- 
neuve, whence Cluses is reached in 
2^- hrs. by a path along the 1. bank of 
the torrent which joins the high-road 
from Geneva atScionzier (§ 16,Rte. A). 

The path following the rt. hand tor- 
rent above Chinaillon is less steep and 
more interesting, but ^ hr. longer than 
that by the Haut du Col. It mounts 
due E. to a col on the N. side of the 
Mont Fleury, and then descends to 
Sander at the head of the Vallee du 
Eeposoir. [From Somier a path mounts 
to the E., crosses the ridge of the Mont 
Meiry by a pass nearly 6,000 ft. in 
height, and descends to Sallanches.] 
About 2 m. below Somier is the Char- 
treuse du Reposoir (3,405'), founded in 
1151. The huilding is interesting in 
itself, and rendered doubly so by the fine 
scenery which surrounds it. The valley 
is enclosed between the range of the 
Mont Vergy to the W. and the Mont 
Meiry to the E. The highest point of 
the latter ridge is the Pointe Percee, a 
shattered wall of limestone rock, utterly 
inaccessible, and pierced through by an 
opening, which may be seen from the 
Chartreuse. The valley and the moun- 
tains around it are peculiarly rich in 
rare plants, including most of the species 
peculiar to the calcareous rocks of 
this part of the Alpine chain. About 1 
m. below the Chartreuse the path reaches 
Pralong. and joins that above described 
by the Haut du Col. 



Route E. 

ALBERTVILLE TO ST. GERVAIS, BY THE 
VALLEY OF BEAUFORT. 
14| hrs. by Haute Luce. 
A short distance N. of Albertville the 
Arly receives from the E. a powerful 
torrent, which, to distinguish it from 
other streams of the same name, is called 
the Dor on de Beaufort. This drains 
the entire mountain district of Beau- 
fort, lying between Albertville and tl^e 
chain of Mont Blanc. This district 
contains some fine scenery, and many 
rare plants. It may very conveniently 
be visited in the way to Mont Blanc, as 
a traveller leaving Paris by the night 
train may easily reach St. Maxime de 
Beaufort on the following evening in 7 
or 1\ hrs. from the rly. station at Cha- 
mousset. (See § 11, Rte. A.) 

After crossing the bridge over the 
Arly at Albertville, a char-road leads 
to Venthon, near the junction of the 
Doron with the Arly. For about 3 m. 
the track leading up the valley keeps to 
the 1. bank, till opposite the village of 
Queiae, which stands on the N. side of 
the stream. Here the valley of Beaufort 
opens out to the E., between the Mont 
Mirantin to theS., and the Bisanne to 
the N. After passing Villards (2.375'), 
and the ancient castle of Beaufort, 
standing on a conical hill which over- 
looks the entire valley, in 4£ hrs. from 
Albertville the traveller reaches St 
Maxime de Beaufort, a large village 
with a very fair inn, chez Henri Martin, 
finely situated at the meeting of three 
valleys. From the NE. the Dorinet 
torrent, flowing through the valley of 
Haute Luce, joins the Doron a short 
distance below the village, while ex- 
actly opposite the valley of Pontcella- 
mot opens to the S. To the E. is the 
main valley, which above St. Maxime is 
called the valley of the Gitta. The way 
to St. Gervais is by the first of these 
valleys. A steep ascent, by a track wmich 
turns round the angle of the mountain, 
leads to the hamlet of Les Traverses, 
and after crossing to the rt. bank of the 



ROUTE F. — VALLEY OF BEAUFORT. 



141 



Dorinet, in 1| hr. the traveller reaches 
Haute Luce, whence a track leads 
across the mountain to the NW. to Notre 
Dame de Bellecombe and Flumet (Rte. 
A). Keeping to the rt. bank, in ^ hr. 
beyond Haute Luce the path passes 
Annuit (whence Megeve [Rte. A] may 
be reached by the Col de Very), and 
after a long ascent attains the chalets 
of Pianey, 2^ hrs. (?) from Haute Luce. 
Here a track turning S. leads to the Lac 
de la Girottaz, lying in a hollow on the 
N. side of the Rocher des Enclaves. The 
upper end of the valley, and especially 
the neighbourhood of the lake, are rich 
in rare plants. Among others may be 
mentioned Gentiana Burstri, G. pur- 
purea, G. punctata, and G. angustifulia, 
Epipogium Gmelini, Listera cordata, and 
Corallorhiza innata. Another track 
bears to the E., and after passing the 
chalets of Colombe, crosses a pass called 
Enclave de la Fenetre, leading to the Val 
de Montjoie, above Nant Borrant (§ 16). 
The way to St. Gervais keeps to NE., 
and in l| hr. from Pianey attains the 
Col Joli, whence Contaniines may be 
reached in 2^ hrs — 7f hrs. from St. Max- 
ime. 2jhrs. more conduct the traveller 
to the Baths of St. Gervais (§ 16). 



Route F. 

ALBERT VILLE TO BOURG ST. MAURICE, 
BY BEAUFORT. 

From St. Maxime de Beaufort, 4% 
hrs. from Albertville (Rte. E), the path 
through the upper valley of the Doron, 
or Vallee de la Gitta, at first enters a 
narrow gorge between steep rocks, 
keeping throughout to the 1. bank of the 
stream, and in 1\ hrs., or less, reaches 
the opening of the Val de Treicol, a glen 
which mounts towards the S. on the 
W. side of the Aiguille du Grand Fond. 
Here there is a choice between two 
! paths, both of them rather laborious, 
i and not easily found without a guide. 

1. By the Col de la Saulce. The path 
| crosses a stone bridge, and follows the 

I 



main valley due E., to the hamlet of 
Gitta (5,512'), 4 hrs. from St. Maxime, 
lying at the S. base of the Pointe du 
Four. The scenery of the upper end of 
the valley is extremely fine, and many 
scarce plants will reward the botanist- 
Near the highest chalets Phaca frigida 
has been found, with Potentilla minima, 
Gentiana brachyphylla, and other rarities. 
An ascent of \\ hr. leads from Gitta to 
the Col de la Saulce, 5% hrs. from St. 
Maxime, lying between the Tete du 
Bonhomme on the rt. and the Rousselette 
on the 1. The traveller has now reached 
the point of junction between the head 
of the valley of Beaufort and that of 
Montjoie; and though 1 hr. distant, not 
much below the level of the Col du 
Bonhomme, by which both of them 
communicate with the gorge of Bellaval. 

[Bearing to the 1., the traveller may 
soon join the mule-path from the Col 
du Bonhomme to St. Gervais, and 
reach that place in 6^ hrs.] To reach 
Bourg St. Maurice from the Col de 
la Saulce. it is necessary to follow the 
track to the Col du Bonhomme, and 
descend in If hr. to Chapiu (§ 16, Rte. 
B). The great majority of travellers 
who pass Chapiu remount to the NE., 
through the glen leading by Motet and 
the Col de la Seigne to Courmayeur. 
Comparatively few descend through the 
wild and somewhat dreary Val tie Bel- 
laval to the valley of the Isere. After 
crossing a torrent from the Aiguille du 
Grand Fond, the latter way follows the 
rt. bank of the torrent until, nearly 1 hr. 
below Chapiu, it crosses to the chalets 
of Gray Betel on the opposite bank. 
About 2\ hrs. are required to reach 
Bonneval, at the junction of the Ver- 
soie from the NE. with the Val de 
Bellaval. A brighter vegetation offers 
an agreeable change from the stern 
barrenness through which the track 
has lain for several hours. The path 
returns to the rt. bank of the stream, 
now called Versoie, and, keeping at a 
considerable height above it, descends 
to the road leading from Scez to Bourg 
St. Maurice, at a short distance from 
that town (§ 1 1, Rte. A), which is rather 



142 



SOUTH SAVOY ALPS. § 12. ALBERTVILLE DISTRICT. 



less than 1 hr. from Bonneval, and 
nearly 1 1 hrs. from St. Maximo de 
Beaufort by this route. 

2. By the Col de FAllee. This pass, 
locally known as Col Bussons, lies at 
the NE. side of the Aiguille du Grand 
Fond. Near the junction of the Vol de 
Treicol (see above), the path crosses a 
wooden bridge to the rt. bank of the 
stream, and on reaching a chalet |- hr. 
farther up, begins to ascend, first bear- 
ing somewhat to the rt, then abruptly 
to the 1., till the summit is attained on 
the 1. side of the Aig. du Grand Fond, a 
remarkable square tower of rock. The 
descent is by the 1. bank of a torrent 
till chalets, and then a pine wood, are 
reached. Here the 1. hand path is taken, 
and at subsequent forks the 1. hand is 
preferred, even where it ascends. The 
village of Chapelle is passed on the rt. 
hand and helow the path which descends 
to the high road very near to Bourg. 
Time about 10 hrs. from St. Maxime. 

There is a pass from the head of the 
Val de Treicol which joins the path of 
the Col de Cormet (see next Rte.) on 
the S. side of the latter pass. Instead 
of descending to Aime, it is possible to 
follow a path to the 1., leading to Bel- 
lentre (§ 11, Rte. A), and that is pro- 
bably the shortest way to Bourg St. 
Maurice. 



Route G. 

ST. MAXIME DE BEAUFORT TO MOU- 
TIERS TARENTAISE. 

Moutiers being placed at the ex- 
tremity of a ridge which projects to the 
S. from the main mass of the mountains 
of Beaufort, it is reached by passes 
which join the valley of the Isere some 
miles to the NW. or NE. of the town. 



The way from St. Maxime lies due S, 
through the valley of Povtcellamot, by a 
mule-path which mounts rather rapidly 
along the rt bank of the stream. Oppo- 
site the hamlet of Areche, where there 
is a cabaret, a branch of the valley 
mounts SW. to the Col de la Bathie, 
from whence La Bathie or La Roche 
Cevins, on the high-road from Albert- 
ville to Moutiers, may be reached in 
about 5| hrs. from St. Maxime. 

The lover of Alpine scenery will prefer 
to follow the main branch of the Vallee 
de Pontcellamot, along the path which 
keeps to the rt bank, and after passing 
through a considerable pine forest, 
; reaches the chapel of Guerin, 3| hrs. 
j from St. Maxime. Here the mule-path 
i divides, and the traveller has the choice 
between two routes, of which the most 
interesting, especially to the botanist, 
is that to the rt, mounting by the 
chalets of Grande Combe to the Col de 
la Louze. The track descends to a 
chalet, called La Grande Maison, and 
after following the torrent for some 
distance, crosses the ridge which sepa- 
rates this from another parallel stream 
to the E., passes the village of Naves, 
and reaches the valley of the Isere at 
Petit Cceur, about 5 m. NW. of Moutiers. 
By the torrent descending from the Col, 
the botanist may find Eryngium alpinum, 
Bhaponticum scariosum, and Sonchus 
Plumieri and on the Col Luzula pedi- 
f or mis. 

The 1. hand path leads in 2 hrs. 
from Guerin to the Col du CormetAjing 
on the N. side of a summit called Cret 
du Be. After descending to some 
chalets, the path follows the torrent, 
and then passes through a pine forest 
before reaching Granier, a village 2 hrs. 
from the Col, overlooking the valley of 
the Isere. The descent to Aime is made 
in \ hr., and 3 hrs. more along the high- 
road suffice to reach Moutiers (§ 11, 
Rte. A), which by this route is lOf hrs. 
from St. Maxime, and about \ hr. less 
by the Col de la Louze 



143 



CHAPTER V. 
GEAIAN ALPS. 



Section 13. 



LEVANNA DISTRICT. 

Route A— Turin to Lanslebourg, by I/inzo 

and Groscavallo . . .145 
Route B — Bonneval to Ceresole — Ascent 

of the Levanna . . . 148 
Route C— Ceresole to Lanzo and Turin, 

by the Col del la Crocetta . 150 
Route D — Lanzo to Lanslebourg, by Ala 

and the Col du Collarin . . 150 
Route E— Lanzo to Lanslebourg, by Via . 152 
Route F— Passes leading to and from the 

Val di Via . . . . 154 



Section 14. 
paeadis district. 

Route A— Turin to Aosta, by the Val 
Soana and Val de Cogne— 
Ascent of the Grivola . . 155 

Route B— Aosta to Cogne, by the Becca 

di Nona and Col d'Arbole . 160 



Route C— Aosta to Cogne, by the Morit 
Emilius and the Val de 
Granson .... 163 
Route D— Cogne to Bard, by the Fenetre 

de Cogne . . . .164 
Route E— Ponte to Tignes, by the Col de 



Galeae 165 

Route F— Ceresole to Villeneuve, in Val 

d' Aosta— Ascent of the 

Grand Paradis . . .166 
Route G — Cogne to Ceresole — Col de 

Grancrou— Col de Monei . 169 



Section 15. 
ruitor district. 

Route A — Bonrg St.- Maurice to Aosta— 

Pass of the Little St. Bernard 171 

Route B— La Thuile to Sainte Foi— As- 
cent of the Ruitor . . 174 

Route C— Ivrogne to Sainte Foi, by the 

Val Grisanche . . .177 

Route D— Val Grisanche to Tignes . .180 

Route E— Tignes to Aosta, by the Col de 
Gailletta and the Val de 
Rhemes . . . .[179] 



As stated in the introduction to the 
last chapter, we propose to confine the 
designation Graian Alps to the portion 
of the main chain lying between the 
Roche Melon and Mont Blanc, with the 
great mass extending from it to 
the east between the Val d'Aosta, 
or valley of the Dora Baltea, and 
the valley of the Dora Riparia from 
Susa to Turin. These two valleys 
form a perfectly natural boundary to 
the N. and S. The plain of Piedmont, 
into which the Graian Alps gradually 
subside, mark their eastern limit, while 

PART I. 



to the W. they are separated from the 
Tarentaise Alps (§ 11) by the upper 
valley of the Isere and the Col dTseran. 
To fix the exact links in the main chain 
which should form the boundaries be- 
tween its different members is always a 
somewhat arbitrary process: in the pre- 
sent case it seems most convenient to 
select the pass of the Little St. Bernard 
to the N., and that of the Col de 
l'Autaret to the S., as the limits, between 
the Graian and the Pennine chain on 
one side, and the Cottians on the 
other. 



144 



GBAIAN ALPS. 



The characteristic feature in the oro- 
graphy of this group is the huge tri- 
angular mass of rock and glacier which 
stands about its centre, between the 
valleys of Cogne, Savaranche, and 
Locana. This contains the two highest 
peaks — Grand Paradis (13,000') and 
the Grivola (13,028'), and is cut off 
from the main chain by the compara- 
tively low pass of La Croix de Mvolet 
(8,624'). S. of this central mass the 
principal valleys, containing torrents 
that spring from the main chain, are all 
directed from W. to E. On the W. 
side of the same central mass the val- 
leys of Rhemes and Grisanche run 
parallel to the Val Savaranche from 
SSW. to NNE., while on the E. side 
the Val de Cogne descends from SE. 
to NW. 

It might have been hoped that this 
group, containing the highest peaks of 
the Alps that lie altogether in Italy, 
would have attracted the attention of 
Italian geographers and men of science. 
Until very lately this was not the case ; 
and the great map of Piedmont issued 
by the War Department in Turin not 
merely shows the absence of a regular 
survey, but proves that the officers en- 
gaged upon it cannot have seen much 
above the inhabited portion of the 
valleys. Of the seven highest summits 
now known and measured, but one — 
La Levanua — is laid down on the six- 
sheet map. and the position of many of 
the ridges and glaciers there represented 
is absolutely different from the reality. 
It is mainly through the energy and 
determination of members of the Eng- 
lish Alpine Club, and especially Messrs. 
Cowell, Tuckett, W. Mathews, and 
Nichols, that the greater part of the 
Graian Alps is now tolerably well 
known, that the highest peaks have 
all yielded to the foot of man, and have 
been measured with more or less ac- 
curacy, and that many new glacier 
passes have been explored. Within 
the last few years the members of the 
Italian Alpine Club have been roused 
to salutary emulation, and much addi- 
tional information respecting this dis- 



trict is found in the 1 Bullettino del Club 
Alpino.' The attraction which the un- 
known usually exerts upon the alpine 
traveller is, however, not entirely re- 
moved, for several fine peaks remain 
still unascended. 

The Graian Alps are naturally di- 
vided into three districts by the valleys 
of Savaranche and Locana, which meet 
at the pass of La Croix de Nivolet, and 
are connected with the head of the 
valley of the Isere by the Col de Galese. 
S. of the Val Locana is the district to 
which we shall give the name of its 
best known, though perhaps not its 
highest, summit — the Levanna. N. of 
the same valley, and E. of the Val 
Savaranche. is the central group, form- 
ing, with its outliers, the Paradis dis- 
trict, while the ridges and valleys W. of 
Val Savaranche may most conveniently 
be called the Ruitor district, from the 
massive glacier-clad mountain which is 
so conspicuous in most panoramic views 
of this portion of the Alps. 

With the exception of the indifferent 
inn near Ceresole in the Val Locana, 
the higher valleys of this district sup- 
ply but poor accommodation for travel- 
lers. In the chief villages of the southern 
valleys tolerable quarters may generally 
be found. The valleys that lead to the 
Val d'Aosta are far poorer, and worse 
provided. Except at Cogne, the moun- 
taineer will generally do best to eschew 
the inns altogether, and, if not provided 
with a tent, to pass his nights in some 
conveniently situated chalet. The patois 
of the country is not very intelligible 
to a stranger; but on the Aosta side 
almost every one can speak tolerable 
French, and understand it when spoken. 



ROUTE A. — VALLEY OF LANZO. 



145 



SECTION 13. 

LEVANNA DISTRICT — VALLEYS OF 
Wit, ALA, AND GROSCAVALLO. 

Between the valley of the Oreo, or 
Val Locana, and that of the Dora 
Riparia, four mountain ridges extend 
to the eastward from the dividing range 
of the Alps, and enclose the three 
valleys of Viu, Ala, and Groscavallo, 
whose torrents are all united in the 
Stura di Lanzo, whence these are some- 
times called collectively Valli di Lanzo. 
These valleys communicate with the 
head of the valley of the Arc by high 
glacier or snow passes, which are hut 
rarely used by the natives, and scarcely 
ever traversed by strangers. The en- 
tire district, though abounding in fine 
scenery, has, until very lately, been 
strangely neglected, and the Editor's 
personal knowledge is limited to the 
lower portions of the above-named 
valleys ; but recent travellers, especially 
Messrs. T. G. Bonney, P. de St. Robert, 
Nichols, and Gastaldi, have done much 
to increase our knowledge of the higher 
peaks. Many of the details given in 
the present section are derived from a 
work published in Turin in 1823 — 
' Lettres sur les Vallees de Lanzo, par 
Louis Francesetti, Comte de Mezzenile.' 

Within the last few years the heights 
of the chief peaks in the range connect- 
ing the Levanna with the Rochemelon 
have been determined with tolerable 
accuracy, save in respect to the Levanna, 
as to which there is a wide discrepancy 
between the results hitherto obtained. 
It has been ascertained that the three 
highest points do not lie in the dividing 
range between Savoy and Piedmont; 
the Chardonnet (12,373') and Mont 
Alb aron (12,014') being on the side of 
Savoy, while the Ciamarella (12,081') 
crowns a spur projecting on the side of 
Italy. Between the latter and the Roche- 
melon the most conspicuous points 
are the Uja Besmns (11,782') and the 
Croce liosm (11,717'). 

Ii 



Route A. 

TURIN TO LANSLEBOURG, BY LANZO 
AND GROSCAVALLO. 



Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 



Lanzo . 


• 5| 


l f 


Ceres 


. 3 




Groscavallo . 


• H 


10 


Col de Girard 


. 4 


8 


Bonneval 


. 3} 


7 


Lanslebourg 


• 4 i 


is* 




~23f 


66 



Carriage-road from Turin to Ceres — 
mule-path from Ceres to Porno di 
Groscavallo — glacier passes thence to 
Bonneval, requiring a good guide. The 
way by the Col di Sea is rather longer 
than that by the Col de Girard. 

This is a very interesting route, lying 
nearly all the way through beautiful 
scenery, and involving a choice between 
two fine glacier passes. This and the 
following routes are offered to moun- 
taineers passing from Turin into Savoy, 
as in every way more attractive than the 
beaten track of the Mont Cenis. 

Omnibuses ply morning and even- » 
ing between Turin and Lanzo, in 4 
hrs. The road passes through Casselle 
and Cirie, and as the mountains begin 
to close on either hand upon the river 
Stura, the Eremo di Lanzo, an ancient 
Carmelite monastery, commanding a 
remarkable view, is seen on the rt. 

Lanzo is a small town, about 1,500 ft. 
above the sea, very beautifully situated 
at the junction of the Tesso with the 
Stura, a short distance from the point 
where the united stream quits the 
mountains to enter the plain of Pied- 
mont N. of Turin. At Lanzo the Stura 
has already united in its bed the tor- 
rents which drain all the three valleys 
described in this section, each of which 
bears the same name as the main 
stream. The Stura di Groscavdo 
and Stura di Ala unite at Ceres to form 
the Stura di Lanzo, which, about 7 rn. 
lower down, opposite Traves, receives 
the Stura di Viu. [A very agreeable 
excursion may be made from Lanzo 
2 



144 GRAIAN 

The characteristic feature in the oro- 
graphy of this group is the huge tri- 
angular mass of rock and glacier which 
stands about its centre, between the 
valleys of Cogne, Savaranche, and 
Locana. This contains the two highest 
peaks — Grand Paradis (13,000') and 
the Grivola (13,028'), and is cut off 
from the main chain by the compara- 
tively low pass of La Croix de Nivolet 
(8,624'). S. of this central mass the 
principal valleys, containing torrents 
that spring from the main chain, are all 
directed from W. to E. On the W. 
side of the same central mass the val- 
leys of Rhemes and Grisanche run 
parallel to the Val Savaranche from 
SSW. to NNE., while on the E. side 
the Val de Cogne descends from SE. 
to NW. 

It might have been hoped that this 
group, containing the highest peaks of 
the Alps that lie altogether in Ttaly, 
would have attracted the attention of 
Italian geographers and men of science. 
Until very lately this was not the case ; 
and the great map of Piedmont issued 
by the War Department in Turin not 
merely shows the absence of a regular 
survey, but proves that the officers en- 
gaged upon it cannot have seen much 
above the inhabited portion of the 
valleys. Of the seven highest summits 
now known and measured, but one — 
La Levanna — is laid down on the six- 
sheet map, and the position of many of 
tne ridges and glaciers there represented 
is absolutely different from the reality. 
It is mainly through the energy and 
determination of members of the Eng- 
lish Alpine Club, and especially Messrs. 
Cowell, Tuckett, W. Mathews, and 
Nichols, that the greater part of the 
Graian Alps is now tolerably well 
known, that the highest peaks have 
all yielded to the foot of man, and have 
been measured with more or less ac- 
curacy, and that many new glacier 
passes have been explored. Within 
the last few years the members of the 
Italian Alpine Club have been roused 
to salutary emulation, and much addi- 
tional information respecting this dis- . 



ALPS. 

trict is found in the ' Bullettino del Club 
Alpino.' The attraction which the un- 
known usually exerts upon the alpine 
traveller is, however, not entirely re- 
moved, for several fine peaks remain 
still unascended. 

The Graian Alps are naturally di- 
vided into three districts by the valleys 
of Savaranche and Locana, which meet 
at the pass of La Croix de Nivolet, and 
are connected with the head of the 
valley of the Isere by the Col de Galese. 
S. of the Val Locana is the district to 
which we shall give the name of its 
best known, though perhaps not its 
highest, summit — the Levanna. N. of 
the same valley, and E. of the Val 
Savaranche, is the central group, form- 
ing, with its outliers, the Paradis dis- 
trict, while the ridges and valleys W. of 
Val Savaranche may most conveniently 
be called the Iluitor district, from the 
massive glacier-clad mountain which is 
so conspicuous in most panoramic views 
of this portion of the Alps. 

With the exception of the indifferent 
inn near Ceresole in the Val Locana, 
the higher valleys of this district sup- 
ply but poor accommodation for travel- 
lers. In the chief villages of the southern 
valleys tolerable quarters may generally 
be found. The valleys that lead to the 
Val d'Aosta are far poorer, and worse 
provided. Except at Cogne, the moun- 
taineer will generally do best to eschew 
the inns altogether, and, if not provided 
with a tent, to pass his nights in some 
conveniently situated chalet. The patois 
of the country is not very intelligible 
to a stranger; but on the Aosta side 
almost every one can speak tolerable 
French, and understand it when spoken. 



ROUTE A. — VALLEY OF LANZO. 



145 



SECTION IS. 

LEVANNA DISTRICT — VALLEYS OF 
VIl>, ALA, AND GROSCAVALLO. 

Between the valley of the Oreo, or 
Val Locana, and that of the Dora 
Riparia, four mountain ridges extend 
to the eastward from the dividing range 
of the Alps, and enclose the three 
valleys of Viu, Ala, and Groscavallo, 
whose torrents are all united in the 
Stura di Lanzo, whence these are some- 
times called collectively Valli di Lanzo. 
These valleys communicate with the 
head of the valley of the Arc hy high 
glacier or snow passes, which are hut 
rarely used hy the natives, and scarcely 
ever traversed by strangers. The en- 
tire district, though abounding in fine 
scenery, has, until very lately, been 
strangely neglected, and the Editor's 
personal knowledge is limited to the 
lower portions of the above-named 
valleys ; but recent travellers, especially 
Messrs. T. G. Bonney, P. de St. Robert, 
Nichols, and Gastaldi, have done much 
to increase our knowledge of the higher 
peaks. Many of the details given in 
the present section are derived from a 
work published in Turin in 1823 — 
* Lettres sur les Vallees de Lanzo, par 
Louis Francesetti, Comte de Mezzenile.' 

Within the last few years the heights 
of the chief peaks in the range connect- 
ing the Levanna with the Rochemelon 
have been determined with tolerable 
accuracy, save in respect to the Levanna, 
as to which there is a wide discrepancy 
between the results hitherto obtained. 
It has been ascertained that the three 
highest points do not lie in the dividing 
range between Savoy and Piedmont; 
the Chardonnet (12,373') and Mont 
Albaron (12,014') being on the side of 
Savoy, while the Ciamarella (12,081') 
crowns a spur projecting on the side of 
Italy. Between the latter and the Roche- 
melon the most conspicuous points 
are the Uja Bessans (11,782') and the 
Croce Rossa (1 1,717'). 



Route A. 

TURIN TO LANSLEBOURG, BY LANZO 
AND GROSCAVALLO. 



Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 



Lanzo . 


• 5| 


18* 


Ceres 


. 3 


9 


Groscavallo . 


• H 


10 


Col de Girard 


. 4 


8 


Bonneval 


. 3| 


7 


Lanslebourg 


• 4 i 


13£ 




~23f 


66 



Carriage-road from Turin to Ceres— 
mule-path from Ceres to Forno di 
Groscavallo — glacier passes thence to 
Bonneval, requiring a good guide. The 
way by the Col di Sea is rather longer 
than that by the Col de Girard. 

This is a very interesting route, lying 
nearly all the way through beautiful 
scenery, and involving a choice between 
two fine glacier passes. This and the 
following routes are offered to moun- 
taineers passing from Turin into Savoy, 
as in every way more attractive than the 
beaten track of the Mont Cenis. 

Omnibuses ply morning and even- ♦ 
ing between Turin and Lanzo, in 4 
hrs. The road passes through Casselle 
and Cirie, and as the mountains begin 
to close on either hand upon the river 
Stura, the Eremo di Lanzo, an ancient 
Carmelite monastery, commanding a 
remarkable view, is seen on the rt. 

Lanzo is a small town, about 1,500 ft. 
above the sea, very beautifully situated 
at the junction of the Tesso with the 
Stura, a short distance from the point 
where the united stream quits the 
mountains to enter the plain of Pied- 
mont N. of Turin. At Lanzo the Stura 
has already united in its bed the tor- 
rents which drain all the three valleys 
described in this section, each of which 
bears the same name as the main 
stream. The Stura di Groscavallo 
and Stura di Ala unite at Ceres to form 
the Stura di Lanzo, which, about 7 rn. 
lower down, opposite Traves, receives 
the Stura di Viu. [A very agreeable 
excursion may be made from Lanzo 
2 



146 - GBAIAN ALPS. § lo 

to Coazzolo and Monastero in the Val 
di Tesso, a valley richly clothed with 
chestnut, walnut, and various fruit-trees. 
From Monastero a path traverses the 
ridge of the mountain to the W. 
(about 3,600'), which separates it from 
Ceres, and there are doubtless other 
paths over the higher range to the N., 
leading to Locana in the valley of the 
Oreo (§ 14).] At Lanzo the traveller 
should not miss seeing the Ponte della 
Bocca, a remarkable bridge, spanning 
the Stura by a single arch. It was 
built in the 14th century, and its his- 
tory having been forgotten, the skill of 
the unknown architect has received the 
popular compliment involved in the 
name Pont du Diable, by which it is 
often known. On the top of a rocky 
point, 3,059 ft. in height, and about 1 
hr. from Lanzo is the curious sanctuary 
of St. Ignatius. The church was built 
round the pointed rock which forms the 
summit, and this has been left in its 
natural condition to serve as a pedestal 
for the statue of the saint. 

A fine new road has been lately 
completed from Lanzo to Ceres, passing 
along the 1. bank of the Stura through 
exquisite scenery. On the opposite 
bank, after passing Germagnano, is 
seen the opening of the valley of Viu 
(Ete. E), and 5 m. farther on, Mez- 
zenile (Rte. D), a populous village, 
composed of many scattered hamlets. 
The population of the Val di Lanzo 
earn their chief support as nailers, and 
from an early age the children are 
brought up to that trade. At the base 
of the mountain which separates the 
valley of Ala from that of Grosea- 
vallo — here commonly called Val 
Grande — stands the village of Ceres 
(2,354'), with two inns. The Albero 
Fiorito is fairly good, but there have 
been instances of gross extortion. Car- 
riages are usually found at Ceres, de- 
scending the valley to Lanzo in 1| hr. 
— charge 6 fr. The neighbourhood of 
Ceres abounds in beautiful scenery, 
and two or three days may well be 
spent here. Among other excursions | 
one may be made to the cavern (called [ 



>. LEVANNA DISTRICT. 

in the valley Creus) of Pugnetti. and 
another to the sanctuary of Santa 
Cristina, perched on an extremely 
steep rock, 4,549 ft. in height, and 
commanding a very fine view. On the 
way from Ceres to Bonzo it is pos- 
sible to avoid the rough mule-path by 
following foot-paths across the meadows. 
' In descending the valley from Bonzo, 
be careful to quit the path which leads 
along the 1. bank some time before 
reaching Ceres. Cross the flat, and 
traverse the torrent by a long wooden 
bridge which comes into view before 
reaching the point where the path 
divides.'— [F. F. T.] Between Ceres 
and Groscavallo the valley ascends very 
gently between richly wooded slopes. 
Many scattered hamlets are passed, and 
others are seen half concealed amidst 
the rich vegetation. High up on the 
slope of the mountain to the rt. is the 
village of Vonzo (4,031')* scarcely seen 
from the path ; in the valley below, on 
the 1. bank, is Chialamberto, if hr. from 
Ceres, and f hr. farther, Bonzo, where 
the mountains on either side approach 
closer to the stream. About a mile 
beyond Bonzo, near the hamlet of 
Myere, the path to the Col della Cro- 
cetta (Rte. C) diverges to the rt., and 
2 m. farther, 3^ hrs. from Ceres, is the 
chief village of the Val Grande. 

Groscavallo (3,609'), like most of the 
villages in this district, is composed of 
numerous scattered hamlets, that con- 
taining the church being considered the 
chief amongst them. The high snowy 
range enclosing the head of the valley, 
which has been occasionally seen since 
the path reached Chialamberto, now 
comes fully into view, and contrasts 
finely with the green pastures of the 
foreground. Walnut trees are still seen 
to grow here, and extend even as far 
as the next and highest village, Forno 
(4,056'), about 2 m. farther up the valley, 
(Inn very poor, but tolerable; clean hay. 
T. G. B.) From hence the Col di Pic 
cola leads N. over the ridge to Ceresolo 
in the valley of the Oreo. At a short 
I distance from the village, on the S. side 
[ of the torrent, is the famous sanctuary 



ROUTE A. — COL DE SEA. 



147 



of the Madonna delForno di Groscavallo, 
commanding a noble view of the am- 
phitheatre of rock and glacier enclosing 
the head of the valley. The church 
was in 1823 surrounded by a grove of 
fine beech, sycamore, and ash trees, 
spared by the wood-cutter's axe that 
has since devastated the valley. 

The upper part of the Val Grande 
lias frequently suffered from formidable 
landslips, similar in their nature and 
cause to that of the Rossberg in Switz- 
erland ; the last recorded happened on 
June 2, 1789, and is described in the 
Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Turin 
by the Comte Amedee de Ponsillon. It 
has been apprehended that the valley is 
again threatened with a similar cata- 
strophe. 

At Forno two glacier streams unite 
to form the Stura, and lead to the two 
passes here described. The more direct 
and easier of these is the Col de Girard 
(10,118'), reached by the rt. hand, or 
more northerly, of the two upland glens 
that meet at Forno. Following the 
torrent, which is called Stura de Gur, , 
this is crossed to its rt. bank, and 
the ascent commences in a direction 
quite away from the Col, till in about 
l£ hr. the chalets of Gura are reached, 
and in about 25 min. more the Chalet 
de Fromage. Near this the valley 
forks ; the course is by the branch to 
the I., keeping to the rt. bank of the 
stream, till in 15 min. this is crossed. 
' The head of the glen is an amphi- 
theatre surrounded by very steep crags 
streaked with snow, seemingly inacces- 
sible. On reaching some chalets you 
bear away to the rt. up a series of rock- 
strewn knolls, following a course pa- 
rallel to the main ridge, and keeping 
always along the 1. bank of the ravine 
until you reach its head near the foot of 
the snow-slope leading to the Col. The 
slope is very steep, and if it were hard 
would require much step-cutting. We 
kept to the rt. up the slope, occasionally 
taking to the rocks on the lower part. 
On nearing the Col two notches are 
seen divided by a rocky tooth ; take 
that on the rt. A short slope of rock 



divides the snow-slope from the upper 
part of the Glacier de Girard which 
forms the actual watershed. The view 
to the NW. includes the Grande Casse, 
Grande Motte, and Mont Pourri. The 
Levanna shows as a ridge of black 
rock with two or three knobs at the 
highest part. The view towards Italy 
was concealed by clouds. Fully 4^ hrs.' 
walking are needed for the ascent 
from Forno.' [T. G.B.] 

Another way for effecting a passage, 
which is longer by 1 hr., but preferable 
when the snow is hard, and for the 
view in clear weather, is by leaving the 
snow-slope or the 1. hand, and ascend- 
ing chiefly by the rocks to a point on 
the rt. of the Col, a few hundred ft. 
higher, and marked by a stone man. 
It is called La Glavine, and is just in 
the position marked 'La Levanna' on 
the Piedmontese map, being in truth 
one of the peaks of that mountain. 

'The descent over the Glacier de 
Girard is easy : we bore tOAvards the 
1. bank, and in f hr. got off the snow. 
A few minutes more brought us to the 
valley under the Levanna, at the so- 
called Source of the Arc' [T. G. B. ] 

After reaching ^the highest chalets, a 
path leads to Ecot, and thence to 
Bonneval, which may be reached in 
about 2| hrs. from the Col, but fully 4 
hrs. are required for the ascent on this 
side. Francois Blanc of Ecot knows 
this pass ; he is not equally familiar 
with the Col de Sea. He asked 24 fr. 
for going to Forno by the Col de Sea, 
and returning next day by the Col de 
Girard. 

The pass of the Col de Sea (10,154' 
Fr. Eng.), more difficult than the Col 
de Girard, was traversed in 1864 by 
Messrs T. G. Bonney and R. W. Tay- 
lor, and in 1866 by Mr. R. C. Nichols, 
with J. Culet, of Bonneval. Starting 
from Bonneval, the former kept for 
10 min. along the 1. bank of the Arc, 
then followed a track up the mountain, 
crossed the opening of a glen whose 
head is occupied by the Glacier de 
Vallonet, and after about 2 hrs.' walk- 
ing entered the glen that leads to the 



148 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 13 



LEVANNA DISTRICT. 



Glacier d'Eivettes. At the foot of the 
Glacier is a fiat marshy plain, the N. 
edge of which falls steeply towards the 
Arc. They kept for some time along 
rough slopes on the 1. bank of the 
Glacier, hut this is so level that it might 
he preferred. The scenery is very fine. 

Conspicuous among the nearer peaks 
are the Levanna, then a pyramid of 
dark rock called La Vanoise, and 
towards the SE., projecting somewhat 
towards Italy from the line of water- 
shed, the Ciamarella, or Punta di Sea, 
a nearly level-topped ridge, resembling 
a tent in form. This was first ascended 
by M. Tonini an Italian engineer, an 
enterprising but rash mountaineer, who 
lost his life od the Glacier of Mont 
Ambin. The second ascent was effect- 
ed in 1866 by Count P. de St.-Robert. 
See 'Bullettino del Club Alpino,' No. 
10. Supposing the name Ciamarella to 
belong to the Albaron, further noticed 
in Rte. D, Mr. Bonney calls this peak 
Punta di Sea, a name sometimes given 
to it in Val Grande. 

' After taking to the Glacier we 
crossed it diagonally, and then ascended 
the tributary from the Col de Sea, 
keeping near the 1. bank to turn some 
crevasses. The last part is up a rather 
steep snow-slope, at the bottom of 
which is a bergschrund. From the 
summit, reached in about 3f hrs., the 
Punta di Sea and Cimarella (should be 
Ciamarella and Albaron. — Ed.) are 
the most conspicuous peaks: on the 
Italian side, cloud-covered crags shut 
out farther view. Erom the top a short 
slope of broken rock, with some traces | 
of a path, leads down to the Glacier de 
Sea. The upper part of this is easy, 
but after 20 min. the descent becomes 
somewhat difficult. We took to the 
moraine on the 1. bank to avoid the ice- 
fall: after 10 min. we returned to the 
ice, and left it again after 20 min. more 
for the rocks on the 1. bank, returning 
once again to the ice after % hr. The 
final descent was by a steep snow-slope. 
Late in the season, when the crevasses 
are wider, the Glacier de Sea might be 
found very troublesome. Below the 



Glacier we descended rough stone- slopes 
and rocks, scrambled down by a small 
cascade, crossed some more stony slopes, 
and ascending up coarse turf on the 1. 
bank of the torrent, came to an empty 
chalet. The track here ascended slightly 
till we came out on a sort of bluff; 
after a little searching a sheep-track 
was found to lead by some steep rocks 
to the level of the valley, and to the 
Chalet de Sea. A stony path leads 
from thence through very fine scenery 
to Forno in 1^ hr.' [T. G. B.] 
Fully 8 hrs., exclusive of halts, should 
be allowed for this pass. In ascend- 
ing from the Italian side the way is 
easily missed without minute local 
knowledge. Mr. Nichols hit upon the 
true course, which is mainly along the 
rocks on the N. side of the glacier, by 
noticing some stones piled up against 
the rock near the base of the glacier. 
In descending towards Savoy it is best 
not to follow the stream below the Gl. 
d'Eivettes, but to mount a little to a 
sort of col leading direct to Bonneval. 

The track from Bonneval to Lansle- 
bourg is described in § 11, Rte. B. 



! 



I 

I 



Route B. 

BONNEVAL TO CERESOLE — ASCENT OF 
THE LEVANNA. 

Looked at from the side of Italy, the 
Levanna presents a salient angle, pro- 
jecting to the E. from the course of the 
main chain of the Alps, very mu/sh in 
the same manner as the Monte Viso. 



ROUTE B. ASCENT 



OF THE LEV ANNA. 



149 



The head of the valley of the Arc drains 
its W. face towards Savoy, and is 
enclosed between two ridges, both di- 
verging from the topmost peak. That 
to the SE. is traversed by the Col de 
Girard, described in the last Rte., while 
to the NW. another equally high ridge 
separates the valley of the Arc from the 
head of the Val Locana. Over this 
latter ridge lies the pass of the Col de 
Carro, very little used, though conve- 
niently placed for a mountaineer in- 
tending to explore the Graian Alps, as 
in this way he may reach Ceresole on 
the second day from Geneva or Lyons. 

Following the rt. bank of the Arc 
above Bonneval (§ 11, Rte. B), the! 
traveller soon reaches one of the most 
striking scenes of ruin to be found in 
the Alps. A tract covered with huge 
broken rocks, called Clapier de la 
Tralenta, marks the site of a bergfall 
which is believed to have overwhelmed 
the original village of Bonneval. It is 
said that portions of rude masonry may 
be traced beneath some of the blocks. 
About 40 min. above Bonneval is 
Ecot (6,773'), the highest hamlet in the 
valley, where a little rye is sometimes 
ripened. Here the path crosses to the 
rt. bank of the Arc, and in about 40 
min. more turns up a lateral glen to 
NNE. to the chalets of Echauges. On 
the rocky slope of a buttress of the 
Levanna may be seen the source of the 
Arc (8,993'), where the stream, fed by 
the snows of the upper part of the 
mountain, breaks out from the rock. 
The ascent to the Col continues over 
rock and snow-slopes (no glacier), and 
the summit is reached in 4 hrs. from 
Bonneval. The Col de Carro (10,292') 
commands a fine view, improved by' 
ascending to a point about 200 ft. 
above the col. After descending a 
steep bit of glacier, the traveller should 
keep to the 1., a little W. of N., nearly 
at a level. The grassy slopes seen 
from the summit and in descending 
are then reached by crossing the head 
of the gully on the rt, and a water- 
course is seen leading to a chalet, I 
whence a path descends through the' 



valley below the Col to Chapis above 
Ceresole.'— [A.G.G.] Allow 4 hrs. 
from the summit to Ceresole. 

The only published account of the 
ascent of the Levanna is that given by 
Mr. J. J. Cowell in the first volume of 
' Vacation Tourists.' The name of the 
mountain has evidently arisen in the 
valley of the Arc, where in the local 
patois levana, or alvana, means ' in 
the east.' In the valley of the Oreo 
the mountain is called Becca a tre 
Corni. 

Starting from Bonneval at 6 a.m., 
with Jean Culet, the landlord of the 
inn there, as guide, and with Michel 
! Payot of Chamouni, Mr. Cowell 
mounted for about an hour to the E., 
leaving on the 1. the track of the Col 
dTseran, when for the first time he 
gained a glimpse of the summit, hitherto 
concealed by the high and steep ranges 
enclosing the head of the valley of the 
Arc. In lj hr. from Bonneval they 
reached the last chalet, and soon after 
passed the foot of the glacier descending 
from the Col de Girard. Here the real 
ascent commenced: it led to moderately 
steep snow-slopes, which gradually nar- 
row until they become contracted to a 
ridge terminating in the summit of the 
mountain. 

This ridge is described by Mr. Cowell 
as 300 yds. in length, faced on either 
side by precipitous walls of rock. These 
precipices do not meet to form an arete, 
but the higher of the two, which is on 
the Italian side overlooking the Val 
Forno, is connected with the other by a 
snow-slope, in some places steep and 
narrow, forming the top of the ridge. 
Advancing carefully along this, they 
reached the summit in of hrs. from 
Bonneval. The measures of the height 
of the Levanna are discordant. A 
boiling-water observation by Mr. 
Cowell gives 12,020 ft; but this does 
not deserve much confidence, and the 
most probable result is that found 
trigonometrically by Italian engineers 
—only 11,516 ft. 

The highest point of the Levanna is 
formed by a huge slab resting upon a 



150 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 13. LEV ANNA DISTRICT. 



heap of smaller rocks, and on one side 
projecting over the edge of the precipice 
on the Italian side. It is not so high as 
to impede the view, and there is no need 
to incur the risk of mounting it. The 
panorama is, as might be expected, very- 
extensive, reaching from the Monte 
Viso and the Pelvoux (?) to the 
Bernina and the Orteler Spitze (? pro- 
bably the Adamello). Although it 
cannot rank as very difficult of access, 
it appears that the Levanna has not 
been ascended more than two or three 
times. It is said to be accessible also 
from the side of Ceresole (§ 14, Rte. EX 



Route C. 

CERESOLE TO LANZO AND TURIN, BT 
THE COL BELLA CROCETTA. 

Foot-path to r eres, 7| hrs. Carriage-road from 
Ceres to Turin, 27| m. 

This is the most direct and shortest 
way from Ceresole to Turin, and the 
scenery, if less wild, is perhaps more 
beautiful than by Locana. The track 
over the col seems to have been for- 
merly passable for mules, but has long 
been disused, and is not now fit for 
tour-footed beasts. From the mineral 
springs at Ceresole (§ 14, Rte. E) the 
path crosses the Oreo and mounts at 
first to the S., but before long turns 
sharply to the 1., ascending through a 
larch wood. On reaching the Alpine 
pastures above the wood pedestrians 
may take a short cut which rejoins the 
regular path near the foot of the final 
ascent. The height of the Col della 
Crocetta is 9,179 ft,, according to an 
observation by Mr. Tuckett, who crossed 
this pass in 1862. The summit, which 
is reached in 2f hrs. from Ceresole, is 
marked by a solid and unusually mas- 
sive square stone pile, and commands 
a fine view of the Levanna and the 
snowy range to the N. In descending- 
it is necessary to keep well to the 1. or 
SE , along ledges which produce Sene- 
cio uniflorus, and other rare plants. In 



40 min. the first chalets are seen, and it 
is then best to follow a rough path 
which descends on the 1. side of a rocky 
glen. In 2 hrs. from the top, after 
crossing to the rt. bank of the torrent, 
and following a steep track, the tra- 
veller reaches the Val Grande, near 
My ere, about 20 min. from Bonzo, or 
2| hrs. from Ceres. The way from 
Ceres to Turin is described in Rte. A. 

There is an easy and interesting path 
leading, in 6^- or 7 hrs., from Locana 
(§ 14, Rte. E) to Ceres by the Col 
della Piera Scritta, passing the chalets 
of the Montagna Grande. 

Route D. 

LANZO TO LANSLEBOURG, BY ALA AND 
THE COL DD COLORIN. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

Mezzenile 2± 7i 

Ala ... 3 8± 

La Balme . . 2| 6± 

Col du Colorin . 5 12 

Averole 3 7 

Bessans . . 1| 4| 

Lanslebourg . 2J 8 



10* 



54 



The valley of Ala is the narrowest, 
wildest, and most Alpine in character 
of the three included in this district. 
As by the way described in Rte. A, it 
would be possible to accomplish in two 
days the distance from Turin to Lansle- 
bourg. Antonio Castagneri, who has 
ascended the Ciamarella, and Pietro 
Castagneri, both of Mondrone, are re- 
commended as guides. 

About 6 m. from Lanzo the car- 
riage-road to Ceres is left on the 1. 
bank of the Stura near Pessinetto, and 
a bridge leads to the opposite bank, 
along which lies the way to Mezzenile 
(2,201'). About a mile beyond Mez- 
zenile, at the opening of the valley of 
Ala, the mule-path turns to the I. 
through a rocky gorge, leaving on the 
opposite bank, in the angle between 
the two streams, the village of Ceres 
(Rte. A). The traveller who takes a 
carriage from Lanzo may best follow 
the road to Ceres, and there begin his 
walk by a path leading to Ala. In 
the shade of the mountain, which 



ROUTE D. COL DJ COLLAPJN. 



151 



rises steeply on the 1. hand, the main 
track passes the hamlet of Almese. 
The Stura continues for several miles 
to run through a rocky defile, with but 
few and. occasional signs of human 
activity, until the path reaches a bridge 
of a single arch thrown across the river 
in a singularly picturesque situation. 
A rather steep ascent on the 1. bank 
now leads to the commune of Ala, con- 
sisting of a large number of scattered 
hamlets and groups of farm houses, 
the chief of which stands at 3,549 ft. 
above the sea. An extensive iron 
foundry has been established near the 
village, and has probably consumed a 
large portion of the magnificent larches 
that formerly adorned this part of the 
valley. In passing one of the hamlets 
above Ala the traveller may remark a 
small chapel built on the top of a huge 
block apparently fallen from the moun- 
tain above. The walnut trees disappear 
before reaching Mondrone (4,205'), 
about 1 hr. above Ala. with a tolerable 
inn. Near at hand is a fine waterfall. 
The Stura di Ala first springs over a 
ledge about 30 ft. in height into a basin 
6Cooped out of the rock ; escaping from 
this through a narrow cleft, the stream 
rushes at one bound into a dark chasm 
130 ft. deep, between perpendicular 
walls of rock. It is said that the only 
way to see this fall is to lie fiat and 
peep over the precipice. There is a 
path from Mondrone to Bonzo in Val 
Grande by the Col della Maddalena. 
After passing the hamlet of Chialam- 
bertetto, the last village of the valley, 
La Balme, with a poor inn, is reached 
in 2|- hrs. from Ala, or h\ hrs. from 
Mezzenile. Standing at a height of 
4,845 ft, the village is often almost 
covered up in snow during the winter. 
Above La Balme the valley appears to 
be completely enclosed by a range of 
snow-capped summits, and the narrow 
gorge lying a little to the rt., and lead- 
ing to the actual head of the valley, 
attracts little attention. After crossing 
to the rt. bank of the Stura by a stone 
bridge, the path mounts on the southern 
side of this gorge to an extensive grassy 



basin containing the chalets of Mussa 
and a small chapel (5.841'). At the 
farther end of this basin, after passing 
some scattered larches, a path leads to 
the Rocher de Venoni (6,106') — a large 
rock, which has been turned to account 
in the construction of a chalet, v/here 
several shepherds remain during the 
summer. From hence the ascent to the 
Col du Colorin is continued by steep 
grass slopes to the alp of Naressa, not 
far from the terminal moraine of the 
glacier, which from its slight inclina- 
tion is locally known as Pian Ghias. 
[To reach the summit of the Ciama- 
rella, it is necessary to bear to the rt., 
and ascend by a rocky slope to an upper 
basin or cirque of neve, whence the 
summit is attained without serious dif- 
ficulty.] The ascent to the Col is by 
a steep snow couloir (whence the name), 
where the ice-axe is sometimes called 
into play. The mean of two observa- 
tions by MM. Nichols and St.-Robert 
gives the height of 10,662 ft. for the 
Col du Colorin. The descent into Savoy 
is by a rather steep, but not difficult, 
glacier, from the foot of which the way 
is a little S. of W. to the hamlet of 
Aver ok, near the head of a glen that 
pours a destructive torrent into the 
Arc a short way above Bessans. For 
the way to Lanslebourg, see § II, 
Rte.B. 

Starting from Bonneval, Mr. Nichols, 
with Jean Culet, reached the summit of 
Mont Albaron (12,014'), which rises on 
the N. side of the Combe dAverole, in 
less than 4 hrs. ; and thence, in 2± hrs. 
over glacier, attained the Col du Colorin. 

It is possible to pass from the valley 
of Ala into Savoy by the Col d Arnaz, 
described in Rte. E. That pass lies at 
the W. extremity of the range which 
separates the valleys of Ala and Viu, 
and is generally approached through 
the latter valley. 

A rather difficult pass, called Ghicet 
di Sea (9,025') leads in 10 hrs. from the 
chalets of Mussa to those of Sea, and 
thence to Forno, in Val Grande. 



152 



GRAIAN ALPS. 



13. LEV ANNA DISTRICT. 



Route E. 

LANZO TO LANSLEBOURG, BY VIU. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

Viu ... 3 10 

Usseglio . 4 12 

Avcrole . 9 18? 

Bessans . . 1| 4| 

Lanslebourg . 2§ 8 



20 



52i 



The time required is about the same 
by the Col de l'Autaret and the Col 
d'Arnaz, the former being longer, but 
the latter more difficult. Carriage- 
road from Lanzo to Viu ; mule-path 
thence to Usseglio. During the sum- 
mer a post-carriage, leaving Turin at 
5 a.m., reaches Viu in 6 hrs., return- 
ing to the capital in the afternoon in 
51 hrs. 

About \\ m. from Lanzo, after pass- 
ing the village of Germagnano, the 
Stura is passed by a stone bridge ; and 
the road leading to Viu keeps along 
the rt. bank of the Stura di Lanzo for 
about 1| m. farther to the point where, 
overlooking the junction of the Stura 
di Viu with the main stream, it turns 
to the 1. to follow the former torrent. 
The direction followed is nearly due S. 
for at least 3 m , till the Stura is passed 
by a stone bridge, and the road follow- 
ing the bend of the valley mounts to 
the E. along the 1. bank. Many scat- 
tered houses and small hamlets are 
passed, and from time to time the snowy 
peak of the Roche Melon, seen at the 
head of the valley, serves to enhance the 
beauty of the nearer scenery. About 4 
m. above the bridge is Viu (Inns : 
Corona Grossa, a good country inn ; 
and two or three others of less repute), 
a large village (2,567'), frequented in 
summer by pleasure parties from Turin, 
with several pretty villas in the Swiss 
style. The mountains to the S., over 
which lies the way to the Col du Lys 
(Rte. F) are covered with fine woods; 
the chestnut prevailing below, and the 
larch in the upper zone. 

About 1 m. above Viu, at Eucine, the 
mule-track passes the opening of the 
Val dei Tornetti, and is carried for 
2 hrs. along the 1. bank of the Stura 



through very beautiful scenery, and 
crosses the river at Eorno di Lemie, 
returning about U m. farther on to 
Lemie, whose church, standing on a 
rock (3,100'), commands a fine view of 
the head of the valley. A short dis- 
tance above the village, a small chapel, 
standing beside a bridge over the Stura 
in a singularly picturesque situation, 
deserves notice. For at least 1 hr. 
above Lemie the path mounts rather 
rapidly, and then abruptly enters on the 
plain of Usseglio, evidently the filled- 
up bed of an ancient lake, covered with 
fields and meadows which contrast 
finely with the Alpine scenery of the 
background. Unfortunately the na- 
tives have recklessly destroyed the 
forests which once surrounded the up^ 
per end of the valley, and fuel is now 
scarce. Several hamlets forming part 
of the commune of Usseglio, lie upon 
this plain which is nearly 3 m. in length. 
At the W. end are the church (4,215'), 
where is preserved a Roman altar with 
an inscription to Hercules, found on the 
mountain of Bella Comba, and the par- 
sonage, where a traveller may probably 
obtain lodging ; but it seems more ad- 
visable to sleep at some of the chalets 
higher up in the valley. 

A short distance beyond the church 
is a large building called the Fabbrica, 
intended for the preparation of the 
cobalt obtained from a mine in this 
neighbourhood. Here the valley of Viu 
may be said to terminate at the junction 
of two torrents of about equal volume. 
That flowing from the W., called 
Stura di Arnaz, leads to the Col of 
that name, which is the more direct but 
difficult way to the valley of the Arc. 
The torrent flowing from the SW. is 
the Stura di Usseglio, fed principally by 
the glaciers of the Roche Melon, and 
through that branch of the valley lies 
the way to the Col de l'Autaret, the 
least difficult of all those traversing this 
part of the main chain of the Alps. 

1. The path leading to the Col d'Ar- 
naz ascends the IS T W. branch of the 
valley, reaching in about 1 hr. the 
Chalet de Peillot, and then mounts a 



ROUTE E. — COL 

steep rocky barrier called Pas de la 
Scala, above which a passage partly cut 
through the rock, as expressed in the 
name Taja de Fer, leads into the wild 
upland basin of Bella Comba, sur- 
rounded by ice-bound ridges of rock. 
Here an iron-mine was formerly worked, 
and it is far more probable that the 
Roman altar and inscription preserved 
at Usseglio should be connected with 
the mine than with the existence of a 
pass used at that early period, as some 
writers have conjectured. The much 
easier route by the Col de l'Autaret, 
would in all likelihood have been pre- 
ferred by the Romans, as it has been in 
more modern times. Another steep as- 
cent over a rocky barrier of forbidding 
aspect conducts the traveller to the last 
step in the ascent. This is occupied 
by the Lugo della Roussa, lying imme- 
diately under the fine peak of the Ai- 
guille de la Roussa. This lake is com- 
pletely frozen over, except for a short 
period during the height of summer, 
and even then it usually has consider- 
able masses of ice floating on its surface. 
It is reached in about 5 hrs. from Us- 
seglio. From the lake the ascent lies 
over snow or neve, and this leads in 
about H hr. to the Col, which is a 
narrow passage through the crest of the 
ridge, 10,233 (?) ft. in height. The 
descent lies to the E. over snow-slopes, 
but not, it is said, on true glacier. 
About 2j hrs. are required for the de- 
scent to Averole, 4 hrs. from Lanslebourg. 
(See last Ete.) 

2. To reach the Colde l'Autaret from 
Usseglio it is necessary to follow the 
track along the 1. bank of the Stura di 
Usseglio, through the SW. or 1. hand 
branch of the valley, passing the hamlet 
of Margone (4,625'), beyond which is 
a fine waterfall. In 2 hrs. from the 
village the traveller may reach the 
chalets of Malciaussia (5,896'), finely 
placed at the base of the Eoche Melon, 
surrounded by pastures and fields of 
rye, which in some years ripen fully at 
this great height, after the seed has re- 
mained for 14 months in the ground. 
It would probably be possible to ascend 



DE l'autaret. 153 

the Eoche Melon direct from these 
chalets, but the peak on this side is ex- 
tremely steep, and the peasants who 
make the pilgrimage always pass by 
the Col della Croce di Ferro. (See next 
Ete.) 

The Col de TAutaret (10,170'?), of 
which the ascent begins here, is a very 
ancient pass, possibly known to the 
Romans, and is said to have been at one 
time traversed by a postman, who con-, 
veyed on horseback the letters from 
Turin into Savoy. In some places may 
be seen portions of the old paved mule- 
track ; but the pass in its present con- 
dition is quite impassable except on 
foot. A path mounts along the Stura, 
first by the 1. bank, and then by the 
opposite side, and disappears, after pass- 
ing the highest pastures, when the 
ascent is continued by very steep rocks, 
supporting the uppermost shelf of the 
valley, whereon rests the Lac de l'Au- 
taret. During the greater part of the 
year this lake is not visible, being 
bridged over by ice and neve. In some 
seasons it is not seen until the month 
of August, while in hot summers the 
snow disappears from the pass altogether. 
The shorter way, by the W. shore *of 
the lake, is sometimes difficult, owing to 
a steep ice-slope, and it is generally 
better to keep to the roeks on the E. 
side, which are free from difficulty. 
The summit, marked by a gneiss rock 
projecting through the snow, is said to 
command a very extensive view. It 
may be reached in 4 hrs. from Malciaus- 
sia. The descent on the W. side is 
rather long, but presents no difficulty. 
It is best to keep well to the rt, avoid- 
ing a small glacier. On reaching the 
base of some rocky slopes a path is 
seen, which leads in about 2«| hrs., 
through the wild and uninhabited 
Combe d Averole. The first houses 
are those of the poor hamlet of Averole 
(miserable night quarters), whence Bes- 
sans or Bonneval may be reached in 
\\ hr. steady walking. 



154 



GRAIAN ALPS. §-13. LEVANNA DISTRICT. 



Route F. 

PASSES LEADING TO AND FROM THE 
VAL DI VIU. 

Besides the two passes connecting the 
Val di Viu. with Savoy, described in the 
last Rte., there are several others by 
which it communicates with the Val di 
Ala on the N., and the valley of Susa 
to the S. These are here enumerated 
rather than described, with the hope 
that future travellers will supply addi- 
tional information. 

1. Col di Cialmetta,from Mezzenile 
to Viu. A somewhat circuitous path, 
passing several hamlets, mounts from 
Mezzenile (Rte. D) to the summit, 
where a small chapel (4,340') marks 
the limit between the two valleys, and 
commands a fine view on both sides. 
A steep path descends the bare moun- 
tain slope towards Viu, and another 
longer and easier winds through a 
forest. About 3 hrs. are required to 
reach Viu from Mezzenile. 

2. Pass of Monte Solera, from Viu 
to Ala, Ceres, or Pessinetto. This is a 
much longer way than the last to 
Ceres, but the scenery is finer, and the 
route is especially interesting to the 
botanist. In place of going round by 
Fucine (Rte. E), \ hr. may be saved 
by a short-cut leading from Viu into 
the Val dei Tornetti. The track mounts 
along the 1. bank of the torrent. It is 
best to avoid the village of Tornetti, 
bearing somewhat to the rt. till the 
upper pastures are reached, when the 
pass is seen to the 1. of some steep and 
menacing masses of serpentine, forming 
the dividing ridge between the valleys 
of Viu and Ala. On these rocks the 
botanist will find Cerastium lineare, 
Allium pedemontanum, Carex hispidula, 
and other very rare plants. On reach- 
ing the summit of the col — fully 7,000 
ft. in height — the traveller sees a valley 
descending steeply to the E. on his rt. 
hand, by which he may reach Pes- 
sinetto. and, in 2 hrs. farther, Lanzo. 
A little W. of K, beyond a chalet 
lying on a shelf of the mountain, 



another valley descends to Ala. To 
reach Ceres the best way from the 
chalet is to follow the ridge which se- 
parates these diverging valleys, till the 
traveller overlooks a short and steep 
glen descending to the NE A rough 
and faintly-marked path is carried 
down the 1. side of this glen, and 
finally reaches the valley of Ala, \ hr. 
above Ceres. A guide is almost neces- 
sary for this pass. 

Of the Col de Trelajet from Lemie to 
Ala, the editor has no information. 

M. Joanne, in his 'Itineraire de la 
Savoie,' speaks of a pass in this direc- 
tion as Col de la Croix de Fer, which, 
properly belongs to the next pass. 

3. Ghicetdi Paschietto (about 7,710'). 
This is an easy and interesting pass, 
leading in 5 hrs. from Lemie (Rte. E) 
to La Balme in the Val di Ala. On 
the Ala side near the top are two or 
three picturesque little lakes formed by 
a bergfall. 

4. Col della Croce di Ferro, from 
Malciaussia to Susa. A steep ascent 
of 1^- hr. leads to the summit (8,271')? 
which commands a magnificent view 
over the Combe de Susa, and the ranges 
of the Cottian Alps. From hence it is 
possible to descend to Susa by the 
chalets of Trucco, or to pass along the 
steep S. face of the mountain to the Ca 
d'Asti, and thence reach the summit of 
the Roche Melon in 4^ hrs. from the 
Col (see § 7, Rte. B). 

5. Col di Lys, Viu to Rubiana. An 
ascent of 1 hr. to the S. leads from Viu 
to the picturesque village of Col di San 
Giovanni. From thence a walk of 3 
hrs. suffices to reach Rubiana, from 
whence the rly. stations of Avigliana or 
Condove on the line from Turin to Susa 
are either of them distant about 2 hrs. 
Another way to Turin is by a pass 
leading from Col di San Giovanni 
to Val della Torre in 4 hrs., and 
thence to La Veneria. SW. from the 
village of Col di San Giovanni is the 
Monte Civrari (7,261'), one of the 
finest points for a panoramic view in 
the neighbourhood of Turin. It in y 
be reached in 5 or 6 hrs. from Viu, 



ROUTE A. TURIN TO AOSTA 



155 



and the descent' to Rubiana requires 
3 hrs. 

There is another track leading from 
Viu to Condove by La Colombara, a 
small chapel standing on the summit 
of the ridge W. of the Monte Civrari. 
The botanist will find Pinus nncinata, 
Sempervivum Wulfe?iii, and other rare 
plants, on the waj . 



SECTION 14. 
PARADIS DISTRICT. 

The group of high Alps, whose cul- 
minating point is the Paradis, may be 
described as a triangular mass enclosed 
between the valley of the Oreo, the Val 
Savaranche, and the track which passes 
from the Val d'Aosta through the Val 
de Cogne, over the Col dell a Nouva, 
and down the Val Soana to Ponte on 
the Oreo. The two first-named valleys 
completely separate this from the Le- 
vanna and the Ruitor districts; but to 
the W. of the Val Soana and the Val 
de Cogne is an outlying group whose 
highest points are the Pointe de Ter- 
siva (11,503'?) and the Mont Emilius 
(1 1,677'), and which may be considered 
as an appendage of the mass of the 
Paradis. The most complete and ac- 
curate information respecting this dis- 
trict is to be found in a paper by M. 
Baretti in the 10th 'Bullettino' of the 
Italian Alpine Club. Several of the 
corrections in nomenclature proposed 
by him are here adopted. Much addi- 
tional information as to the Valley of 
Cogne will be found in a little tract — 
' Notices sur la Vallee de Cogne ' — by 
the Abbe Vescoz : Pellas, Florence, 1873. 

Within the last few years the accom- 
modation for strangers in this district 
has been considerably improved ; there 
is now a tolerable inn near the mineral 
springs of Ceresole, affording head- 
quarters for a mountaineer, and two 
small hotels have been opened at Cogne, 
the natural centre of this district. 

In the Val Locana and its tributary 



valleys the Piedmontese dialect of Ita- 
lian is spoken, but in the lateral val- 
leys of the Val d'Aosta, and throughout 
that province, the native language is a 
French patois, resembling that spoken 
in Savoy. 

Tnis district is probably the only 
part of the Alps where the bouquet in 
(Ital. stambecco) still survives in the 
wild state. It is reserved exclusively 
as royal game, and very severe penal- 
ties are enforced against any one killing 
or injuring the animal. Good mule- 
paths have been made in various direc- 
. tions for the king's convenience, and 
often serve the mountaineer. 



Route A. 

TURIN TO AOSTA, BT THE VAL SOANA 
AND VAL DE COGNE — ASCENT Of THE 
GK1VOLA. 



Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 



Ponte 


9\?) 


30 (?) 


Campiglia 


4 


12 


Col della Nouva . 


3 


7 


Cogne . 


4? 


12 


Aostaby Pontd'Ael 


5k 


17 




25| 


78 



Omnibus from Turin to Ponte, mule- 
path to Campiglia, foot-path thence to 
Cogne, rough char-road from Cogne to 
Aosta. The journey may be made in 
two days by a traveller who will put up 
with the wretched accommodation to be 
found at Campiglia ; but it is a better 
arrangement to sleep at Ponte, and at 
Cogne. There is a post-carriage daily 
from Cuorgne to Ivrea, about 15 m., 
which connects the valley of the Oreo 
with the Val d'Aosta by a route con- 
venient in bad weather. 

The omnibus, plying twice a day 
travels in 6 hrs. through a richly culti- 
vated country with many thriving vil- 
lages, to Cuorgne (Inns: Corona Grossa, 
good ; Leone d'Oro), a prosperous manu- 
facturing town at the opening of the 
Val Locana, or valley of the Oreo. A 
lighter carriage goes on to Locana. 
About 1 hr. beyond Cuorgne is 

Pbnte (Inn : Al Valentino, tolerably 



156 



GRAIAN ALPS. §14. PARADES DISTRICT. 



good but rather dear), a village 1,589 
ft. in height, which has grown into a 
town since the establishment of a large 
cotton mill. It is most beautifully 
situated at the junction of the Val 
Soana with the Oreo, and an afternoon 
may be very well spent in strolling 
about the neighbourhood, where every 
eminence commands noble views of the 
two valleys and the snowy chain which 
encloses them. A ruined tower on a 
steep knoll, and the church of Santa 
Maria, about £ hr. below Ponte, are 
indicated as particularly well worth a 
visit. Campanula Elatines is found in 
shady spots near the river. The ascent 
of the Val Soana commences imme- 
diately after passing the cotton mill on 
the N. side of the town. This most 
picturesque glen, through which an 
abundant torrent rushes down between 
steep rocks amid the shade of fine old 
chestnut trees, with occasional glimpses 
of the plain of Piedmont or of the 
higher mountains around, is traversed 
by a paved mule-path, rather fatiguing 
to the feet, especially when descending. 
At Ingria the valley opens somewhat, 
and several hamlets are seen on either 
bank of the torrent. In ascending the 
valley 3^- hrs. are required to reach 
Ronco (3.090'), where refreshments may 
be had at a poor but tolerable inn. 
[Just before reaching Ronco the open- 
ing of the Val di Forzo is passed on the 
L, through which a track leads NW. to 
the Col de Bardonney (9,679'), passing 
on the W. side of the Punta di Lavina 
(10,824'?), and seemingly the most di- 
rect way from Ponte to Cogne. The 
Col, which is an opening in the rocky 
ridge but 6 or 7 ft. wide, is reached 
from the S. side by a stony track that 
mounts through a steep ravine. To the 
W. are two peaks, the Monte Vesa and 
Grande Arolle of M. Baretti. The de- 
scent on the side of Cogne is by the 
Glacier of Bardonney, keeping first to 
the rt., but afterwards along the middle 
of that small glacier. The remains of 
an ancient paved track, now partly 
covered by ice, prove the extension of 
the glaciers in this part of the chain.] 



At Ronco the main valley, which has 
hitherto risen towards theNW.. turns due 
N. for about 2 m. to the junction of the 
torrent descending from the Col di Reale 
(see below). The six-sheet map of Pied- 
mont, which, though often at fault in the 
upper region, has been made in the later 
editions tolerably correct as to paths 
and villages, places a village named 
Valprato at the junction of the two 
valleys. This is an error likely to mis - 
lead a stranger, as the hamlet of Val- 
prato, or Yal Pra, is at the S. foot of 
the Coi di Reale, 2 hrs. above the junc- 
tion, and the hamlet which stands at the 
place so named in the map is called 
Cordonera. It may be well at the same 
time to point out another error in the 
same map, which is also likely to lead a 
traveller astray. At the head of the 
Yal Campea two passes to Cogne are 
shown, of which the 1. hand pass is 
called Col dell' Arietta, and that to 
the rt. Col della Reale. There is no 
doubt that the latter of these, as laid 
down on the map, is the true Col de 
la Nouva, while both the names above 
quoted properly belong to one and the 
same pass (hereafter noticed), which lies 
several miles to the eastward, at the head 
of the other branch of the Yal Soana. 

Above Cordonera the NW. branch 
of the valley, called Val Campea. leads 
in about a mile to the poor hamlet of 
Campiglia (about 4.200'), reached in 
4j hrs.' steady walking from Ponte. 
The descent occupies about 3^- hrs, 
There is no inn, but lodging can, or 
could formerly, be found for the night, 
not worse than that at Ronco. TValnut 
trees are still seen at this unusual height. 
The head of the Val Campea. com- 
manded on the W. side by the fine 
peak of the Punla di Lavina, presents a 
grim and savage appearance, and the 
aspect of the rocky barrier below the 
Col promises a difficult climb. The 
ascent, though long and rather steep, 
presents, however, no obstacle worthy 
of notice, and the botanist will find the 
way shortened by meeting many in- 
teresting plants, among which Sapo- 
naria lutea and Silene vallesia are con- 



ROUTE A. — COL DELLA NOUVA. 



157 



spicuous. It is necessary to keep well 
to the rt, especially towards the top, 
which in ascending from this side is 
fully 3Jp hrs. from Campiglia; but 3 
hrs., or even less, suffice for the descent. 

The Col della Nouva, 9,664 ft. above 
the sea, according to the mean of 
observations taken by M. Favre and 
Mr. Bonney, commands a very grand 
view of the range of Mont Blanc on 
the one side, and on the other looks 
over the Val Soana to the plain of 
Piedmont, and the Montferrat hills 
beyond Turin. The name Col dell' 
Arietta is often given to this, as well as 
to two or three other passes in the same 
neighbourhood, but the name here used 
is the ancient and correct designation, 
the pass being called Fenestra Nova in 
Latin documents of the 11th century. 
By mounting a few hundred feet to 
the W. of the Col, this view becomes 
a panorama, which includes most of 
the principal peaks of the Graian and 
Pennine Alps. The descent on the 
N. side lies for about 20 min. over a 
small glacier, in part rather steep, 
but quite free from difficulty. The 
best way, however, especially when 
the crevasses are covered with snow, 
is to follow the track, one of the king's 
hunting paths, which keeps along the 
rt. bank, avoiding the ice. Below the 
glacier the way lies along a rocky 
ridge, with slopes of alpine turf. To 
the rt. is seen the pass of La Fenetre 
de Cogne, leading to the Val Cham- 
porcher and the Col di Reale, and in 
about 1| hr. descending from the 
Col della Nouva, the traveller gains the 
well-marked path leading from the first- 
named Col to Cogne, near to the chalets 
of Chavanis. Near here, on stony 
slopes of debris, is the only known 
habitat of a curious plant — Aethionema 
Thomasianum. A rather steep path is 
carried along the N. slope of the 
Val de Cogne, which descends about 
due W., and soon enters the region of 
the larch. Ie approaching the lower 
level of the valley, the path traverses 
a considerable ridge, which is either 
the remains of a great landslip or an 



ancient moraine of large size, and a 
little farther reaches the level of the 
plain of Cogne. On the way a lateral 
glen — the Combe de Valeiylia — closed by 
a fine glacier of the same name, shows 
towards the S. the peak of the Tour 
du Grand St. Pierre (12,064'), and leads 
to Locana by the Col de Telleccio. 
After crossing to the 1. bank of the 
torrent, a good road, nearly level, leads 
in 2^ hrs., descending from Chavanis, to 
Cogne, the chief village of the valley, 
just 5,000 ft. above the sea, long known 
for its considerable mines of rich iron 
ore. The inn (Auberge de laGrivola) 
has been lately much improved, and a 
new house (Hotel Royal) has been 
opened. The village stands at the E. 
corner of a triangular plain, nearly 1 m. 
wide, at the junction of the main valley 
with the tributary glen of Valnontey, 
leading in 2^ hrs. to the Gl. de Gran- 
crou (Rte. G). The cure of Cogne, 
M. Chamonin. has been one of the most 
persevering and successful explorers of 
the neighbouring Aips, and his infor- 
mation and advice may be sought with 
advantage. Alexis and Elisee Jeantet, 
Pierre Jacquin, and Ferdinand Gian- 
dolini are the best local guides, and 
are content with 4 or 5 fr. a day for 
moderate excursions. The iron mines, 
abandoned during the last few years — 
not from deficiency of ore, for this is 
believed to be inexhaustible, but owing 
to the heavy expense of working at so 
great a height— are about 2^ hrs. 
from Cogne, and are well worth a visit. 
There are not many places in the Alps 
that offer so many interesting excursions 
within a small area as this village, which 
offers the additional attractions of a 
cool retreat from the oppressive heat of 
the neighbouring Val d'Aosta. The 
Combe de Valnontey, opening SW. of 
the village and leading to the Glaciers 
of Money and Grancrou, the Vallon 
i de Lauzon leading to the Col of the 
I same name, the Combe de Vaieiglia, 
and the Val de Grauson, may each 
occupy a day, and offer varied attrac- 
I tions. The botanist may go by the 
I valley path to the pastures of Chavanis, 



158 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 14, 



PARADIS DISTRICT. 



and return to Cogne by the slopes high 
above the valley, and by the way visit 
the iron mines. The most attractive 
excursion, however, for those who do 
not attempt to ascend the Grivola is 
that to the rocks of Le Poucet. Though 
rather laborious for a lady, it will be 
considered by a practised pedestrian 
but a very moderate expedition. Less 
than a mile below Cogne, at the hamlet 
of Cretaz, a narrow glen opens to the 
SW., through which a mule-track 
mounts to the chalets of Ours-dessus, 
then turns sharp to the rt., crosses a 
ridge dividing it from another glen, and 
ascends to the chalets of Poucet-dessus, 
8,248 ft. above the sea, about 3 hrs. 
from Cogne. On the way the traveller 
passes amidst ice-rounded domes and 
bosses of rock. A short distance above 
the chalet commences a long and steep 
ascent of about 1,800 ft., chiefly over 
debris, called in this part of Piedmont 
clapper/, reaching up to the ridge which 
commands so remarkable a view of the 
peak of the Grivola, seen across the 
upper basin of the Glacier of Trajo. 
Probably the two views that will occur 
to Alpine travellers as comparable 
with this are that of the Matterhorn 
as seen from some points on the ridge 
of the Theodule Pass, and the Gross 
Glockner from the Hohenwartscharte. 
The Matterhorn is altogether a more 
colossal peak, and in the dimensions 
as in the plan of its Titanic archi- 
tecture quite unrivalled, either in 
the Alps, or, as far as we know, else- 
where in the world ; but it has not 
the peculiar gracefulness of form that 
distinguishes the Grivola. The Gross 
Glockner is a far nearer likeness to the 
Grivola. The height of both is about 
the same, differing by only 87 ft. 
Both are pyramidal peaks, laterally 
compressed, so that their faces are of 
unequal width. Of the Glockner the 
S. and W. faces — of the Grivola the 
N. and E. faces — are snow-slopes of 
extreme length and steepness, while 
the opposite faces consist mainly of 
rock. But while the Glockner, as seen 
from the SW., is still sharper, and 



perhaps more elegant in form, there is 
not any point of view from whence it 
is so well seen as the Grivola is from 
the Poucet. The Hohenwartscharte is 
a point in a snowy ridge which rises 
continually towards the base of the 
pyramid, while from the Poucet 
the level space of the upper glacier 
of Trajo furnishes the desired con- 
trast, enabling the eye to measure the 
steepness of the peak. From 8 to 9 hrs. 
exclusive of halts should be allowed 
for the excursion. 

The ascent of the Grivola is to the 
aspiring mountaineer the grand object 
of a visit to Cogne. The skeleton of 
the central triangular mass forming the 
nucleus of the Graian Alps consists of 
three ridges, which diverge from the 
Grand Paradis as a centre. The south- 
western and least considerable of these, 
including the summits of the Cima di 
Charforon and Punta Fourd, terminates 
at the pass of La Croix de Nivolet. 
The eastern ridge, which culminates 
in the Tour de St.- Pierre, is limited by 
the Col dell a Nouva, unless we con- 
sider the range which separates the 
Val Champ orcher from the Val Soana 
as its eastern prolongation. The 
northern ridge rises at first into the 
fine points called Pointe de PHerbetet 
and La Grande Serre, then sinks a 
little to the Col de Lauzon, and rises 
at its N. extremity to confront the 
great range of the Pennine Alps in the 
daring and beautiful pyramidal peak 
of the Grivola, or Come de Cogne. 
Although it is conspicuous in all the 
distant views of this region by its great 
height and remarkable form, it is so 
far buttressed round by minor masses 
that it is not well seen from the valleys 
of Cogne or Aosta, and this circum- 
stance has perhaps been the cause of 
the neglect with which it had been 
treated by Alpine travellers until within 
the last few years. The direction in 
which the ascent of the Grivola appears 
least difficult is along the S. ridge, 
formed of rock alternating with very 
steep snow-slopes. It was by this way 
that Mr. Tuckett made his first un- 



ROUTE A. VAL DE COGNE. 



159 



successful attempt in 1859. In the 
same year Messrs. J. Ormsby and R. 
Bruce, starting from Val Savaranche, 
reached the highest ridge, but not, as 
it would appear, the highest point of 
that ridge. Finally, in 1861, M. Cha- 
monin, the cure of Cogne, who had 
already made two attempts which 
served to set him on the right track, 
attained the highest point of the moun- 
tain by a route which seems to present 
no unusual difficulties, and which has 
been adopted in subsequent ascents. 
Starting from the Chalet du Poucet, 
the course lies upwards to and along 
the ridge of the Poucet. 2 hrs. suffice 
to reach the Glacier de Trap, and 1 hr. 
more for the passage of the glacier to 
the base of the peak. ' The ascent is 
made by mounting the long couloir 
most to the left, as seen from the 
Poucet ridge, nearly to the summit, 
and then crossing to the next couloir 
to the right, and up it to the arete within 
a short distance of the summit of the 
mountain.'— [A.G. G.] 2| hrs. are re 
quired for the ascent of the final peak, and 
3 hrs. for descending thence to Poucet- 
dessus. When making the third ascent 
Mr. W. Mathews gathered Campa- 
nula cenisia at a height of 12,047 ft. 
The peak is composed of crystalline 
slates, in which chlorite and mica al- 
ternately predominate. The height de- 
rived by Mr. Mathews from his own 
and other observations is 13,028 ft. 

A southern peak of the Grivola, 
called La Rossa, may be reached in 4 
or 5 hrs. from Cogne without serious 
difficulty. 

For the routes from Cogne to Aosta 
by the Col d'Arbole and the Becca di 
Nona, or by the Mont Emilius and the 
Val de Grauson, see Rtes. B and C. 

Three fine passes lead from Cogne 
to Val Savaranche. The southernmost 
— very rarely used — is the Col de VHer- 
betet (about 10,000'). The way from 
Cogne is by the hamlet of Valnontey, 
where the torrent from the Glacier de 
Monei is crossed. A track by the 1. 
bank leads to the chalets of Herbetet. 
Mounting thence to SW., the traveller 

PART I. 



crosses a small glacier, and ascends to 
the Col— between the Pointe de 1' Her- 
betet and the Grande Serre — by a steep 
rocky couloir. The descent is by a 
similar couloir, over another small 
glacier, and rough slopes to the chalets 
of Leviouna. Here the traveller may 
descend into Val Savaranche by one of 
the king's hunting paths, but there is a 
shorter and steeper way to the village 
of that name. The most direct and 
frequented pass is the Col de Lauzon 
(about 9,500'?). From the junction of 
the torrent of the Vallon de Lauzon 
with Valnontey, the royal hunting path 
mounts, amid very fine scenery, to the 
chalets of Lauzon, and above these 
goes by the king's hunting lodge, 8,510 
ft. above the sea. At the very top of 
the pass is a roofless shed, with loop- 
holes through which the royal sports- 
man takes aim at the passing bouquetins. 
The path descends to the chalets of 
Leviouna, mentioned above. The Col 
des Rayes Noires (about 9,680') is a 
mere variation on the last, being a notch 
in the ridge a short way N. of the Col 
de Lauzon. On the N. side of the Gri- 
vola the Col de Mesoncles offers another 
way to the Val Savaranche. 

The Val de Cogne, which opens out 
to give space for cultivation in the 
neighbourhood of its chief village, is 
gradually narrowed between the moun- 
tains on either hand, and beyond the 
Pont de Laval, 1^- hr. below Cogne, 
it becomes a mere gorge, through 
which the torrent forces its way often 
at a considerable depth below the char- 
road which traverses Epinel, Silvenoir, 
and one or two other small hamlets. 
The valley, which had descended from 
its head to Cogne about due W., gradu- 
ally bends to NW., and at last the 
narrow ravine which leads down to the 
Dora turns directly to N. The road is 
here carried along the rt. bank, and on 
the shoulder of the mountain by which 
it quits the valley it is fully 1,000 ft. 
above the stream. Thence it winds 
down to Aimavitle, where an ugly mo- 
dern sham castle commands a very fine 
view of the valley between Villeneuve 



160 



GRAIAN ALPS. §1-4. PARADIS DISTRICT. 



and Aosta. Ad agreeable path along 
the rt. bank of the Dora, much prefer- 
able to the high-road on the opposite 
bank, leads to Aosta by Jovenceau 
and Gressan. 

The pedestrian should make a slight 
detour to visit the remarkable bridge of 
Pont oVAel, sometimes written Pontel. 
This is reached by a path turning down 
to the 1. a short distance before the 
opening of the Val de Cogne into the 
Val d'Aosta. A steep descent leads 
down to the little village where the 
torrent, issuing from the Val de Cogne, 
is spanned, at a height of 400 ft., by 
an arch intended to serve the double 
purpose of bridge and aqueduct. A 
Roman inscription, still perfectly fresh, 
seen over the arch on the N. side of the 
bridge, records its construction in the 
13th year of Augustus. Below the 
road a vaulted gallery, which formerly 
served to convey water, is carried across 
the arch, one entrance being in the 
village, the other on the opposite bank. 
From Pont d'Ael, which is 3 hrs. from 
Cogne, the pedestrian may reach Aosta 
by Aimaville in 2^ hrs., or if his course 
be towards Courmayeur, he will find a 
track which leads in 1 hr. to Ville- 
neuve (§ 15, Rte. A). 

Among other very rare plants Astra- 
gains alopecuroides, Valeriana celtica, 
Linna>a borealis, &c, have been found 
in the Val de Cogne. 

Between the head of the Val de Cogne 
and Val Soana are several passes, all 
of them little used, which may here be 
briefly enumerated, as they serve as 
variations on the ordinary route by the 
Col della Nouva. 1. Beginning on 
the W. side, the ..Val di Forzo which 
joins Val Soana below Ronco leads to 
the Col de Bardonney, already noticed. 
2- Another, more difficult, hunter's 
pass is approached through a lateral 
glen called Pian delle Mule. It crosses 
the ridge between the summits called 
Fuso di Forzo and Monte Veso, and 
descends on the very crevassed western 
branch of the Glacier of Valeiglia. 3. 
From Campiglia, in Val Campea, a 
faint track leads a little W. of N. to- 



wards the Col del Rancio, whence the 
descent towards Cogne is along the 
torrent of the Eaux Rousses. At the 
junction of this with that of Bardonney 
the traveller finds an easy way to 
Cogne by one of the royal hunting 
paths. 4. Between the last and the 
Col della Nouva is the Col della 
Scaletta, approached on the S. side by 
very steep rocks made accessible by 
steps cut in places. The path of the 
Col della Nouva is joined on the N. 
side below the foot of the glacier. 
The last named passes are about the 
same height as that of la Nouva, but 
more difficult. 5. On the E. side of 
the Col della Nouva the traveller may 
reach Cogne from Ponte by a route 
rather easier, but fully 2 hrs. longer 
than the ordinary way. From the 
hamlet of Curdonera, above Ronco, a 
lateral valley mounts NNE. to Valpra 
(or Valprato), whence a steep ascent 
leads to the Col di Reale, or Col di 
Chnmporcher, also locally known (like 
several others here named) as Col delV 
Arietta. This overlooks the upper end 
of the Val de Champorcher, but by 
bearing to the 1 , and remounting to 
the chapel of Notre Dame de la Neige, 
the traveller will fall into the track 
from Bard to Cogne noticed in Rte. D. 

Route B. 

AOSTA TO COGNE, BY THE BECCA DI 
NONA. AND COL DE GARIN. 

13 hrs.' walk, exclusive of halts. 
The Beccadi Nona is now well known 
to most Alpine travellers as offering one 
of the finest panoramic views — some 
think the finest — in the entire range of 
the Alps. This peak, 10,384 ft. in 
height, nearly due S. of Aosta, and 
about 8,400 ft. above the city, com- 
mands the entire southern declivity of 
the Pennine Alps from Mont Blanc to 
Monte Rosa. The principal peaks of 
the Graians are still nearer at hand, 
though to a slight extent masked by 
rival summits, it is to the lute excel- 



ROUTE B. BECCA DI NONA. 1^1 



lent Chanoine Carrel of Aosta, who did 
so much besides to illustrate his native 
valley, that we are indebted for a 
knowledge of this admirable point 
of view, and the lithographed pano- 
rama which he published, and which 
is found on sale at Aosta and in 
Turin, serves as a guide to those 
who, reaching the summit with favour- 
able weather, would study the topo- 
graphy of this, the grandest part of 
the Alpine chain. The name Pic 
Carrel has been very deservedly given 
to the peak by some local writers, and 
the name has, been adopted by the offi- 
cers of the Etat- Major at Turin. We 
have, however, retained the designation 
generally known to travellers and to the 
people of the valley. The usual course 
is to ascend from Aosta, and return 
thither on the same day. Even to those 
who have made that excursion, the way 
to Cogne by the Col d'Arbole is 
strongly recommended as an indepen- 
dent expedition ; but an active moun- 
taineer may easily combine the two hi 
a single long day's walk, which can 
scarcely be surpassed for grandeur and 
variety of scenery. It is hard to say 
whether the expedition may more 
advantageously be made from Aosta or 
from Cogne, as the views during the 
descent on either side are such as no 
one would willingly lose ; but the 
second is certainly the less laborious 
alternative, as the ascent is reduced by 
fully 3,000 ft. On the other hand,, 
those who object to so lon<>; a walk may 
ride from Aosta to within a short 
distance of the summit, and this cir- 
cumstance has permitted many of our 
countrywomen to enjoy the ascent, of 
which one of them has given an in- 
teresting account in the pleasant volume 
palled 'Alpine Byways.' Eor that 
wise minority of travellers who allow 
themselves time to enjoy fully the 
beauties of nature, and who have 
pursuits which give them an ad- 
ditional motive not to hurry over the 
ground, the best arrangement will be to 
ascend the Becca di Nona from Aosta, 
(sleep at the chalets of Comboe, and pass 

M 



on the following day to Cogne. The 
experienced mountaineer is aware that 
an ascent of nearly 8,500 ft. cannot 
be accomplished without labour, and 
will therefore be careful to make an 
early start from Aosta. For the Becca 
di Nona a guide is scarcely required, as 
the mule-path serves to direct the way, 
but local knowledge can scarcely be 
dispensed with for the pass to Cogne. 
In making the route from Cogne a 
guide is necessary, at least as far as the 
Col de Garin. 

After crossing the Doire on the S. 
side of the town of Aosta, the ascent 
commences almost immediately to the 
village of Charvensod, where a guide 
may easily be procured for the remainder 
of the ascent. From thence, amid near 
scenery and distant views of continually 
increasing beauty, the mule-track winds 
up the slopes which lead past the 
j hermitage of St. Grat and the hamlet 
of Chamole, and finally across a ridge 
' which forms the N. boundary of an 
I upland valley containing the pastures 
and chalets of Comboe (about 7,000'). 
These belong to the chapter of Aosta, 
and one of them was fitted up by Cha- 
noine Carrel so as to give comfortable 
night quarters to five or six persons. 
The house was readily made available 
for travellers by the late owner, but the 
writer is not aware whether they are now 
permitted to use it. The path leading to 
the summit of the Becca di Nona has 
been somewhat neglected, but a good 
mountain mule, not easily found at 
Aosta, would carry a lady nearly to the 
top, dismounting in bad places. To de- 
scribe the view from the summit 
would involve a catalogue of the peaks 
of the Pennine and Graian Alps which 
is best supplied in the panorama given 
with the next route. Those who wish 
to combine with the ranges of the Alps 
a wide prospect of the plains of N. 
Italy, must ascend the higher and more 
distant peak of Mont Emilius (Rte. C), 
but it may be doubted whether the 
view from the summit of the Becca 
plunging into the rich Val dAosta, 
which seems to lie immediately at the 
2 



162 GRATAN ALPS. § 14, 

traveller's feet, is not on the whole to 
be preferred. 

In the second series of ' Peaks, Passes, 
and Glaciers,' Mr.Tuckett has described 
a route from Aosta to the summit of 
the Becca di Nona, which seems to be, 
if possible, more beautiful than the 
ordinary way. Future visitors from 
Aosta will do well to mount by this 
new path and descend by the usual 
track. Taking a pathway which turns 
to the 1. above Charvensod, he mounted 
SE. towards Les Pouces at the NE. 
foot of the Signal Sismonda, and after 
rounding the base of a spur from that 
peak which cuts off the view of the 
Upper Val d' Aosta, he entered the 
head of the glen of the Dard, which 
forms a beautiful cascade below the 
dark mass of the Becca di Nona, with 
the Matterhorn closing the view to the 
NE. In the lower part of the gorge 
of the Dard are some curious natural 
pillars, figured by Mr. Jacomb in 
' Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers ' A path- 
way along a watercourse leads to the 
cascade, and the ascent continues by 
the slopes E. of the stream, past the 
Chalet de Ponteille, and up to a grassy 
ridge or col overlooking the pastures of 
Comboe. 

Travellers who take mules from 
Aosta or Charvensod employ 6 hrs. in 
the ascent and 5 hrs. in the descent, 
exclusive of halts at Comboe and on the 
summit. An active pedestrian may 
somewhat reduce the time in ascending, 
and save 1| hr. in the descent. 

Those who take the Becca di Nona 
on the way from Aosta to Cogne need 
not return to the chalets of Comboe. 
Descending as far as a point named 
Gros Cez, and then turning to the 1., 
the traveller gains, in 1^ hr. from the 
peak, the ridge SE. of Comboe, se- 
parating that Alp from Arbole. The 
head of this upland glen bends SE. to- 
wards the Mont Emilius, but the proper 
course lies about due S. to a gap in the 
opposite ridge, which is reached across 
heaps of debris, passing two small lakes, 
and finally by steep snow-slopes. This 
is the Col de Garin (9,370'), or Col 



■. PARADIS DISTRICT. 

oVArpisson (wrongly called Col d' Arbole 
in a former edition), distant 1\ hrs, 
from the top of the Becca, and if hr. 
from the chalets of Comboe. The 
view from the pass, says Mr. Tuckett, i 
was one of unexpected sublimity. Be- | 
yond the deep chasm of the Val de 
Cogne the noble forms of the Grand 
Paradis and the Grivola are seen in 
full grandeur. The descent on the S. 
side lies at first over debris, and then j 
over a pasture, to some chalets, beside 
which stands the Croix d'Arpisson. 1 
This is beautifully situated, imme- 
diately overlooking the village of \ 
Epinel in the Val de Cogne, and the 
view of the Grivola is said to rival 
that of the Jungfrau from the Schilt- 
horn above Miirren. A path zigzags 
through a pine-wood, and in 1\ hrs. of 
rapid descent from the Col leads to 
another chalet. Instead of descend- 
ing to Epinel the traveller bound for j 
Cogne should here take a path to the 1. 
which reaches Cretaz in f hr., and in 
15 min. more the village of Cogne. 

Following the advice of M. Carrel, 
the writer took another way from the I 
Becca di Nona to Cogne, which he 
thinks worth the attention of tra- j 
vellers. Instead of descending from 
the summit to Gros Cez, he left the ! 
ordinary track a few minutes below ! 
the top of the mountain, and bore j 
to the 1. towards a col near to a little 
lake or tarn, which he passed on its , 
W. side. There is no difficulty in j 
keeping the same direction, beneath a 
summit called Valle, lying W. of Mont j 
Emilius, and in less than 1 hr. from the 
top a second col is reached, overlook- 
ing the head of the glen of Arbole. 
From that point it would have been 
shorter to cross the Vallon d' Arbole 
and reach Cogne by a little known 
pass called Pas du Vulaisan, on the N. 
side of the Pointe de Garin, but the 
writer preferred the way by the Col 
d' Arbole, Col de Lore, and Val de 
Grauson, described in next Rte. 

Travellers who fear fatigue may 
reach Cogne by the Col de Garin, or 
by the Col de Chazseche (9,154'), also 



ROUTE C. MONT EMILIUS. 



163 



commanding a noble view ; and, instead 
of ascending the Becca di Nona, con- 
tent themselves with attaining the 
Signal Sismonda (8,353'), a projecting 
buttress of the same mountain, often 
visited by ladies who fear to attempt 
the higher peak. A hut is to be opened 
there soon by the Italian Alpine Club. 



Koute C. 

AOSTA TO COGNE, BY THE MONT 
EMILIUS AND THE VAL DE GRAUSON. 

The Mont Emilius is the highest 
summit of the range, or rather group 
of mountains, lying NE. of the Val de 
Cogne. It is not likely to be so much 
frequented as the Becca di Nona, not 
merely because the ascent is longer and 
more laborious, but because the view, 
although more completely panoramic, 
loses one main feature, inasmuch as it 
does not plunge so directly into the 
Val d'Aosta, from which the Mont 
Emilius is partly separated by the 
Becca di Nona and by portions of the 
lower ranges E. of that peak. The 
excursion is, however, full of interest, 
and by ascending: on the preceding 
evening to the chalets of Comboe, and 
sleeping there, there is no difficulty in 
reaching Cogne in good time on the 
following day. 

The Editor has been favoured with 
notes of the ascent made by Mr. W. 
Mathews and by the Rev. T. Bonncy 
on the 12th of August, 1862. 

Starting at 4.40 a.m. from the Chalets 
de Comboe. they followed the upland 
valley which bends to the E. along the 
S. side of the Becca di Nona to the 
Chalets d'Arbole (8,228') : these were 
reached in 55 min. The head of the 
glen is closed by a small glacier lying 
between the Mont Emilius on the 1. 
and the Pointe de Garin on the rt. Two 
hrs. sufficed to reach the base of this 
glacier, above the small Lac d'Arbole, 
which must be one of the highest in the 
Al$>s, as the spot near the glacier where 



the party halted for breakfast was found 
to be 10,003 ft. above the sea. In cross- 
ing the glacier they bore to the 1. in the 
direction of the Mont Emilius, and 
after mounting a steep face of rocks 
soon reached the arete, formed of 
steep and shattered rocks, which led 
in 1 hr. from their halting- place to 
the summit, which by the latest obser- 
vations of the Piedmontese engineers 
is 11,677 ft. in height. The annexed 
panorama, for the S. part of which the 
editor has to express his obligations to 
Mr. Bonney, will give some idea of the 
magnificent view, certainly amongst 
the very finest in the Alps. The 
precipices on the side facing the Val 
d'Aosta are of extraordinary height 
and steepness, and the city is seen 
apparently at the base of the mountain. 
Saxifraga bryoides and Androsace gla- 
cialis were found close to the summit. 

After placing a mercurial minimum 
thermometer in the cairn which was 
found at the summit, Messrs. Mathews 
and Bonney re-descended the ridge and 
kept nearly the whole way along it 
till in 1 hr. they reached its lowest 
point, the Col d'Arbole (10,393'), mis- 
named Col de Garin in a previous 
edition. On sheet 30 of the large 
Sardinian map this Col is erroneously 
laid down as connecting the Val 
d'Arbole with the head of the Val de 
Grauson. In point of fact, the glacier 
on the E. side of the pass lies at the 
head of the Val de Lore, which joins 
the Val d'Aosta near Brissogne, 1 \ hr. 
E. of the city. Mr. Bonney thinks 
that the summit of Mont Emilius 
might be reached from Aosta in less 
time by that way than by Comboe; 
but the keight— very near 10,000 ft. — 
would make the expedition rather too 
much for a single day's walk, and the 
good night-quarters found at Comboe 
entitle that way to a preference. The 
Val de Lore, may, however, be well 
chosen for a return route from the Mont 
Emilius to Aosta. This valley, and 
the Col de Lore connecting its head 
with the Val de Grauson, would form an 
interesting route from Aosta to Cogne, 



164 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 14. PARADIS DISTRICT. 



requiring 10 or 11 hrs. exclusive of 
halts. 

To reach the pass to Grauson from 
the Col de Garin, the glacier above 
spoken of was crossed in 35 min. 
The Col de Lore (10,049'), also written 
Pas des Laures, overlooks a tributary 
glen of the Val de Grauson, the head 
of which lies farther E. Steep rocks 
and screes lead down to the highest 
Alpine pastures, below which three 
beautiful little lakes intervene before 
reaching the first chalets, 1 hr. 20 min. 
from the Col. Thence 1| hr. suffice 
to descend into the valley, and to 
reach the village of Cogne, which lies 
a short way below the junction of the 
Yal de Grauson with the main stream. 

The grand view of theGrivola gained 
from the Col de Garin is missed in this 
route,butthe views of the GrandPara- 
dis and its glaciers during the descent 
from the Pas de Lore are scarcely less 
striking. To see the Cogne peaks to 
perfection the traveller should ascend 
the Pointe de Garin (10,985'). crowning 
the range between Arbole and Grauson. 
It is reached in 5 hrs. from Cogne by 
the latter valley. 



Route D. 

COGNE TO BARD, BY THE FENETRE DE 
COGNE. 

For those who have already visited 
Aosta, and who wish to approach the 
Italian valleys of Monte Rosa by a new 
route from Cogne, this will afford a 
pleasant variety. Formerly ve*ry rough, 
the way is now easy, being traversed 
by one of the king's hunting paths. 
The rte. from Cogne to the chalets of 
Chavanis is descrihed in Rte. A. At 
that point the track to the Col della 
Nouva is left on the rt. hand, and a steep 
path mounts about due E. to a mere 
notch in the ridge which encloses the 
head of the valley. This is the pass of the 
Fenetrede Cogne (about 8,P6V), reached 



in 4^ hrs. from Cogne, and the view from 
thence of the Grand Paradis is one of the 
finest in this part of the range. In the 
opposite direction the rugged summits 
of the ridge separating the Val Cham- 
porcher from the Val Soana are more 
striking than might be expected from 
their supposed moderate height. From 
the Col the path descends by soft and 
rather slippery soil to a dreary plateau 
watered by glacier streams, where 
stands the Chapel of Notre Dame de la 
Neige. A short distance below the 
Chapel the path, after skirting the base 
of a high mountain on the rt. hand, 
overlooks the whole length of the Val 
Champorcher to Bard. The scenery 
becomes more lively when the path 
reaches the pastures near a little lake 
at the N. foot of the Col di Reale 
(Rte. A), by which the Val Soana and 
the valley of the Oreo may be reached 
from Bard. From this point, which is 
nearly 2 hrs. from the Fenetre, about 
4 hrs. are required for the descent to 
Bard. The Val Champorcher is de- 
scribed in Mr. King's ' Italian Valleys 
of the Pennine Alps.' 

Bard (Inn: Sole, poor and dirty) is 
described in § 20, Rte. I. 

Another way from Cogne to the Val 
d' Aosta is by the Col de Pontonet (about 
9,350'), lying between the Punta di 
Tersiva (11,053'). also called Pointe de 
Dorere, and the Tour de Ponton. The 
path leads from Chavanis to the head 
of the Val de Fenis, and thence to 
Chambave, about 3 miles from Cha- 
tillon (§ 20, Rte. B). The panorama 
enjoyed from the Punta di Tersiva is 
declared by M. Chamonin to surpass 
that of any other of the Graian peaks, 
but it does not yet seem to have at- 
tracted .English travellers. The best 
way from Cogne is through the Val de 
Grauson. The summit may be reached 
in 6^ hrs.' steady walking. 



i 



ROUTE E. — COL DE GALEbE. 



165 



Route E. 

PONTE TO TIGNES, BY THE COL DE 
GALESE. 

Hours' Eng. 

walking miles 

Locana . . . . 1% 7^ 

Noasca . . • • 2± 7| 

Ceresole, mineral springs 1| 4 

Chapis . 2f 7£ 

Col de Galese ... 3 6 

Laval .... 3^ 8 

Tignes . • 1£ 3i 

~16± 44 
A carriage plies daily during the 
season of the Ceresole waters as far as 
Lilla, 5 m. beyond Locana— mule-path 
thence to Chapis. The passage of the 
Col should not be attempted in bad 
weather, nor -without a guide. The 
only good halting-place is at the 
mineral springs of Ceresole, about ^ hr. 
below the village of that name. 

A good, but hot and dusty road, 
leads from Ponte (Rte. A), amidst 
very fine scenery, along the valley of 
the Oreo to 

Locana (Inns : Leone d'Oro, to- 
lerable ; Tre Pernici), a little old town 
with narrow streets. Above this place 
the scenery becomes wilder, but the 
prevailing tree is still the chestnut, 
which contrasts finely with the nearer 
rock masses and the rugged peaks that 
form the background. Glacier mark- 
ings may be traced to a height of 600 
or 800 ft., along the retaining walls of 
the valley. [To the rt. is seen the 
opening of the Val Piantonetto; through 
it lies the way to the Col de Telkccio 
(10,925') between the Pic d'Ondezana 
to the E. and the Tour de St. Pierre to 
the W. Once somewhat frequented, 
this has been almost abandoned owing 
to the increasing difficulty of the 
Glacier of Valeiglia on the Cogne side. 
In making the pass from Cogne it is 
necessary to keep well to the W. below 
the small Glacier of Telleccio in order 
to strike the couloir which alone allows 
the descent on the S. side.] The car- 
riage road stops at Lilla, where the 
traveller finds refreshment. Nearly 
1 hr. farther is the wretched village of 



Noasca, whose miserable appearance 
recalls to mind the couplet — 

Noasca, Noasca, 
Poco pane, lunga tasca 

The Noaschetta torrent here descends 
from the N. through a wild glen leading 
to the Col de Grancrou, described in 
Rte. G, and immediately above the 
junction is one of the grandest scenes 
in the valley. In the midst of huge 
masses of granite the torrent, issuing 
from a rift in the mountain, forms a 
very fine waterfall, close below -which 
the path crosses the Noaschetta. Above 
this is another fine waterfall, and the 
main valley bends to the S. of W., 
while a lateral glen mounts towards 
the Grand Paradis, which is not seen 
from below. Keeping to the 1. bank of 
the Oreo, the mule-paths mount through 
a gorge, almost closed by huge masses 
of rock fallen from the precipices on 
either hand. Over the gap which marks 
the upper end of the gorge the snowy 
peaks of the Levanna are seen, and 
the path ascends more steeply by 
rude steps, in some places cut in the 
live rock — whence the passage is 
called Scalare di Ceresole — till at the 
summit it emerges abruptly into the 
undulating, almost level, upper stage of 
the valley, divided into barley -fields 
and rich meadows, enclosed by pine 
forest, and above these by rugged peaks, 
of which the chief is the Becca a Tre 
Corni — as the Levanna is called in this 
valley. To the left is the range over 
which lies the pass leading to the val- 
ley of Groscavallo, described in § 13, 
Rte. C. 

About 2 m. above the Scalare is an 
inn, 4.864 ft. above the sea. built near 
to a mineral spring, which attracts 
hither some summer visitors from 
Turin. The management has been 
lately much improved, and it now 
supplies very fair accommodation at 
reasonable prices. Michele Blanchetti, 
a guardacaccia named Oberti, and a 
man called II Gal (too fond of liquor) 
are said to be the best guides to the 
surrounding Alps. When the king 
is hunting in this neighbourhood, 



166 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 14. PARADIS DISTRICT. 



travellers should arrange their excur- 
sions so as not to disturb the chamois 
and bouquetins. Scarcely anything is 
seen from the main valley of the range 
south-west of the Grand Paradis, se- 
parating the Val Savaranche from 
Ceresole. The most conspicuous sum- 
mits are the Cima di Charforon, Piinta 
di Monciair, and Punta Foura. The 
second is a double peak to which the 
names Becca di Merlet and Cocagna 
have been given. The latter name 
properly belongs to a peak easy of 
access, lying S. of the main range not 
far from Ceresole. About 1^ m. above 
the mineral spring is the parish church 
of Ceresole, with a "wretched inn beside 
it, and quite I m. farther the chief 
hamlet, locally called La Villa. Hence- 
forward the path follows the 1. bank of 
the Oreo to the hamlet of Chapis, the 
highest in the valley, above which the 
comparatively frequented path to Val 
Savaranche turns oft" to the rt., while 
the little-used track to the Col de 
Galese mounts due W., and the still 
more rarely traversed Col di Carro 
(§ 13, Rte. B) lies SW. To reach the 
Galese the path mounts to the chalets 
of Serue, where the scenery assumes 
the most savage and stern character, 
and the appearance of the pass is so 
forbidding that a stranger might hesi- 
tate to attempt it. The path seems to 
come to an end at the base of a couloir 
— called the Petit Coluret — running up 
the face of the mountain. The diffi- 
culty of the ascent seems to have been 
exaggerated. Those who dislike the 
couloir may climb on one side by steep 
but not bad rocks, overlooking a small 
lake. At the summit the traveller 
reaches a small plain or shelf in the 
mountain, often covered with snow. 
Here the foot of a small glacier is 
traversed, and the ascent is continued 
by rocks and snow-slopes to the base 
of the Grand Coluret, a very steep 
couloir, partly filled with snow, whose 
condition varies with the season and 
the temperature. Under favourable 
circumstances it may be climbed in 
£ hr., but when step-cutting is neces- 



sary it would consume at least 1| hr. 
Near the top it divides into two 
branches. The more direct, on the rt. 
hand, is extremely steep. It is best to 
choose the 1. hand branch, and return 
along the rocks to the former when 
just below the summit. The Col de 
Galese (9,836') commands a very fine 
view of the Tarentaise Alps. From 
3 to 4 hrs. are required for the ascent 
from Chapis, but the descent on this 
side may usually be made in much less 
time, as the channel of the Petit Coluret 
is composed of yielding soil, very easy 
in the descent. To descend the Grand 
Coluret when filled with hard-frozen 
snow requires the steadiness of prac- 
tised mountaineers ; the traveller should 
therefore take at least one good guide, 
with rope and ice-axe. 

The Tarentaise side of the Col is 
easy. A nearly level glacier is crossed 
for about 20 min. in a direction rather 
N. of W., and below the highest alpine 
pastures a sheep-track is found leading 
down a glen, which ultimately joins 
the mule-path of the Col d'Iseran at 
Fornet, about ^ hr. above Laval, whence 
descending, Tignes (§11, Rte. B) may 
be reached in ] hr., or in all 4 hrs. 
from the summit, but for the ascent 
from Tignes from 5| to 6 hrs. are re- 
quired. 

Route F. 

CERESOLE TO VILLENEUVE, IN VAL 

D'AOSTA — ASCENT OF THE GRAND 
PARADIS. 

Hrs.' Eng. 

walking miles 

Chapis . . . . 2J 7| 

Col de la Croix de Nivolet 2 6 

Pont 2 6 

Valsavaranche ... 2 6 

VUleneuve , . . . 3| 9| 

12 35 

This path is practicable for mules. 
The distance is taken from the inn near 
the mineral spring, and not from the 
village of Ceresole. 

As mentioned in the last Rte., the 
track to the Val Savaranche turns 
to the rt. near the hamlet of Chapis. 
It mounts rather steeply by the 1. bank 
of a torrent, and in about If hr. 



ROUTE F. VAT, 

reaches a little plain, a shelf on the 
steep side of the mountain, command- 
ing a very grand view of the head of 
the valley- of the Oreo and of the Col 
de Galese. From this point the way 
to the summit is by a rugged buttress 
of rock, where no one would expect to 
find a passage, and this leads directly 
to the summit of the Col de la Croix 
de Nivolet. Although the lowest pass 
in the centre of this district, this is 
8,624 ft. in height, and fresh snow is 
generally found in patches near the 
top. The ridge which is now traversed, 
and which separates the head of the 
Val Savaranche from that of the Val 
Locana, is of unusual breadth, the 
upper level forming a slightly in- 
clined plateau of about 5 m. in length. 
A short distance below the summit, 
the rocky peak of the Grivola comes 
into view, and contrasts finely with 
the dreary character of the upland 
plain, patched with snow-fields. The 
path passes near two lakes, of which 
the larger is near the summit. About 
f hr. beyond it are the chalets of Ni- 
volet, inhabited during the height of 
summer. Bread and wine and one or 
two beds are now found here ; some 
travellers have complained of ex- 
orbitant charges. The scenery is wild 
and dreary, but little is seen of the 
higher surrounding peaks. 

The position would be convenient 
for exploring the neighbouring ranges. 
Travellers coming from the V al d'Aosta 
who may wish to combine this pass with 
the Col de Galese, should be aware that 
from near the summit a rough path leads 
to the rt. from the main track, by follow- 
ing which the chalets of Serue, near the 
base of the Little Coluret,may be reached 
in 2 hrs. from the Chalet de Nivolet. 

[The Col Rosset, leading from the 
lakes to the head of the V al de Rhemes, 
was traversed in 1864 by Messrs. 
Nichols, Blanford, and Rowsell. The as- 
cent commences a little above the Cha- 
lets of Nivolet, winds among glaciated 
rocks interspersed with small tarns, 
keeping a general direction to NNW. 
The summit (about 9,770'), affords a 
good view in opposite directions. In 



SAVARANCHE. 1G7 

descending, the course is at first nearly 
due W., and then N., winding round a 
projecting spur of the mountain ; finally, 
a good path leads down NW. to the 
chalets of Barmaverin, in the Val de 
Rhemes (§ 15, Rte. D).] 

Beyond the chalet the plateau is tra- 
versed by rocky ridges which have 
been flattened and rounded by the for- 
mer passage of a glacier. A large 
number of erratic blocks have been 
deposited on these smooth surfaces by 
the extinct glacier. Some of these are 
so nicely poised that a slight exertion 
would upset them, but it may be hoped 
that no traveller will be so stupidly 
barbarous as to cancel these records of 
the past history of the earth. 

Keeping to the rt. of the stream, 
rough steps lead down the NE. end of the 
plateau, marked by a cross called Croix 
d'Aroletta (7,451'), at the verge of a 
steep descent leading to Pont, the 
highest hamlet in the Val Savaranche. 
The view of the near mass of the 
Grand Paradis with its attendant peaks, 
and the range extending thence to 
the Grivola, is celebrated by all who 
have passed this way as one of the finest 
in the Alps. ' A rough but well- en- 
gineered path zigzags down the cliff 
like an expurgated edition of the Gem- 
mi with the objectionable parts omit- 
ted.' [F. F. T.] The descent, as well as 
the whole upper portion of the valley, 
abounds with the evidence of glacial 
action on the grandest scale. After the 
bare and somewhat dreary aspect of the 
upper part of the Val Savaranche the 
traveller is well pleased to re-enter the 
region of pine forest which clothes the 
slopes below Pont, while the peaks and 
aiguilles which tower above them entitle 
this to rank among the grandest of Al- 
pine valleys. At Bien ( 5,263'), a hamlet 
about 1 m. above the chief village, Mr. 
Tuckett was hospitably received at the 
house of Jean Pierre Jocale. 

Valsavaranche, also called Degrou, 
the chief village of the valley, is 4,950ft 
above the sea. The only inn now 
available is the very uninviting Cantine 
de Nivolet (or Marmot's Hole). 

The natives of the Val Savaranche 



168 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 14. 



PARADJS DISTRICT. 



appear to be generally honest and hos- 
pitable to strangers. Fidele Ambrose 
Dayne and J. M. Chabot, two gardes- 
chasse who live at Bien, are good guides. 

[Of several practicable passes leading 
hence to the Val de Rhemes (§ 15, Rte. 
E) the easiest is the Col de Trelore 
(about 7,380'). A royal hunting path 
mounts from the village of Valsava- 
ranche and passes near some small 
lakes, where a track branches off to 
the 1., and leads back to Val Sava- 
ranche near the Col de la Croix de 
Nivolet. The descent to N. D. de 
Rhemes is at first steep, but afterwards 
quite easy.] 

Below the village of Valsavaranche the 
path to Villeneuve keeps for about 2| m. 
to the rt. bank, then crosses the stream, 
and returns in £ hr. farther to the same 
side, for the most part at a great height 
above the ravine through which the 
torrent rushes down. On approaching 
the point where the stream from the Val 
de Rhemes bending to the NE. joins 
that of Savaranche, and both together 
are mingled with the Dora Baltea at 
Villeneuve, the traveller finds himself 
at a great height above the Val d' Aosta, 
overlooking that valley and the lower 
end of the Val da Rhemes, richly 
wooded and set with orchards and corn- 
fields, with the range of Mont Blanc 
in the background. A fatiguing paved 
mule-path leads down to the high road. 

Villeneuve (§ 1 5, Rte. A) has had a 
bad reputation among travellers for the 
absence of decent accommodation, but 
the Hotel du Cerf is now improved. 

Besides the ordinary way, described 
above, two glacier passes are now 
known between Ceresole and Val Sa- 
varanche. The most direct is the Col 
du Grand Tetret. Ascending by a 
path through the first glen above the 
Villa di Ceresole, the A lpe del Medico 
is reached in 3 hrs. from the mineral 
spring. Some way higher the traveller 
passes on the E. side of a small lake, 
and soon begins to ascend over the 
southern Glacier della Porta. Half- 
way in the ascent he will observe on 
his 1. hand a steep but practicable 



couloir leading to the pass, some way 
E. of a peak called Mare Perci, and 
overlooking the Glacier du Grand 
Tetret Keeping well to the 1. in the 
descent, the crevasses are avoided, and 
Pont in Val Savaranche is reached in 
about 6 J hrs. from the Stabilimento of 
Ceresole. In 1867 a party of English 
travellers reached the Gl. du Grand 
Tetret by a depression scarcely £ m. 
NE. of the pass above mentioned; but 
they followed a much more circuitous 
course. The Col de Mont Carve offers 
a way to Pont longer and higher than 
the last, but abounding in the grandest 
scenery. It lies immediately E. of the 
Cima di Charforon, and is most easily 
reached by the Val di Ciamosseretto 
which opens a little above Noasca. It 
was attained in 1867 by Messrs. C. E. 
Mathews and Morshead who followed 
the king's hunting path from Ceresole 
to the chalets of Broglio, or Breuil, at 
the head of the Vallon del Roc, and 
then traversed a low Col to the Pian 
del Lago at the head of the Val di 
Ciamosseretto. 

Ascent of the Grand Paradis. This, 
the highest summit of the Graian Alps, 
was first attained in Sept. 1860 by 
Messrs. J. J. Cowell and W. Dundas, 
with Michel Payot of Chamouni, and 
Jean Tairraz, of the hotel at Aosta. 
The weather having been very un- 
favourable, Mr. Cowell returned to the 
summit with Payot on the following 
day. An account of the ascent is given 
in the second series of ' Peaks, Passes, 
and Glaciers.' The close agreement 
between a boiling-point observation by 
Mr. Tuckett and a theodolite observa- 
tion from the Grivola by Mr. Mathews, 
fixes the height with great probability 
at 13,300 ft. 

From the hamlet of Pont, a glen 
mounts to the SE. towards the Chaiet 
de Mont Corve, where it is possible to 
pass the night. Two paths lead thither. 
One, a mule-path, winds round the 
steep slopes, and requires 1^ hr. for 
the ascent. The foot-path, which lies 
to the 1. of the other, mounts rapidly 
in 1 hr. to the chalet (about 8,200'), 



ROUTE F. — ASCENT OF 



THE GRAND PARADIS. 



109 



which is inhabited only till the middle 
of September. 

The peak of the Grand Paradis lies 
to the E. The vast masses of neve on 
its flanks descend towards two great 
ice-streams — the Glacier de Montan- 
dayne, flowing towards the N. and 
NW., and the Glacier de Mont Corve, 
descending due W. The southernmost 
branch of the Gl. of Montandayne has 
been called Glacier de Laousqueour 
(corruption of L'Eive Scure ?) on the 
Government map, and by Mr. Cowell; 
but it seems inconvenient to multiply 
names without necessity. It is mainly 
by this glacier and by the rocky ridge 
forming its S. boundary, and which 
maintains its level much above that of 
the Gl. de Mont Corve, that the ascent 
is accomplished. After mounting for 
] hr. from the base of the Glacier 
(2 hrs. from the chalet) a nearly level 
plateau is reached, limited to the rt. by 
precipices that fall towards the Gl. de 
Mont Corve. Then follows an ascent 
along a snow ridge, rather steep, and 
tedious when the snow is so hard as to 
require step-cutting. When this has 
been surmounted the topmost peak, or 
rather crest, of the mountain comes 
into view. It is somewhat in the form 
of the roof of a Gothic church, rising 
slightly towards the NW. end, which 
is the highest summit. From the point 
thus reached, the traveller is cut off 
from the topmost rid^e by a broad 
trench or corridor, which is in fact the 
head of the N. branch of the Glacier of 
Montandayne. The NW. and higher 
end of the ridge rises so steeply from 
the corridor as to be quite inaccessible, 
and it is necessary to make a circuit 
towards the upper end of the corridor, 
keeping well to the rt., and then mount 
diagonally by steep snow-slopes. The 
final crest of the mountain is an ex- 
cessively sharp cornice of frozen snow, 
from which a lew pinnacles and turrets 
of shattered mica slate project. The 
panorama is one of the most extensive 
to be found in the Alps. 

The Grand Paradis has been ascended 
directly from Cogne by M. Frassy, of 



the Italian Alpine Club, with Ely see 
Jeantet of Cogne. and since then by an 
English party. The way is by Valnon- 
tey and the Glacier de la Tribulation. 

It is well known that the sheet of 
the Government map including the 
Paradis is even more than usually full 
of errors, both as to the names and 
positions of the principal peaks and 
glaciers. The first tolerably correct 
sketch map of the group is due to M. 
Baretti,of the Italian Alpine Club, who 
has explored a great part of the range. 
Two considerable ridges diverge from 
the summit. That running due N. in- 
cludes three peaks. To the first of 
these he proposes to give the name 
Becca di Montandayne, misapplied on 
the Govt, map to the Paradis itself. 
To the second he gives the name 
Pointe de VHerbetet, sometimes applied 
to this, sometimes to the former peak ; 
while the northernmost peak is called 
Grande Serre. A still more important 
ridge runs nearly due E. from the 
Paradis, including the Pointe de Cere- 
sole, Tete de la Tribulation, and the 
double peak of the Rossa Viva. In 
the rt. angle between these ridges is 
the vast glacier called Plan de la Tri- 
bulation, whose torrent, joined by those 
from the Glaciers of Grancrou and 
Monei, enters the valley of Cogne 
through Valnontey. To M. Baretti we 
are indebted for a knowledge of one of 
the finest excursions to be made in this 
district. Mounting from Pont in Val 
Savaranche to the head of the Gl. de 
Mont Corve, the traveller finds a pass 
immediately S. of the Paradis, between 
this and the peak called Tresenta. 
This leads to the upper plateau of the 
Noascheita Glacier, which is traversed 
for a distance of nearly 4 m about due 
E., till the descent is effected into the 
head of Val Noaschetta. Another fine 
excursion, much easier than the last, is 
to mount from Ceresole to the Alpe del 
Medico, cross a pass on the N. side of 
the Cocagua (a peak easy of access 
from the N. and E. sides), and return 
by the Vallon del Roc, and the royal 
hunting path leading thence to Ceresole. 



170 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 14. RUITOR DISTRICT. 



Route G. 

COGNE TO CERESOLE — COL DE GRAN- 
CROU — COL DE MONEI. 

The shortest way from Cogne to 
Ceresole is by the Col de Grancrou, 
a very fine pass, first effected on the 
28th June, 1862, by Mr. F. F. Tuckett, 
with Michel Croz of Chamouniand Peter 
Perm of Zermatt. They ascended 
from Cogne through the Valontey to the 
chalets of Vermiana, and in f hr. more 
reached the foot of the Glacier de Gran- 
crou ; 4^ hrs. were employed in ascend- 
ing through the seracs to the col, 
which lies between the Tete de la 
Tribulation and the Pointe de Gay, a 
minor point lying a short way W. of 
the Rossa Viva. Mr. Tuckett recom- 
mends future travellers to aim at a point 
in the ridge a little to the 1. or E. of its 
lowest point. In the ascent the re- 
mains of a bouquetiu were found on 
the glacier. By a barometrical mea- 
surement the height is 11,034 ft. The 
Grivola and Paradis are concealed by 
intervening ridges, but the Pennine 
chain from the Velan to Monte Rosa 
on the N., and in the opposite direction 
many peaks of the Graian and Cottian 
Alps compensate for their absence. 

' On quitting the col we descended a 
couloir without difficulty, and traversed 
the gently inclined neve of a small gla- 
cier till we came in sight of a lake on 
the rt., after passing which we com- 
menced descending. In a few minutes 
we reached a small moraine, and soon 
found farther progress in this direction 
barred by a precipice, to avoid which it 
was necessary to keep well away to the 
rt. till we reached the lateral moraine 
of a glacier at the head of which a por- 
tion of the S. extremity of the Grand 
Paradis came in view. We descended 
this moraine to the point where that of 
the 1. hand glacier from our col united 
with it, traversed an upland plain re- 
sembling an old lake-bed, and keeping 
along its rt. side, struck a path which 
led first over a low shoulder, and then 
down into a second plain.' The glacier 



whose moraine was followed by Mr. 
Tuckett is one of the branches of the 
great Noaschetta Glacier, and the 
royal hunting path which he here 
struck upon approaches another branch 
of the same glacier. After rounding 
another shoulder, 'the path descends 
by a series of zigzags through magni- 
ficent rock scenery to the Alp of 
Noaschetta. Thence it bears away, 
occasionally mounting slightly, round 
the slopes to the rt., traverses the ham- 
let of La Varda, and then descends by 
a considerable detour to the level of 
the Val d'Orco, a little below the 
Scalare di Ceresole.'— [F. F. T.] 

The glacier scenery on the Cogne 
side, and the rock scenery on the S. 
side of the col, are of the highest order. 
Time: Cogne to foot of glacier, 2 hrs. 
Ascent of glacier to the col, 4^- hrs. 
Descent to Alp of Noaschetta, 2| hrs. 
La Varda, 1 hr. Ceresole, 1^- hr. Total, 
11| hrs. But with the glacier in good 
order, 10 hrs. would probably suffice. 

The SE. angle of the Valontey is oc- 
cupied by the Glacier de Monei, ori- 
ginating in a neve basin NW. of the 
Rossa Viva and the Tour de St. Pierre. 
In 1863 Messrs. Bonney and W. 
Mathews effected the passage of the 
range between those peaks. They 
called the pass Col de Monei, and 
found it to be 11,316 ft. in height. 
Instead of descending to the Alp of 
Noaschetta, as they were led to expect 
by the Government Map, they found 
themselves at the head of the Val 
Piantonetto, and, keeping at first in 
an ESti. direction, they struck on the 
line of descent from the Col di Tel- 
leccio. Exclusive of halts, 11 hrs. 
must be allowed to reach Locana from 
Cogne by this rte. 

A circuitous way from Cogne to 
Ceresole by the Col di Telleccio is 
briefly noticed in Rte, E. From the 
summit of that pass the summit of the 
Grand St. Pierre (12,069') was first 
attained in 1867 by Messrs. Backhouse, 
Freshfield, Tucker, and Carson, partly 
by a snow couloir, partly by steep but 
[ not very difficult rocks. 



ItOUTE A. PASS OF TH 



E LITTLE ST. BERNARD. 



171 



SECTION 15. 



RUITOR DISTRICT. 



From the dividing range of the Graian 
Alps, forming the frontier between 
Piedmont and Savoy, two valleys de- 
scend to the NNE., parallel to the Val 
Savaranche. The most easterly of 
these — the Val de Rhemes — turning a 
little to the rt. at its lower end, joins 
the Val Savaranche just before their 
united streams are poured into the 
Dora Baitea at Villeneuve. The 
Val Gnsanche, lying W. of the Val de 
Rhemes, is also bent aside from its 
direct course as it approaches the Val 
d'Aosta, and its junction with that 
valley at Arvier is only a short distance 
W. of Villeneuve. The W. slope of 
the dividing range is formed by the 
vallev of the Upper Isere, described in 
§ 11,* which flows from SSE. to NNW., 
and it thus follows that the mass of 
mountain lying between the Isere and 
the Grisanche spreads out to the N. 
in the form of the letter V. The 
space between these valleys is mainly- 
occupied by a great glacier-clad mass, 
which, by comparison with the peaked 
forms of the neighbouring Alps, may 
be called a plateau. The nomenclature 
of the projecting eminences and but- 
tresses is very unsettled; but the whole 
mass of mountain and glacier, which is 
conspicuous front every eminence in the 
surrounding valleys, is known by the 
name Glacier de Ruito?\ Following 
Mr. W. Mathews, the first explorer of 
this little-known mass, we shall call the 
two highest points, the S. and N. peaks 
of the Ruitor. Their height — S. peak 
(11,480'), and N. peak (i 1,339')— falls 
considerably short of that of the sum- 
mits lying farther south. The highest 
of these is probably the Aiguille de la 
Sassiere (12,343'), at the head of the 
Val Grisanche. The N. limit of this 
district is naturally formed by the pass 
of the Little St. Bernard (7,218'), the 
lowest in the chain of the Alps between 
the Mont Cenis and the Simplon. At 



the village of La Thuile, or at the Hos- 
pice on that pass, a traveller may find 
tolerable quarters ; but one who would 
explore the upper portions of the val leys 
of Rhemes and Grisanche must put up 
with rough quarters, somewhat im- 
proved during the last few years. 

Route A. 

BOURG ST. MAURICE TO AOSTA — PASS 
OF THE LITTLE ST. BERNARD. 

Hours' Eng. 



St. Germain 
Hospice . 
Cantine . 
La Thuile 
Pre St. Didier 
Morgex . 
Arvier 
Villeneuve 
Aosta 



walking miles 



13£ 42J 

A new road over this important pass 
has long been in progress : it is now 
completed on the Savoy side, and also 
between St. Didier and La Thuile, but 
between La Thuile and the Hospice it 
will not be complete until 1871. A 
good carriage-road leads from St. Di- 
dier to Aosta. Save at Villeneuve, there 
is no inn between those places at which 
a traveller would willingly stop. The 
charge for mules at Bourg St. Maurice 
is 8 fr. to the Hospice, and 15 fr. to St. 
Didier or Courmayeur. 

The pass of the Little St. Bernard is 
not only one of the lowest, but also 
one of the easiest in the Alps ; and if 
its commercial importance had been 
greater, it would probably long since 
have been traversed by a high road. 
Many writers have believed this to be 
the pass by which Hannibal entered 
Italy, and in some particulars it agrees 
well with the details handed down by 
Polybius. See § 7, Rte. C. 

At the village of Scez, 2 m. above 
Bourg St. Maurice (§ 11, Rte. A), the 
Recluse torrent, descending from the 
NE , seems the natural prolongation of 
the valley of the Isere, while the main 
stream flowing from Tignes makes a 
sharp angle on entering the valley, 



172 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 15. RUITOR DISTRICT. 



through which it reaches Moutiers. 
The mule-path is canned for some dis- 
tance along the 1. bank of the Recluse, 
and after passing the hamlet of Villard 
Dessous, crosses the stream near to an 
escarpment formed of gypsum, called 
the Roche Blanche, which has been 
identified with the tevnoirerpov bxvpov 
of Polybius. The new road is carried 
in long zigzags above the 1. bank, and 
rejoins the mule-path near to the Hos- 
pice. The highest hamlet, reached by a 
rapid ascent of 2 m. from the bridge, is 
St. Germain (inn wretched). The road 
continues to mount by gentle slopes, 
quite bare of trees, and there is no 
striking object in view save the fine 
peak of the Mont Pourri. About two- 
thirds of the way from St. Germain to 
the Hospice are some chalets, at one of 
which refreshments may be obtained ; 
but these are not quite 2 m. distant 
from the Hospice (7,077'). This stands 
at the SW, end of a grassy plain, nearly 
3 m. long and 1 m. wide, about 120 ft. 
below the actual Col, which lies at the 
middle of the plateau, sloping very 
gently on either side. The building 
is under the management of eccle- 
siastics, who receive gratuitously poor 
persons. Travellers are now allowed 
to remain two or three days, paying a 
reasonable price for their entertain- 
ment. On the plateau are some re- 
mains of antiquity, whose origin is 
involved in obscurity. Close to the 
summit is a column about 20 ft. high 
and 3 ft. in diameter, called Colonne 
de Lajou, or Latzou, of supposed Celtic 
origin (?) ; and near at hand a circle of 
stones of moderate size, laid flat on the 
ground, bears the name Cirque d"Han- 
nibal — a name originating either in an- 
cient tradition or modern conjecture. 

SE. of the Hospice rises the Valezan 
(9,446'), an outlier from the Ruitor. A 
spur running N. from this peak is the 
Belvedere (8, 645'). commanding nearly 
as fine a view. On the NW. side a 
much higher range divides the St. 
Bernard Pass from the Allee Blanche 
and the Val de Versoye, which descends 
to Bonneval and Bourg St. Maurice. 



The nearest point of this range is the 
Roc de Belleface (9,190'), reached in 
1^ hr. from the Hospice. N. of this is 
the Lmtcebranlette (9.692') ; and beyond 
it the range bending somewhat W. of 
N., and reaching a height of 10.476 ft, 
bounds on the W. side a rather large 
ice-field called Glacier de Breuil, and 
terminates in the Pointe de Lechaud 
(9,718'), S. of the Col. de la Seigne. 
Over the Gl. de Breuil a pass, called 
Col de Breuil (9,518'), leads to the head 
of the Val de Versoye. From the 
Pointe de Lechaud the range runs 
ENE., enclosing the head of the Val 
de Chavanes, and culminates in the 
Mont Favre (10,712'). From the head 
of this valley the Allee Blanche may 
be reached by the Col de Combal, a pass 
once defended by a small fort. A 
traveller going from the Hospice to 
Tignes or Ste. Foi may save 1^ hr. by 
crossing the ridge of the Traversette. 
A local guide should be taken. 

The descent towards the Val d'Aosta 
commences nearly due N. ; a small 
lake is passed on the L, and on the 
same side lower down is the opening of 
V. de Chavanes. At several points on 
the way the range of Mont Blanc is 
seen towering above the nearer heights. 
In about 1 hr., descending, the Cantine 
des Eaux Rousses is passed, and the 
track generally approaches nearer to the 
Thuile torrent, until, at Pont Serrand, 
it crosses from the rt. to the 1- bank by a 
bridge thrown over a deep ravine. The 
descent continues to NE., and is rather 
steep as tar as the village of La Thuile 
(Inn: Ala Goletta.chez Marcoz : very 
fair accommodation in 1867), about 
4,700 ft. above the sea, where a glen 
opens to the S. leading directly to the 
great Ruitor glacier (Rte. B.). [A 
pedestrian bound for Aosta may avoid 
the beaten track, and gain some fine 
views of Mont Blanc, by taking a local 
guide to the Camp du Prince Thomas, 
still marked by the remains of entrench- 
ments on the heights E. of La Thuile. 
A steep descent leads thence down to 
the banks of the Dora, nearly opposite to 
Morgex.] 



ROUTE A. — ST. DIDIER. 



173 



A new first-class road is now open 
between La Thuile and St. Didier. 
It crosses from the 1. to the rt. bank a 
short distance below La Thuile, return- 
ing to the 1. bank at La Balme. On ap- 
proaching the Val d'Aosta, the new 
road passes through a tunnel, and then 
descends by long zigzags, whence fine 
views of the range of Mont Blanc are 
gained, to 

St. Didier, properly called Pre St. 
Didier (Inns: Poste, not good, dear; 
Pavilion). Close to the village are the 
baths, very picturesquely situated, and 
frequented during the summer. The 
view of Mont Blanc, and the surround- 
ing pine forests, make the scenery here 
far superior to that of the immediate 
neighbourhood of Courmayeur, but the 
ticcommodation is inferior, and, with 
the sole exception of the Cramont, this 
place is more distant from all the ob- 
jects of interest. See § 16, Rte. B. 

The old road from Aosta to Cour- 
mayeur avoided St. Didier, and it was 
necessary to make a short ascent from 
the latter village in order to reach it. 
The new road to Courmayeur passes 
through St. Didier, -where the La 
Thuile road joins it after crossing the 
Dora Baltea above its junction with the 
Thuile. The descent to Aosta is easy, 
and the road usually in good order. The 
first considerable village is Morqex (Inn : 
Lion d'Or), where the path to the 
Great St. Bernard by the Col de la 
Serena turns off to the NE. The vine 
begins to appear here, and becomes 
more common a little lower down, 
about La Salle, a poor village, below a 
ruined castle, which is supposed to 
preserve the name of the Salassi, who 
once held the valley. The valley gra- 
dually contracts below La Salle, as it 
approaches a fine modern bridge thrown 
across the Dora, close to the junction 
of a torrent from the Combe de Ver- 
tosan, opening due N., and leading by 
the Col de Vertosan to St. Remy (§ 18, 
Rte. A). Below the bridge the valley 
becomes a mere defile, and the road is 
carried along the rt. bank at a great 
height above the stream, in some places 



forming a projecting cornice, propped 
up by massive beams of timber. The 
pass was formerly guarded by a gate 
and drawbridges; these have now dis- 
appeared, along with a blockhouse 
intended to enfilade the road, but it 
would be easy to make the valley im- 
passable to a hostile force, by destroying 
the props which sustain the road. On 
issuing from the narrowest part of the 
defile, the picturesque village of Avise 
is seen on the opposite bank, and ap- 
proaching the opening of the Val 
Grisanche (Rte. C), the new road 
makes a sweep to the rt. to avoid^the 
wretched village of Ivrogne (Inn : L'Ecu, 
tolerable). Here lives Charles Alexis Lu- 
boz, who accompanied Mr. W. Mathews 
as porter, at 5 fr. a day, in his first ex- 
ploration of the glaciers of the Ruitor, 
and of whom a very favourable report 
is given by that gentleman. Here, and 
throughout the Val d'Aosta, it is pain- 
ful to contrast the beauty of the sce- 
nery, and the richness of the vegeta- 
tion, with the poverty, filth, and cre- 
tinism which are the characteristics of 
the population. Between a fine avenue 
of walnut trees the road reaches 
Arvier, opposite a steep and lofty 
escarpment above which, on the N. side 
of the valley, is seen the spire of the 
church of St. Nicholas. To the rt. is 
tne opening of the beautiful valleys of 
Rhemes and Savaranche, which unite 
their torrents close to Villeneuve (Inns: 
Cerf, and one or two others uninviting 
in appearance. The first is, however, 
much improved of late, and supplies 
tolerable accommodation. The road 
here returns to the 1. bank of the 
Dora, and inl^ m. reaches St. Pierre, 
with an ancient castle commanding a 
view of the snowy Alps at the head of 
the Val Savaranche. A little farther 
is the opening of the Val de Cogne, 
with the peak of the Grivola towering 
above it. Several modernised chateaux 
are seen on either slope of the valley, 
and the character of the vegetation 
announces a marked change of climate 
as the valley widens out, and the road, 
here hot and dusty, reaches 



174 



OR A IAN ALPS. § 1 



5. RUITOR DISTRICT. 



rlosta(Inns: H. du Mont Blanc, good, 
kept by Jean Tairraz of Chamouni; 
C ouronne, in the town, also good ; Ecu 
du Valais, pretty good; H. d'ltalie, 
tolerable), a small city, the capital of 
the ancient Duche d'Aoste, interesting 
to the stranger from its fine position, 
and still more from its venerable anti- 
quity, carried by the local historians up 
to more than eleven centuries before 
the foundation of Augusta Prcetoria, 
which happened a few years alter the 
destruction of the earlier city of the 
Salassi by the legions of Augustus. 
Few places in Europe have so well 
preserved the plan and general character 
of the Roman city. The ramparts, form- 
ing a perfectly regular rectangle, are still 
in good preservation, especially on the 
8. side, where they are most easily 
approached. The E. gate, formerly 
Porta Praetoria, is also tolerably well 
preserved, though wilfully damaged 
during the middle ages, and at a short 
distance on the road which formed the 
main approach to the city is a tri- 
umphal arch, erected in honour of 
Augustus by Terentius Varro ; and 
near to it, at some distance beyond the 
actual course of the stream, is a Roman 
bridge, which formerly crossed the 
Buttier, hut is now partly buried in the 
soil that has accumulated over the an- 
cient bed. The remains of an amphi- 
theatre, and several other buildings 
whose destination is a subject of con- 
troversy, will furnish occupation to the 
antiquary. The cathedral, externally 
of little interest, is of high antiquity. 
Some parts of the building, two Roman 
mosaics preserved near the high altar, 
and other objects, dating from the fifth 
century, deserve notice. The church 
of St. Ours, with its ancient crypt, and 
a cloister whose columns sustain very 
curious carved capitals (on one of them 
the date of construction, m.c.xxx.iii), 
is well worth a visit. X. de Maistre's 
touching tale may induce some travel- 
lers to visit the Tour du Lepreux at 
the W. end of the town, not far from 
the Hotel du Mont Blanc. 

Good guides are scarce here, and 



some caution is required in engaging 
mules and muleteers. Travellers are 
cautioned against one of these men, 
named Honorate. 

The Chanoine Carrel, who is a mem- 
ber of the Chapter of Aosta, and in- 
habits the city, and who is well known 
for his valuable contributions to the 
meteorology of the Alps, receive- very 
kindly any travellers engaged in these 
or similar pursuits who may apply to 
him for advice and information. His 
observations, which have been carefully 
conducted for many years, are important 
to those who seek to determine by 
barometric observations altitudes of 
peaks, &c, in this part of the chain of 
the Alps. The height of his observa- 
tory by the mean of his observations is 
exactly 600 metres, or 1,969 English ft. 



Route B. 

LA THTJILE TO SAINTE POI — ASCENT OF 
THE RUITOK. 

The entire drainage of the N. side of 
the Ruitor is carried down through a 
torrent of the same name to join the 
Thuile, near the village of La Thuile 
(Rte. A). Erom the beautiful Alpine 
glen of the Ruitor two glacier passes 
lead to the valley of the Isere, near to 
Sainte Foi (§ 11, Rte. B). Of the more 
westerly of these, called on the Pied- 
montese map Col du Grand Glacier, the 
editor has received no information. The 
second pass, nearly due S. of La Thuile, 
is scarcely more known. It is called Col 
de Tacqui, and also Col de la Lys 
Blanche, and is said to lie between the 
Pointe Pousse and the Grand Assaly, 
two of the summits of the Ruitor group, 
the latter of which is seen from La 
Thuile. According to Joanne, perhaps 
on the authority of some local guide, 
the ascent from Ste. Foi to the pass 
requires 5 hrs. 

Mr. W. Mathews, to whom we are 
indebted for so much of what we know 
of the adjoining group of the Tarentaise 
Alps, is entitled to the credit of having 



ROUTE B. ASCENT OF THE RUITOR. 



175 



been the chief explorer of the consider- 
able mountain mass which goes under 
the collective name Ruitor. By an ex- 
pedition made in 1861, in company with 
Mr. Jacomb, which is described in the 
second series of ' Peaks, Passes, and 
Glaciers,' and by a second exploration 
with the Rev. T. G. Bonney in 1862, 
the notes of which have been kindly 
communicated to the editor, he proved 
the possibility of taking the highest 
summit of, the Ruitor in the way 
from La Thuile to Sainte Foi, or of 
descending from thence to Planaval, 
in the Val Grisanehe. The descent to 
Ste. Foi is, however, a matter of some 
difficulty, and should be attempted only 
by practised mountaineers with first- 
rate guides. 

On leaving La Thuile, Messrs. Ma- 
thews and Bonney crossed the stream 
from the Little St. Bernard, and fol- 
lowed a tolerably level path along the 
1. bank of the Ruitor torrent. 'One 
hr. from La Thuile are the chalets of 
La Joux, at the foot of the steep and 
lofty barrier of rock which closes the 
head of the valley. This barrier is 
covered with pines, and crowned by the 
extremity of the great Ruitor glacier, 
which discharges a torrent that leaps 
down the rocks in a series of beautiful 
cascades. The path from La Joux to the 
highest chalets crosses the stream three 
times, and is by no means easy to 
find. On leaving La Joux we crossed 
by a foot-bridge, which stands a few 
yards below the chalets. The path 
then ascends amidst charming scenery, 
winding round steep faces of rock and 
among gigantic boulders, clothed with 
larch and the cembra pine, mingled with 
a few spruces. Close at hand the tor- 
rent thunders down a deep cleft, and 10 
min. above La Joux forms a noble cas- 
cade, which is well seen from an opening 
in the forest a few paces from the path. 
In another \ hr. we returned to the 1. 
bank, just above the junction of a tribu- 
tary stream from the W. Above this 
the zigzags became steeper, and in ^ hr. 
more we emerged from the pines, and saw 
before us a beautiful mountain lake em- 



bosomed in an amphitheatre of rock. 
Down the face of the opposite rocks the 
main torrent rushed into the lake, which 
is also fed by a smaller stream on the 
rt. coming from the direction of the Col 
de la Lys Blanche. On the 1. is a 
chalet, with a small Alp, divided from 
us by the torrent just below its exit from 
the lake. Crossing the stream for the 
third time, we found the chalet deserted, 
the establishment having probably been 
moved up to the higher chalet. There 
are few walks in the Alps so beautiful 
as that from La Joux to this spot.' — 
[W. M.] 

The distant view comprises a great 
portion of the range of Mont Blanc. 
The highest chalets — those of Ste. Mar- 
guerite — were reached in f hr.'s steep 
ascent by the slopes behind the lower 
chalet. They stand close to the great 
glacier, and required 3 hrs. 40 min., fast 
walking, from La Thuile. The wooden 
shed which serves as a sleeping apart- 
ment did not appear tempting. 

' The Alp of Ste. Marguerite is one 
of the most enchanting spots in the 
Graian chain. A few yards distant is 
an exquisite glacier lake, fed by the 
water issuing from a cavern in the blue 
ice cliffs which enclose it, while many 
miniature icebergs float upon its surface, 
forming a scene which would scarcely 
sutfer by comparison with the celebrated 
Marjelen See. Above the lake extends 
the great ice-fall of the Ruitor glacier, 
flanked on either side by two rocky- 
peaks, which form, as it were, the gates 
of the glacier, and midway between 
them the horizon line is broken by a 
sharp pyramid of rock (Grand Assaly?), 
crowned by a stone man.' — [W. M.J 

From Ste. Marguerite the Col da 
Taequi lies about SW., and in the op- 
posite direction it is possible to reach 
the Val d'Aosta by the Colde Ste. Mar- 
guerite, descending upon Derby, about 5 
min. above Ivrogne. 

4 Throughout the ascent from La 
Thuile the mai-ks of glacial action are 
conspicuous, and just before reaching 
Ste. Marguerite we passed a dome of rock 
with a fine bloc percheon the summit. 



176 



GRAIAN ALPS. §. 1 



5. RUITOR DISTRICT. 



' After a short halt at the chalets, we 
took to the ice near a small lake above 
the principal one, and directed our steps 
towards the central part of the glacier, 
which is of enormous size. It is bounded 
rfc. and 1. by a double row of peaks.' — 
[W.M.] On the 1. or E. side these are six 
in number. No. 1, the eastern gate, is a 
long ridge of dark rock, beyond which 
is a col which would lead to the glacier 
descending towards Planaval, in the 
Val Grisanche (Rte. C). Nos. 2 and 3 
are low snow-peaks, scarcely more than 
prominences in the ridge. No. 4' is the 
double-headed peak, apparently the 
highest when seen from Aosta, which 
was ascended by Mr. Mathews in 1861. 
No, 5 is rather "lower than this, but No. 
6, seen on the extreme 1. from Aosta, 
is the highest summit of the entire 
group, and the most distant from the 
foot of the glacier. On the W. side of the 
glacier, besides the two peaks already 
mentioned — that which forms the west- 
ern gate (Pointe Pousse ?), and the 
more distant summit, which is probably 
the Grand Assaly — there is a third 
peak, a snow pyramid still more remote 
from La Thuile, standing opposite to 
the highest summit. 

'After passing in succession the first 
five summits on the E. side of the gla- 
cier, we made straight for the ridge 
between No. 5 and No. 6, and followed 
the crest to the base of the final peak, 
a steep tower of rock, about 18 ft. high. 
This, the only difficulty of the excur- 
sion, was found by no means easy to 
climb, but with Michel Croz's assistance 
we reached the top of it.'— [ W. M.] 

About 3£ hrs. were required for the 
ascent from Ste. Marguerite. Saxi- 
fraga bryordes and an androsace (glaci- 
alls ?) were found abundantly on the top. 

Mr. Mathews has justly compared the 
posi.ion of the Ruitor in respect to the 
range of Mont B'anc to that of the 
Buet, both being: separated from it by a 
lower intermediate range. There is, 
however, this difference — that on the 
opposite side to Mont Blanc the Ruitor 
is encircled by the loftier peaks of the 
Graian and Tarentaise Alps ; and the 



only direction in which the eye pene- 
trates to the lower cultivated region is 
along the Val d'Aosta, which is viewed 
throughout the entire distance from 
Ivrogne to beyond Chatillon — a dis- 
tance of fully 25 m. The head of the 
Val Grisanche, closed by a great glacier, 
which appears to fill the space between 
the Grand Apparei and the Sassiere, is 
one of the most interesting portions of 
the panorama. 

In 1862 Messrs. Mathews and Bon- 
ney returned to La Thuile, and found 
an easier passage by keeping nearer to 
the rt. side of the glacier. The de- 
scent, hurried by a passing storm, was 
effected in 4 hrs., including two short 
halts. 

In 1861, Mr. Mathews and Mr. 
Jacomb, having slept at a chalet 2 hrs. 
above Planaval, in the Val Grisanche 
(Rte. C), reached the summit called 
No. 4 in the preceding description by 
an easy ascent of 3| hrs., over a glacier 
which descends on the E. side of the 
ridge. Thence, by a slight circuit, 
they descended to the col between No. 
4 and No. 5, on which they found a 
little glacier lake, perhaps due to the 
great heat of that season. They ex- 
pected to pass from the head of the 
Ruitor Glacier due S., so as to gain 
the track of the Col du Lac (Rte. C). 
The descent on that side was found to 
be impracticable, and they therefore 
made a circuit to the W. round the head 
of the glacier, until, immediately S. of 
the peak which has been spoken of aa 
probably the Grand Assaly, they found 
an opening to the W., where formidably 
steep snow-slopes overlook a more level 
glacier, terminating in Alpine pastures. 
The descent was found to be difficult, 
even to such experienced ice-men, and 
it was necessary to use the axe for a 
considerable time. At length they 
reached some beautifully-situated cha- 
lets, called La Sassiere de Ste. Foi. 
The descent to the village of the same 
name (§ 11, Rte. B), about 2 hrs., is 
described as extremely beautiful, the 
noble peak of the Mont Pourri lying 
cons:aiitly in view 0 



ROUTE C. V 

From the barometric observations of 
Messrs. Bonne)* and Mathews, the 
height of the S. or highest peak of the 
Liu. tor appears to he 1 1,480 ft., and 
that of the second or more northern 
peak 1 1,339 ft., above called No. 4. The 
same travellers have pointed out that, 
by combining the Col de Tacqui with 
the Col de Ste. Marguerite, it would be 
easy to reach Derby and Ivrogne from 
Ste. Foi in one rather long, but very 
interesting, day s walk. 

In 1864, Messrs. Bonney and Taylor 
descended from the Col between the 
highest peak and that above called No. 5, 
which they have called Col du Ruitor, 
to the hamlet of Bonne, about £ hr. 
above the village of Val Grisanche. 
Irrespective of the ascent and descent 
of the highest peak, which required 50 
min., the expedition involved little 
more that 7f hrs. of actual walking. 



Route C. 

TVUOGXE TO SAINTE FOI, BY THE VAL 
GRISANCHE. 

The Val Grisanche forms the E. limit 
of the mass of the Ruitor. Being in- 
clined at an acute angle to the direction 
of the upper valley of the Isere, a per - 
son hound for the latter destination 
will shorten his rte. by mounting near 
to the head of the valley where it ap- 
proaches nearest to the Isere. The 
lower part is richly wooded and pic- 
turesque, while the upper end presents 
one of the wildest and. dreariest scenes 
in the Alps. The central point whence 
diverge the chief glaciers at the head 
of this and the Val de Rh ernes is the 
j Mont Bassac (11.200'?), also known as 
I Becde laTraversiere. A high ridge ex- 
j tends WNW. from this to the Aiguille 
; de la Sassiere (12,326') and then turn- 
j ing northward divides the valley of the 
Isere from the Val Grisanche. In this 



AL GRISANCHE. i 77 

latter range, and between the Sassiere 
and the Ruitor is the Onnelune (about 
11,000'). 

From the W. side of Val Grisanche 
three passes lead into the valley of the 
Isere. The most frequented of these 
is the Ccl du Mont, between the Ruitor 
and the Ormelune. Higher and nearer 
to the Ruitor is the Col du Lac ; and 
further S., between the Ormelune and 
Sassiere, is a third little-frequented 
pass, called Col Vaudet, or Col du 
Clou. 

1. By the Col du Mont. About 
10^ hrs. 

Near to its junction with the Dora 
Baltea, the torrent which drains the 
Val Grisanche flows through an impas- 
sable ravine, and to enter the valley 
it is necessary to commence the as- 
cent immediately behind the village of 
Ivrogne, passing a mill, and mounting 
amidst meadows and orchards that ap- 
pear to lead away from the Grisanche. 

' After passing these the path arrives 
abruptly below some rocks ; thence, 
turning and ascending along their 
bases, the traveller shortly finds himself 
in the track which is carried high above 
the I. bank of the Grisanche.' 

The scenery here is of a striking 
character. The river rushes in a deep 
gorge; and the rocks, both below and 
above the path, are nearly perpendi- 
cular. On a sort of terrace, on the 
opposite bank, the ruins of a feudal 
castle are seen frowning over the black 
ravine. 

This narrow defile continues during 
an ascent of about 1 hr. 'About 2 hrs. 
from Ivrogne the valley widens for a 
short distance, and a few houses, with 
a little cultivable land, appears on the 
opposite bank of the stream. The 
path ascends to some height above the 
1. bank, and in looking back, the tra- 
veller gains a fine distant view of 
Monte Rosa. It then leaves the main 
stream, passing to the rt. of a pine- 
covered mount which closes in this 
part of the valley, and the ruins of the 
Castle of Planaval are seen on the cliff's 
above, whence descends a fine cascade 



178 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 15. RUITOR DISTRICT. 



close to the path. A level meadow, the 
site of a former mountain-lake, is now 
(2^- hrs. from Ivrogne) reached. Here 
are one or two houses belonging to the 
village ox Planaval, which lies in a 
short lateral valley on the right, but 
is not seen from the path.' [R. C.N.] 
2 hrs. higher up the same lateral val- 
ley is the Chalet du Glacier, where 
Messrs. Mathews and Jacomb passed 
the night before their first ascent of the 
Ruitor. Planaval is reached directly 
by another path, diverging from that 
just described about ^ hr. above 
Ivrogne, and leading over the heights 
on the rt. by the village of Baulen. 

' The rocks of Val Grisanche consist 
of extremely hard gneiss which pre- 
serves very distinctly the traces of gla- 
cier action, and the valley itself has 
evidently been ploughed out in huge 
parallel furrows by the glaciers which 
once filled it.' [R. C. N.] 

In 2| hrs. from Ivrogne, the path 
through the main valley, turning nearly 
due S., reaches Serve, called Betaz on the 
Piedmontese map, a miserable village, 
where fair quarters are found at the 
house of the syndic. It is now scarcely 
necessary to apply to him, as about ^ 
hr v above Serre, at the village called 
L'Eglise, there is a very tolerable inn 
(La Cantine du Col du M<mt), lately 
much improved. The Abbe Gorret, 
vicaire of the parish, is an excellent 
mountaineer, and should be consulted 
as to guides. A little further on, the 
valley again nar.ows for about hr., 
and then opens on a level tract, scored 
and wasted by the torrent. The 
scenery rapidly changes its character. 
Vast piles of debris, and masses of 
dark rock, take the place of Alp and 
pine forest, and the upper end of the 
valley presents one unbroken scene of 
desolation. 

At Fomet, the highest village in the 
valley, where civility and chalet fare 
are found, chez Joseph Chamonin, the 
route to the Col du Mont leaves the 
"Val Grisanche, ascends a steep path to 
the W., first on the 1. bank, then, after 
1 hr., by the rt. bank of a torrent, and 



reaches some chalets on a small but fine 
pasturage. The torrent descends from 
a glen by which the path ascends to 
the Col du Lac, but the way to the Coi 
du Mont lies to the W., skirts the brink 
of precipices over a deep gorge, and 
enters a basin in the mountains filled 
with rocks and stones brought down 
from the Ormelune. 

The ColduMont (8,635'), about3hrs. 
from For net, is a narrow ridge com- 
manding a finely contrasted view of the 
bare and rugged Val Grisanche on the 
one side, and of the comparatively 
bright and fertile mountains that en- 
close the Isere on the other, lying be- 
tween the Ormelune (10,833'), to the 
S., and the Becca du Mont, which se- 
parates this from the Col du Lac, to 
the N. 

' The Col du Mont was the scene of 
some desperate conflicts durin^Khe wars 
of the Revolution between the French 
and the Piedmontese. General Moulins, 
who commanded the former, after many 
efforts, succeeded in gaining the posi- 
tion by advancing during a snow-storm, 
when such assailants were not ex- 
pected, and retained it in spite of not 
less than ten efforts to repossess it. 

' After passing down a steep path, 
leaving on the 1. black precipices — the 
haunts of the chamois— the beautiful 
pasturages belonging to the commune 
of Ste. Foi appear in a deep basin, 
bounded below by a forest. In less 
than 1^ hr. the highest chalets in this 
basin are reached, and in another hour 
the chalets of Bonnet, where the track 
from the Col du Lac (see above) falls 
in on the rt. Beyond Bonnet the road 
winds steeply down through a forest, 
and at length emerges to cross a torrent 
and enter the village of Muraille, where 
another bridge over a deep ravine leads 
to the hamlet of M azure; thence tra- 
versing a brow on the mountain side, 
the road descends to Ste. Foi.' — [M.] 

2. By the Col du Lac (9,422'), 12 
hrs. About 1 hr. above Fornet, the 
route to the Col du Lac leaves the 
track above descrihed, and keeps up 
the glen to the rt., on the rt. bank of 



ROUTE C. — VAL GRISANCHE. 



179 



the stream, and, afrer passing the little 
chapel and lake of St. Grat, ascends 
to the 1., and crossing a small glacier- 
covered ridge, descends hy the chalets 
of La Sassiere de Ste. Foi (or La 
Suchere), to join again the path from 
the Col du Mont at Bonnet. It has 
been stated that the Col may be 
reached directly from Serre in Val 
Grisanche, and it is probable that a 
path might be found in this direction, 
but, though shorter in distance, it is 
questionable whether much time would 
be saved by it. On the whole, the rte. 
by the Col du Lac probably requires 
H hr. more than that by the Col du 
Mont. Further information is desired. 

2. By the Col Vaudet (9,305'), or Col 
du Clou. This rarely used pass leads 
into the Val de Tignes several miles 
above Ste. Foi, and is better suited for a 
traveller who should wish to reach the 
Val Grisanehe from Tignes in one long 
day, than as a communication between 
that valley and Ste. Foi. It leads, how- 
ever, by a slight detour to La Thuile de 
Ste. Foi (§ 11, Rte. B), where the accom- 
modation is apparently not worse than 
at the main village. The scenery is fine, 
and deserves to be better known. A 
practised mountaineer making the pass 
from the W. side will not find a guide 
indispensable. Of the two depressions 
seen when approaching the summit, that 
lying to the rt, is the Col Vaudet. 

Above Fornet the peculiar character 
of the Upper Val Grisanche is the more 
fully appreciated, as all traces of culti- 
vation and human industry disappear. 
The one or two chalets that lie several 
miles higher up are lost in the stony 
desert that surrounds them. The way 
to the Col turns to the rt. a little below 
the Chalet de Vaudet, standing near 
the foot of the glacier of the same name 
which closes the head of the valley. 
In about ± hr. the path divides ; keep 
well to the rt. until you reacli an up- 
land glen, with a range of bold crags 
on your 1. and a ridge of grey shale, j 
where all trace of path disappears, on the ! 
rt. This leads up to the Col, 9,305 ft in j 
height, and patches of snow usually lie 



near the top. The descent on the Savoy 
side lies about due W. ; it is gentle, and 
before long the Alpine pastures appear 
green and covered with bright flowers. 
The botanist will here find Drabaflad- 
nitzensis, Cardamine alpina, and other 
interesting plants. After passing a 
chalet, a very fine view is gained of the 
Aiguille de la Sassiere, with a small 
Alpine lake in the middle distance. 
The descent to the valley of the Isere 
is throughout very beautiful, the latter 
part following the course of a torrent 
which reaches the main track from Ste. 
Foi to Tignes, about a mile S. of La 
Thuile de Ste. Foi. By selecting the 
tracks bearing to the 1. during the de- 
scent the traveller may join the road to 
Tignes a little N. of Brevieres. Time 
from Fornet to Brevieres about 6£ hrs. 

As mentioned in Rte. B., the ac- 
tive mountaineer may reach Ste. Foi 
from Ivrogne by crossing the glaciers 
of the Ruitor. In 1865, Mr. Elijah 
Walton, with Jean Tairraz, crossed the 
Col de Planaval (about 9,500'), from 
Planaval to La Thuile. Starting from 
the Chalets du Glacier above Planaval 
(about 4^ his. from Ivrogne), they 
reached the top of the Col in 2 hrs. 
Descending and keeping to the right, 
they passed Ste. Marguerite,and reached 
La Thuile in 4^ hrs. from the Col. 
By keeping to the left across the gla- 
cier plateau, the route by which MM. 
Mathews and Jacomb descended to La 
Sassiere, the Ste. Foi might be joined, 
and so a direct passage effected from 
Ivrogne to Ste. Foi. 

In the second volume of the ' Alpine 
Journal,' Mr. R. C. Nichols has given an 
account of two excursions in the high 
range dividing Val Grisanche from Val 
de Rhemes, with the ascent of the Bee 
d'Invergnuon about (12,100'), a peak 
which had not attracted the attention 
of previous travellers. 

A first attempt made by Messrs. 
Nichols, Blanford, and Rowsell, with 
Joseph Victor Favret of Chamouni, in 
1863, was unsuccessful. Sleeping at the 
chalet of Plonta, lying far to the N. of 
the highest peak, they reached a summit 



180 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 15. RDTTOR DISTRICT. 



called Bee de Mont Forchu (11,064'), 
and were prevented by bad weather 
from then renewing the attempt. In 
1S64 the same party returned with two 
other travellers and a Courmayeur 
guide, named Michel Brunod. They 
slept at the chalet of Epines dessus, 
and after winding round a spur from 
the Mont Forchu reached the Glacier 
d'lnvergnuon. Bearing to the rt., or 
8. of the peak, they ascended in zig- 
zags steep ice -slopes, requiring tedious 
step-cutting, and after 8^ hrs. reached 
the Col or depression between the 
highest summit and the next point to 
the S., called Bee de Glaeon. The actual 
crest is extremely sharp, and beset with 
loose masses of crumbling mica schist 
that seem ready to yield to the slightest 
pressure ; so that the party were forced 
to halt at a point 30 or 40 ft. below the 
actual summit. [This point was found 
to be about 12,060' ft in height.] 

Between the Invergnuon and the 
Mont Forchu, but nearer to the latter, 
is a practicable Col from Val Grisanche 
to Notre Dame de Rhemes. 



Route D. 

VAL GRISANCHE TO TIGNES. 

The easiest way to reach Tignes 
from Val Grisanche is, doubtless, that 
pointed out in the last Rte., by crossing 
the Col Vaudet, and then bearing to 
the 1. until the track from Ste. Foi to 
Tignes is struck, about half-way be- 
tween those places. Mountaineers may, 
however, be tempted to prefer one or 
other of the possible routes by the gla- 
ciers that close the head of the valley. 
The most direct way is by the Col de 



la Sassiere (10,896'), first traversed in 
1865 by Messrs. R. C. Niches, Blan- 
ford, and Rowsell. The Col lies in the 
ridge connecting the Mont Bassac with 
the Aig. de la Sassiere, and was reached 
in 4| hrs. from the Vaudet chalets, 
ascending to the plateau at the h?ad of 
the Glacier de Vaudet and aiming at 
a point somewhat 1. of the apparent 
Col. The descent was effected by steep 
rocks, and then by a couloir leading 
nearly to the foot of the Glacier de 
Rhemes. 

A few days before effecting the 
above-named pass, Mr. Nichols, with 
Jos. Victor Favret of Chamouni, who 
acted as leader in all the expeditions 
here noticed, went from the Vaudet 
chalets to Tignes, taking in his way the 
Mont Bassac, 10,896 ft. high, noticed 
in last Rte-, and descending thence to 
the Col de Gailletta. Though longer, 
this way is decidedly easier than by the 
Col de la Sassiere, and is recommended 
as the route which will best repay the 
mountaineer. From the chalets of 
Vaudet Mr. Nichols reached the sum- 
mit of Mont Bassac in 3 hrs. The 
descent to the top of the Col de Gail- 
letta occupied \ hr., and thence by the 
usual route to Tignes, 3 hrs. 

In 1864, Mr. Nichols and his com- 
panions entered the Val de Rhemes 
from the head of Val Grisanche by the 
Col de Bassac (about 1 0,200'). Starting 
from the Chalets de Vaudet, the way 
is by grassy slopes above the glacier, 
keeping near its E. branch, which de- 
scends from the peak on the left of the 
Col. In 2 hrs. a desolate stony hollow is 
reached, whence, mounting to SE., the 
col is reached in another hr. The 
view is rather confined, but is much 
extended by mounting a knoll E. of the 
pass, and about 400 (?) ft. above it. 
The descent to the Gl. de Bassac, join- 
ing the route from the Col de Gailletta 
(Rte. E), was found to be quite as easy 
as the ascent, and in 2^hrs. they reached 
the chalets of Barmaverin. 



EOUTE E. — COL 



Route E. 

TIGNES TO AOSTA, BY THE COL DE GAIL,- 
LETTA AND THE VAL DE RHEMES. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

Col de Gailletta . 4£ 9 

Notre Dame de Rhemes . 4± 10 

St. George de Rhemes . 3 8 

Viileneuve ... If 5 

Aosta .... 2 7 

15| 39 

The Val de Rhemes has been all but 
completely neglected by travellers, al- 
though the scenery at its head is of 
the grandest character. Few travellers 
will be tempted to halt here until better 
accommodation is available ; but an 
active walker may easily take it in the 
way from the upper valley of the Isere 
to Aosta. The fine glacier pass lead- 
ing from Tignes is described by Mr. 
Mathews in the second series of 
'Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers.' Even 
when made only to Viileneuve, it in- 
volves a very long day's walk, and as 
the accommodation at that place is 
improved, it is no longer necessary 
to push on to Aosta. 

The first part of the way from Tignes 
is by the path taken in the ascent of the 
Aiguille de la Sassiere (§ 11, Rte. B). 
It mounts by the S. side of the water- 
fall E. of the village, and above the cliff 
crosses to the rt. bank of the torrent, 
where it enters the upland valley in the 
midst of which lie the chalets of la Sas- 
siere, and at its head the Lac de la Sas- 
siire, whose dull green waters are turbid 
from the fine glacial mud held in suspen- 
sion. The way lies along the N.side of the 
lake, with the fine peak of the Sassiere 
on the 1. hand, and then ascends slopes 
of alternate rock and Alpine pasture, 
when the fine Glacier de /{hemes 
comes into view, with the peak of the 
Sainte Helene on the rt. 



DE GAILLETTA. f 179] 

Messrs. Mathews and Jacomb kept 
along the rocks on the N. side of the 
glacier, so as to avoid the most difficult 
part, and then threaded their way amidst 
intricate crevasses till they reached the 
Colde Gailletta (10,049')- 

' The pass is one of the finest in the 
Graian Alps, and both in its foreground 
scenery and in the extent and interest 
of its distant views, may bear compari- 
son with some of the more celebrated 
Cols of the Pennine or Oberland Alps. 
The summit of the Col is far in ad- 
vance of the Sassiere. As we faced the 
Val de Rhemes we had upon our 1. 
hand tracts of snow of immense extent, 
stretching towards the head of the Val 
Grisanche.' — [W. M.] 

On the S. side of the Col is a high 
peak which has been erroneously iden- 
tified with the Grand Apparei of the 
Government map, and is locally known 
as the Ste. Helene. This mountain 
appears from the JS T . as a steep cone of 
ice, cut off by vertical precipices on 
the E. To the SW. it is rather less 
steep, and is hollowed into a glacier 
parallel to the Gl. de Rhemes. By this 
glacier, and by the arete between it 
and the Gl. de Rhemes, the summit 
was reached for the first time in 1865, 
in 6 hrs. from the chalets of La Sas- 
siere, by Messrs. Nichols, Blandford, 
and Rowsell. The Ste. Helene is pro- 
bably the third peak in this district, 
being 11,831 ft. in height (Fr. Engi- 
neers). This peak is not visible from 
the Val de Rhemes, being concealed 
by the true Grand Apparei which 
lies NE. of if and of the Col de 
Gailletta. Like the Ste. Helene, it ap- 
pears on the N. and from the Val de 
Rhemes as a cone of snow cut by pre- 
cipices of dark rock on the E. side. 
This was attained from the chalets of 
La Suche by the above-named moun- 
taineers in 1863. They ascended the 
N. face of the peak, cutting a great 
number of steps towards the W. arete, 
and after following it for a short dis- 
tance, turned off upon the W. face of 
the mountain to the summit, which 
forms the S. extremity of the short 



GRAIAN ALPS. § 15. EUITOR DISTRICT. 



[180] 

ridge at its top. The height, as ob- 
served, was 11,494 ft. Between the 
Ste. Helene and the Grand Apparei is 
a probable pass from the S. side of the 
Col de Gailletta to the large glaciers at 
the head of the Val de Rhemes, which 
are separated from the Gl. de Bassac by 
the ridge of the Apparei. 

From the Col de Gailletta the graceful 
snow-peak of the Grande Motte and the 
frowning precipices of the Casse are 
seen beyond the Lac de Tignes : the 
magnificent masses of the Grand Para- 
dis and the Grivola over the Val Sava- 
ranche ; and straight down the Val 
de Rhemes the Grand Combin forms 
the central summit of a i-ection of the 
Pennine Alps that closes the view. 

The head of the Val de Rhemes con- 
sists of a spacious amphitheatre con- 
taining several distinct glaciers, all 
most imperfectly shown in the maps. 
The westernmost of these, the Gl. de 
Bassac, over which the route passes, is 
divided from the others by the project- 
ing promontory of which the Grand 
Apparei forms the culminating point, 
and which is a most striking feature in 
all the views from the upper part of 
the valley. The glacier is of consider- 
able width, and the descent may be 
made close to the Apparei, or keeping to 
the left, under Mont Bassac. In either 
case, it is quitted on its rt. bank after 
passing the Apparei, and the descent 



over rocks and pastures to the chalets 
of La Suche (7,700') is perfectly easy 
if the right track be hit. The descent 
of the glacier requires about 1 hr., and 
thence to the chalets about f hr. more. 

From La Suche a good mule-path 
lead3 in \ hr. to the chalets of Barma- 
verin, from whence, crossing the stream, 
the track to the Col de Rosset mounts to 
the SE. The first hamlet is called Thu- 
mel, and about \\ hr. farther is the 
chief village, Notre Dame de Rhemes 
(5,776'). The inn is miserable, but the 
cure, who inhabits the largest house, is 
said to be willing to receive travellers. 
From hence the Col de la Croix de 
Ni volet may be reached by the Col 
Rosset, or the village of Valsavaranche 
(in about 6 hrs.) by the Col de Trelore. 
See § 14, Rte. F. While the scenery 
of the head of the valley is very grand, 
that of its middle portion is tame and 
monotonous, relieved only by the fine 
peak of the Combin, which remains 
constantly in view. Several very poor 
hamlets are passed, and St. George de 
Rhemes, the next, village, has a mise- 
rable appearance. The chestnut, walnut, 
and, finally , the vine, become more abun- 
dant and luxuriant as the path, which 
here commands a fine view of Mont 
Blanc, approaches Introd, from whence 
a short descent by char-road leads to 

Villeneuve (Rte. A). 



181 



CHAPTER VL 
PENNINE ALPS. 



Section 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 

Route A — Paris to Chamouni, by Geneva 

— Excursions from Chamouni 185 
Route B— Chamouni to Courmayeur, by 

the Col du Bonhomme . . 203 
Route C— Sallanches to Contamines and 

Courmayeur, by St. Gervais 210 
Route D — Courmayeur to Contamines, by 

the Col du Mont Tondu, or 

the Col de Trelatete . .211 
Route E— Chamouni to Courmayeur, by 

the Glacier de Miage . . 213 
Route F — Chamouni to Courmayeur, by 

the Col du Geant, or the 

ColdeTalefre . . .215 
Route G — Ascent of Mont Blanc . . 218 
Route H — Chamouni to Martigny . . 226 
Route I — Chamouni to Orsieres, by the 

Col de Champey . . .229 
Route K— Orsieres to Courmayeur, by 

the Col de Ferrex . . 230 
Route L — Chamouni to Orsidres, by the 

Glacier d'Argt-ntiere . . 231 
Route M — Chamouni to Orsieres, by the 

Glacier du Tour . . .235 



Section 17. 
8IXT district. 

Route A— Geneva to Sixt, by Tanninges [235] 
Route B— Geneva to Sixt, by Cluses or 

St. Martin . . . .238 

RouteC — Sixt to Chamouni, by Servoz . 239 
Route D— Sixt to Chamouni — Ascent of 

the Buet 240 

Route E— Sixt to Martigny, by Salvent . 242 
Route F — Samoens to Champery and 

Monthey 244 

Route G_Sixt to Champery . . . 245 
Route H— Champery to Martigny _ As- 
cent of the Dent du Midi . 246 
Route I— Geneva to St. Maurice, by 

Thorion 247 

Route K— Bonneville to Thonon . . 249 

Route L—Thonon to Samoens . . . 251 
Route M— Thonon to Champery, or to 

Monthey . . . 252 



Section 18. 
st. bernard district. 

Route A — Geneva to Aosta by Martigny 

and the Great St. Bernard . 254 

Route B— Hospice of the Great St. Ber- 
nard to Courmayeur . . 264 

Route C — St. Pierre to Courmayeur, by 

the Col des Planards . . 266 

Route D— St. Pieire to Aosta, by the 
Col de Menouve— Ascent of 
the Mont Velan . . .266 

Route E— Martigny to Aosta, by the Val 
de Bagnes and the Col de 
Fenetre . . . .268 

Route F — Chables to St. Pierre, by the 
Col de la Maison Blanche- 
Ascent of the Grand Combin 271 

Route G — St. Pierre to Chermontane, by 

the Col de Sonadon . . 274 

Route H— Aosta to Zermatt, by the Val 
Pellina and the Col de la 
Val Pellina-Dent d'Herens 276 

Route I— St. Barthelemi to the Val Pel- 
lina 279 

Route K— Prarayen to Val Toumanche, 
or "Breuil, by the Col de 
Vacornere -- Ascent of the 
Chateau des Dames . . 280 

Route L— Chermontane to Praiayen, by 
the Glacier d'Otemma— As- 
cent of the Mont Gele . . 281 

Route M— Chermontane to Evolena, by 
the Col de Chermontane, or 
the Col de Breney . . 284 

Route N— Chermontane to Fvolena, or 
to Herdmence, by the Col 
du Mont Rouge . . .286 

Section 19. 
evolena district. 

Route A— Sion to Aosta, by the Val 

d'Herens and Col de Collon 2*8 

RouteB— Evolena to Praraven, by the 

Col des Bouquetins . . 291 

Route C— Sion to the Val de Bagnes, by 

the Val d'He'emeiice . . 292 

Route D — Evolena to Zermatt, by the 
Col d'Herens - Ascent of the 
Dent Blanche . . 293 



182 



PENNINE ALPS. 



Route E-Sierre to Zermatt, by the Val 

d'Anniviers .... 295 
Route F— Evolena to Vissoie, by the Val 

de Torrent . . . .301 
Route G-Zinal to Evolena, by the Col 

du Grand Cornier . . .302 
Route H — Evolena to Zinal, by the Val 

de Torrent . . . .303 
Route I — Vissoie to Turtman, or to Grii- 

beu, in the Turtman TbU . 303 
Route K_Gruben to St. Niklaus, or to 

Randa 306 

Section 20. 
monte rosa district. 

Route A — Visp to Zermatt — Excursions 

from Zermatt . . .310 

Route B — Zermatt to Ivrea, by the Val 
Tournanche — Col de St. 
Th£odule— Breithorn— Mat- 323 
terhorn 

Route C— Zermatt to Verrex, by the 
Schwarz Thor and the Val 
d'Ayas 328 

Route D— Zermatt to Pont St. Martin, by 
the Lys Joch, or Zuillinge 
Joch, and the Val de Lys . 329 

Route E— Zermatt to Varallo, by the 

Sesia Joch and the Val Sesia 333 

Route F— Zermatt to Vogogna, by the 
Weiss Thor, and the Val 
Anzasca 337 

Route G— Tour of Monte Rosa, by the 

High Glacier Passes . . 341 



The traveller who has explored the 
Alps in various directions, and surveyed 
them frum several of the high points 
which offer an extensive panoramic 
view, can scarcely fail to have formed 
the conclusion that whatever the forces 
may have heen that have raised so vast a 
, mass of matter above the ordinary level 
of our continent, they have acted with 
peculiar intensity throughout the range 
which, to speak roughly, extends between 
the valley of the Rhone and that of the 
Dora Baltea from Mont Blanc to Monte 
Hosa. On studying a model, or even 
a good map, it becomes apparent that 
the importance of this range does not 
depend only on the fact that it includes 
all the highest peaks of the Alps, all 
but one of those exceeding 14,000 ft., 
and fully two-thirds of those over 
13,000 ft. Throughout the whole 
central region of the Alps, from the 
valley of the Adige to the basin of the 
Isere and that of the Arve, a prevailing 
direction is observed in the chief valleys, 



Route H — Val Tournanche to Macugnaga, 

by fe Middle Passes . . 344 
Route I— Aosta to Ponte Grande, by the 

Lower Passes . . . 346 
Route K— Ivrea to 0> ta, bv Biella . . 350 
Route L— Orta to Ponte Grande, by the 

Val Mastalune. . . . 3S2 
Route M -Orta to Pont Grande, by the 

Val Strona .... 353 
Route N— Visp to Macugnaga, by the 

Monte Moro .... 354 
Route O— Saas to Zermatt, by the Saas 

Grat 357 

Route P— Sans to St. Niklaus, by the Ried 

Pass , 360 



Section 21. 
sijiplon district. 

Route A — Martigny to Arona — Pass of 

theSi'mplon . . . .362 
Route B-Domo d'Ossola to Brieg, by 

the Val Cherasca . . .370 
Route C Domo d'Ossola to Arona, by 

Orta .... 371 

Route D — Saas to Simpeln — Ascent of 

the Fletschh rn . . .373 
Route E— Sa=is to Isplla, by the Zwisch- 

bergen Pass— Ascent cT the 

Weissmies .... 375 
Route F— Simpeln to Domo d'Ossola, by 

the Val Bugnanco . . . 376 
Route G— Saa* to Domo d'Ossola, by the 

Val Autrona . . .377 



the key to which is to be found in the 
Pennine chain. We thus find that the 
range, nf Mont Blanc lies between two 
parallel troughs, the valley of Chamouni 
and the Allee Blanche, directed from 
WSW. to ENE.; that the same di- 
rection is repeated in the Yal Pellina, 
the Val Anzasca, the valley of the 
Trient, &c, and that if -we carry the 
eye across the whole of Switzerland, we 
constantly encounter ridges and de- 
pressions of the surface that conform to 
the same direction. A line drawn from 
Martigny to Coire, with a slight disloca- 
tion between Leuk and Visp, marks a 
great line of depression nearly 120 
miles in length — traversed, it is true, bv 
two ridges, and forming the channel for 
four different streams, yet essentially 
but one trough, parallel to and nearly a 
continuation of the valley of Chamouni. 
Farther E. another great parallel line of 
depression may be traced from Kauns, 
in the valley of the Inn, to the source of 
^hat stream, and then over the Maloya 



§16. MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



183 



Pass to Chiaverma, perhaps even from 
thence to Canobbio on the Lago 
Maggiore, and through the Val Vegezzo 
and Val Anzasca to the base of Monte 
Eosa. The line of lakes from Inter - 
laken to Kiissnacht, that between Orbe 
and Soleure, and the direction of most 
of the minor ranges of the Canton of 
Berne, all bear testimony to the exist- 
ence of forces which have operated over 
a wide area, but which have produced 
their maximum effect in the range of 
the Pennine Alps. 

The limits of the Pennine chain have 
been indicated in the precedingchapters. 
The valleys of Bonneval and Montjoie, 
between Bourg St. Maurice on the Isere 
and St. Gervais, and then the valley of 
the Arve to its confluence with the 
Rhone, mark the W. boundary. The 
pass of the Little St. Bernard, and the 
valley of the Dora Baltea as far as 
Ivrea, separate the Pennine from the 
Graian group. The valley of the 
Rhone, the pass of the Simplon, and the 
Val d'Ossola, serve to fix the N. and E. 
limits, and between Ivrea and Arona 
the massive buttresses of Monte Rosa 
sink into the plain of Piedmont. The 
mountain district of Chablais, lying 
between the Arve, the Ehone, and the 
Lake of Geneva, along with the adjacent 
Swiss valleys W. of the Ehone, is 
perhaps more intimately related to the 
Bernese than to the Pennine chain, but 
its contiguity to the latter makes it 
more convenient to include it in the 
present chapter. 

Within the limits here indicated, the 
Pennine chain presents a tolerahly con- 
tinuous range about 70 English miles 
long, in a straight line from the S W. end 
of the Mont Blanc range to the Fletsch- 
horn, with two great dislocations. The 
one, between Mont Blanc and the Ve- 
ian, gives place for the only passes 
in the chain that fall below the level of 
perpetual snow. The other dislocation 
is seen in the irregular zigzag line 
described by the crest of t ho chain 
between the Matterhorn and theFletsch- 
ho ii, forming the range of Monte Eosa 

The pre-eminence of Mont Blanc 



over every other summit of our con- 
tinent, the interest attaching to its 
ascent by Saussure, and the grand 
scenery of the valley itself, all combined 
to make Chamouni one of the earliest 
resorts of Alpine travellers, so that even 
before the French Revolution many 
strangers were seen in a valley which 
but a few years earlier was almost 
unknown. After the peace in 1814 
the stream of tourists began to flow in 
the same dir< ction. The natives of the 
valley saw and used the advantages 
put in their way, and early established 
inns much better than were found else- 
where in the Alps. The number of 
visitors constantly increased, but until a 
comparatively late period Mont Blanc 
and the pass of the Great St. Bernard 
were the only portions of the Pennine 
Alps at all generally known. A few 
Swiss and German naturalists, and a 
still smaller number of adventurous 
Englishmen, had followed on the foot- 
steps of Saussure in the valleys sur- 
rounding Monte Rosa, but it is only 
within the last twenty years that general 
attention has been directed to that 
region, which, although far less easy of 
access, is now recognised as second to 
none other in the union of all the elements 
of the sublime in nature. Still moro 
recently, and mainly through the exer- 
tions of members of the Alpine Club, 
the central portion of the Pennine chain 
has been thoroughly explored, and the 
establishment of tolerably good inns at 
Evolena and Ziual will probably soon 
be followed by the appearance of others 
in the Val de Bagnes and the Val 
Pellina. The southern valleys of Monte 
Eosa are now pretty well supplied with 
inns, and every year sees some improve- 
ment in the provision made for travellers. 



SECTION 16. 

MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 

The mountain mass which includes 
the highest summit of our continent lies 



184 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



between the two parallel valleys of 
Chamouni and the Ailee Blanche,* the 
latter being formed by the meeting of 
two torrents which flow in opposite 
directions towards the village of En- 
treves, and escape to the SE. by a 
broad opening between the Mont 
Chetif and the Mont de la Saxe to form 
the main stream of the Dora Baltea. 
It is questionable whether the range may 
most properly be described as a single 
ridge, throwing out on the N. sidef 
massive buttresses, which are crowned 
by towers and pinnacles that rival in 
height those of the central ridge, or as 
two parallel ridges linked together by 
connecting walls of rock, and with this 
peculiarity, that the northern ridge is 
broken through by numerous gaps, 
through which the vast accumulations 
of ice formed in the central basins are 
drained by the glaciers descending into 
the valley of Chamouni. At the W. end 
of the range several great glaciers 
descend into the Val de Montjoie, 
while the opposite extremity, limited by 
the Val Ferrex, the Dranse, and the 
Trient, is also bordered by numerous 
glaciers whose streams are poured into 
those valleys. 

As already explained, the principal 
ridge of this range is that which rises 
on the S. side immediately above the 
Ailee Blanche. Although the crest does 
not maintain continuously so high a 
level as that of Monte Rosa, this may be 
pronounced for combined length, height, 
and steepness to be the most formidable 
barrier existing in the Alps. Until 
very recently but two passes — the Col 
du Geant and Col de Miage — had been 
effected across the range extending 
from the Aiguille du Glacier to the 



* This is correctly written La Lex Blanche, 
but it does not seem possible to change the re- 
ceived spelling. We here apply the name to the 
entire valley, although the E. portion is fre- 
quently distinguished as Val Ferrex and a small 
parr towards the centre is sometimes called Val 
de V6ni. 

+ For convenience, we speak as if the range 
of Mont Blanc lay E. and W.,but it will be re- 
collected that the true direction of the main 
ridge, and of the valleys on either side, approaches 
NE. and SW. 



Mont Dolent, and. with the exception 
of the Col de Talefre. the new passes 
lately discovered are all extremely dif- 
ficult and laborious. The other new 
passes, which are approached by the 
Glaciers du Tour and Argentiere, lead 
into the Swiss Val Ferret, and not to 
the Italian side of the range. 

The name Mont Blanc is sometimes 
applied collectively to the entire, or to a 
great portion of the range ; we here 
confine it to the central peak which 
overtops all its attendant peaks and ! 
aiguilles by nearly 2,000 ff„ and is cut 
off from its chief rivals by the Col de 
Miage on the W., and on the NE. by 
the depression between the Aiguille du 
Midi and the Mont Blanc de Tacul. 
The latter projecting point, as well as 
the higher eminence called the Mont 
Maudit, are properly but portions of 
the main peak, and the same may be 
observed of the continuous ridge which 
extends from the top by the so-called 
Bosse du Dromadaire and the Dome du 
Goute to the Aiguille du Goute. The 
remaining portion of the range of Mont 
Blanc is not naturaliy divided into 
large and distinct masses, but exhibits 
in extraordinary perfection that charac- 
teristic form of sharp craggy pinnacle 
that has received the name Aiguille 
Most of those in the neighbourhood of 
Chamouni, the Ailee Blanche, and the 
Val de Montjoie are known by distinct 
names, but this does not hold as to the 
less accessible part of the range, and 
there is no reason why Alpine topo- 
graphy should be overladen by a 
further increase of separate names for 
each pinnacle in a range where these 
are counted by hundreds. 

Two outlying ranges closely con- 
nected with the Mont Blanc range are 
included in the present section. To 
the N. of the valley of Chamouni the 
range of the Aiguilles Rouges, con- 
nected with the Buet, but nearly 
separated by the glens of Valorsine and 
that of the Dioza, cannot well be 
detached from the adjoining valley of 
Chamouni. For the same reason the 
range of the Cramont, between the 



ROUTE A. PARIS TO CHAilOONI. 



185 



Allee Blanche and the road of the 
Little St. Bernard is not placed apart 
from Courmayeur, which lies close to its 
base. 

The two Alpine villages above 
named, Chamouni and Courmayeur, are 
the natural head-quarters to which tra- 
vellers resort, according as they would 
establish themselves on the N. or S 
side of the range. A mountaineer may 
find very tolerable accommodation, for 
which he will be made to pay liberally, 
at many points higher up, and con- 
veniently placed for glacier excursions 
and ascents. It results from the form of 
the range rather than from any want of 
speculative keenness on the part of the 
inhabitants, that there is not here any 
inn in a central position and at a con- 
siderable height, as on the Riffel or the 
iEggischhorn, where a mountaineer 
can sojourn with satisfaction while 
exploring the surrounding peaks. On 
\he other hand it may be remarked, 
I hat there is no great mountain mass 
so admirably provided with natural 
belvederes, whence it may be viewed 
on every side, as that of Mont Blanc. 
These are the Brevent, the Cramont, 
and the Mont Joli, all of them possess- 
ing the great advantage that a deep 
valley lie* between the observer and the 
main range rising on the opposite side. 

The map of Mont Blanc annexed to 
this section has been re-engraved since 
the issue of the first edition, and the 
errors repeated in all the earlier maps 
have been corrected. The more remark- 
able of these have been recently brought 
to light by Mr. A. A. Reilly, a member 
of the Alpine Club, whose unassisted 
exertions have done more to clear up 
the topography of the ranjre than those 
of all his predecessors. The excellent 
map containing the results of that gen- 
tleman's labours has been given to the 
public, and it has been followed by a 
still more elaborate map, containing the 
results of a survey completed by the 
French government engineers, well en- 
graved on a scale of 

On all sides of Mont Blanc the lan- 
guage of the natives is a more or less 
corruot French pv U is. 



Route A. 

PARIS TO CHAMOUNI, BY GENEVA- 
EXCURSION FKOM CHAMOUNI. 



Culoz 

Geneva 

Bonneville 

Cluses 

Sallanches 

Chamouni 



Kilnme'res Ei 

. 560 

. 67 

. 28 

. 14 

. 16 

. '28 

713* 



348 
4\h 
17| 
9 
10 

in 

443 



Railway from Paris to Genera (night train. 1st 
class onlv) in about 14 hrs. Day train (1st 
and 2nd cla>s) in 16 hrs. 48 min. Diligence 
from Geneva to Chamouni in 9 hours. 

The time-table on the railway be- 
tween Paris and Geneva has undergone 
many changes; the quickest train is 
always the night express from Paris. 
Travellers should consult the Fruu. u 
4 Indicateur des Chemins de Fer,' or 
'Chaix's Guide.' Above Culoz the val- 
ley of the Rhone mounts due N. for 
20 m. along the E. base of the Mont 
Colombier (§ 10,Rte. A), and the lime- 
stone range which extends thence to 
the Valserine ; the rly. keeps to the 
rt. bank, passing Seyssel and Pyrimont, 
places chiefly known for the extensive 
deposits of asphalt which occur in this 
neighbourhood, and supply their pro- 
duce to all Europe. To the N. the 
valley seems to be closed by the steep 
face of the Credo (5,328'), the S. ex- 
tremity of the main range of the Jura. 
After passing through four tunnels the 
rly. reaches Belleyarde (H. de la Poste; 
H. de la Perte du Rhone), formerly 
a place of some note because of the 
meeting of the diligences from Paris, 
Lyons, and Geneva. A traveller not 
overpressed for time will do well to 
halt here to visit the Perte du Rhone. 
In passing round the base of the 
Credo, ancf between that mountain and 
the Vuache on the opposite bank, the 
Rhone has cut through thick deposits 
of diluvium, and, on reaching the 
underl - i'v limestone has so worked 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



into this and enlarged the fissures with 
which it abounds, that in one place the 
entire stream passes through the sub- 
terranean passage so excavated, and 
for a short space disappears from the 
light of day. This is, however, only- 
true when the waters are low ; at other 
times the underground passage is in- 
sufficient, and a portion of the stream 
passes above the natural bridge. 
Equally well worth seeing is the junc- 
tion of the Valserine with the Rhone, 
which occurs close to Bell garde. 
When the former stream is not too full, 
it is possible to descend into its bed 
and observe the vertical Avails of the 
chasm which it has worked in the 
rock. A guide is not required to find 
the Perte du Rhone. Beyond the 
bridge by which the post' road crosses 
the Valserine the first road turning 
down to the rt. leads in 8 or 10 min to 
the wooden bridge which marks the 
spot. At Bellegarde the railway crosses 
the gorge of the Valserine by a very 
fine \iaduct, 160 ft. in height, and then 
enters one of the most considerable 
railway tunnels on the continent, 2^ m. 
in length, cut through the base of the 
Credo. On escaping from the tunnel 
the line passes between the river and 
the rocky face of the mountain, under 
the Fort de l'Ecluse (1,3S8'J, which 
guards this entrance into France. 
After passing two small wnnels, the 
mountains on either side recede from 
the Rhone, and the railway enters the 
undulating plain which extends to the 
Lake of Geneva, ar;d ihe neighbourhood 
of the city is marked by the well-known 
ridge of the Saleve s en on the rt. In 
m. from Bellegarde it readies 
Gexeva (Hotels of the first class- 
on the 1. bank near the steamboat quay 
— H. de la Metropole, veiy large, well 
kept; Ecu d? Genere, very good, not 
cheap, preferred for families; H. de la 
Couronne, good, often full, rather 
cheap, r than the last — on the rt. bank, 
with view of Mont Blanc— H. Beauri- 
vage, new and good, enjoys the finest 
view; H. de la Paix, new and very good, 
kept by the former master of the Ecu ; 



H. de Russie; H. des Bergues, dear; — 
of less pretension are Schweizer Hof, or 
Hotel Suisse, good and reasonable, oppo-' 
site the rly. station ; and H. Victoria ; 
H. du Lac, H. de la Poste, and H. du 
Rhone, all on 1. bank, and clean and rea- 
sonable : H. des Etrangers, in the new 
quarter on rt. bank ; H. de la Balance, 
awayfrom the river, second-class house, 
but clean, comfortable, and moderate; 
Lion d'Or ; Grand Aigle ; H. du Nord), 
the capital of the smallest canton in 
Switzerland, but the richest and most 
important city of the Confederation, 
which, in part through its natural ad- 
vantages, in part through the intellectual 
activity of its inhabitants, but mainly 
because, with the exception of the French 
domination between 1708 and 1814, it 
has maintained for centuries its political 
independence, has held a place in Europe 
quite disproportioned to its population 
and resources. Although there is no 
city, for its size, so well supplied with 
hotels, the number of strangers is at times 
so great, that, when ladies are of the 
party, it is prudent to secure rooms 
beforehand, as those who neglect the 
precaution are sometimes driven to inns 
of the lowest class. The town has been 
almost rebuilt and largely increased 
during the last 30 years, and from its 
former mean appearance has put on an 
aspect of wealth and stateliness b fitting 
its admirable natural position at the out- 
let of the finest of the Swiss lakes, in a 
1 ich strip of country that lies as in a bay 
between the Jura and the Alps. To 
effect these changes, it has been neces- 
sary, at some sa<'viuce of the picturesque, 
and perhaps sliSo oc patriotic feeling, to 
remove the ancient fortifications, which 
are now replaced by new streets, pro- 
menades, and gardens. The rly. station 
which, besides serving the trains from 
Paris and Lyons (keeping Paris time), 
is the point of departure (by Berne time) 
for Lausanne and the Valais, or for 
Berne, Neufchatel, Bale, and the whole 
N. of Switzerland, stands just outside 
the town on the N. side; the lake steam- . 
ers,on tiie contrary, start from the Grand 
Quai, on the 1. bank of the Rhone, 



ROUTE A.- 

whereon many of the principal hotels 
are situated. 

The ancient cathedral, built in the 
lOfh and 11th centuries, but injured by 
subsequent alterations, and especially 
by the facade erected in 1749, contains 
some interesting monuments. 

The Public Library, with many pre- 
cious MSS., including numerous auto- 
graph letters and manuscript works cf 
John Calvin, is open daily, from 11 a.m. 
to 4 P.M. 

The Musee d'Histoire Naturelle, in 
the Grande Rue, is interesting to the 
student, on account of the original 
geological collections of Saussure and 
Necker, the fossil plants of Brongniart 
and De Candolle, and other collections 
named by the distinguished men who 
have made Geneva one of the centres 
of European science. The antiquary 
will also find some objects worth his 
notice. This museum is open to the 
public only for two hours on Sundays 
and Thursdays ; but a stranger may 
gain admission at other times. 

LunePs Zoological Museum of the 
Alps, at Plainpalais (entrance lfr.), is 
very well arranged, and the specimens 
are in good condition. 

The Musee Rath, founded by General 
Rath, comprises casts from the antique 
and from Pradier's best statues, and a 
collection of pictures, including several 
good specimens of Calame and Diday, 
the most eminent Swiss landscape paint- 
ers. It is open to the public on Sun- 
days and Thursdays, from 1 1 a.m. to 3 
P.M. ; at other times on payment of lfr. 

A large model of the range of Mont 
Blanc, exhibited in the new Jardin 
Anglais, will be interesting to many 
mountaineers. Admission from 1 1 a.m. 
to 3 p.m. ; oil Sundays and Thursdays 
free ; at other times 1 fr. each. 

The Botanic Garden, founded by the 
elder De Candolle, is very well kept. 

The observatory is under the direc- 
tion of Professor E. Plantamour, well 
known for his valuable contributions to 
Alpine Meteorology. Meteorological 
observations are made every second 
hour between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., cor- 



— GENEVA. 187 

responding with similar observations 
at the Great St. Bernard. A traveller 
carrying a barometer should not omit 
to compare with the Geneva standard. 
The height of the cistern above the sea- 
level is 408 metres, or 1,338.6 English ft. 

Just beyond the port, on the E. shore 
of the lake, are two ice-borne granite 
boulders, projecting out of the water, 
and called Pierres de Niton, from the 
traditional belief that they were an- 
ciently used for sacrifices to Neptune. 
Their height above the sea-level is 
1,231 ft. 

Geneva abounds in boarding-houses 
and pensions suited to the various wants 
and means of the large number of 
foreigners who resort hither for educa- 
tion, society, economy, or attracted by 
the scenery of the city and its neigh- 
bourhood. The charges vary from 100 
to 300 fr. a month. It is wise to con- 
sult some respectable inhabitant before 
making a selection. 

An English club, with reading- 
rooms, &c, has been opened at No. 5, 
Quai du Mont Blanc. Gentlemen are 
admitted for a single day, or for a 
longer period. 

English goods of every description 
are found here better than at most towns 
on the continent. 

The British consulate is in the Rue 
du Rhone. 

Geneva possesses several medicfel 
men of high reputation, of whom one 
of the most eminent is Dr. Binet. In 
addition to these Dr. Metcalfe, an 
English physician and surgeon, resides 
at 3 Quai du Mont Blanc. 

Omnibuses ply between the town and 
the rly. station, and also to and from 
Carouge and Fernex. 

Fiacres, or voitures de place, cost 
2.50fr. per hour, and 65c. for each 
\ hr. additional. Charge for a drive 
round the town, by the ' Nouvellc cir- 
conscription,' 1.50fr. 

Small boats with a single rower for 
short excursions on the lake are charged 
2 or 3fr. an hour. 

Cafes are numerous, and it is not un* 
usual for persons staying at an hotel to 



188 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



breakfast at a cafe. The Cafes da Nord 
and de la Couronne are amongst the 
best. The first is also a good restaurant 

Excellent cigars or tobacco may be 
found at Geneva. One of the best shops 
is that of Wistaz, near the rly. station. 

The public walks in and about the 
town may challenge comparison with 
ihose of any city in Europe. The foot- 
bridge, Pont des Bergues, and the He 
Rousseau, with Pradier's fine statue of 
J. -J. Rousseau, dividing the waters of 
the ' arrowy Rhone' just as they issue 
from the lake, is the first point of attrac- 
tion to strangers; but the new prome- 
nades on the site of the old bastions 
also deserve a visit. 

The environs of Geneva are studded 
with villas, which for the most part 
command beautiful views of the lake 
and the mountains. In the opposite 
direction from the lake, the junction of 
the Arve with the Rhone, about 1 m. 
out of the town, is worth a visit. The 
former is laden with the impalpable 
powder into which the rocks of Mont 
Blanc are ground beneath the glaciers 
that feed the stream, and, in addition to 
this, with the detritus of the sedimentary 
deposits through which it flows from 
Sallanches to Geneva; while the waters 
of the Rhone, after depositing their im- 
purities in the bed of the lake, acquire 
the exquisite blue tint that fascinates 
the common observer and excites the 
curiosity of the man of science, who 
has not found for it a completely satis- 
factory explanation. 

The mountaineer when within sight 
of the snowy Alps is not likely to halt 
long at Geneva; but among the nume- 
rous points of view which may be reached 
from hence are some that in their way 
can scarcely be surpassed. The range 
of the Jura, extending from the Mont 
Colombier, near Culoz, to Soleure, forms 
a natural terrace from whence to survey 
the Swiss and Savoy Alps. One who 
ascends to a height of 3,000 or 4,000 ft. 
anywhere in the range, overlooks the 
intermediate lower country, and takes in 
some considerable portion of the great 
girdle of snowy peaks that encloses 



the basin of the Rhone. The effect 
of this panorama is immeasurably in- 
creased when a broad expanse of water 
lies in the space between the eye and the 
distant background; and hence it hap- 
pens that the finest views from the Jura 
are those obtained from the parts of the 
range near the W. end of the Lake of 
Geneva, or from above Neufchatel. The 
latter position is the more central, being 
about equidistant from the highest 
peaks of the Savoy and the Bernese 
Alps. The Jura above Geneva is much 
nearer to Mont Blanc than to the Ber- 
nese chain, the former being about 60 
m. distant, and the panorama, though 
more striking towards the SW., is less 
complete; but the Lake Leman, extend- 
ing from the spectator's feet for a dis- 
tance of 40 m., with its broad channel 
gradually contracted between heights 
which rise higher and higher on either 
hand until they merge in the back- 
ground of snowy peaks, is an object 
which, when seen under favourable cir- 
cumstances, can never be forgotten. To 
enjoy this view it is not necessary to 
reach the higher summits of the jura, 
which surpass by some 1,200 ft. the 
general level of the range. It may be 
obtained, without trouble, by mounting 
the old road leading from Geneva to 
Dijon by Gex and La Yattay, to the 
Col de la Faucille (4,374'), or rather 
less perfectly from the road which was 
at a later period preferred, by Nyon 
and St Cergues. The pedestrian will, 
however, be tempted to reach the sum- 
mit of La Dole (5,519'), lying between 
these two roads, which is, perhaps, the 
most desirable point from whence to 
view this matchless panorama. The 
Dole, being the highest summit in the 
Jura range, overlooks an extensive 
horizon to the N. and W., and at its 
W. base lies the Val de Dappes, long 
in dispute between France and Switzer- 
land, but lately become the subject of 
amicable compromise. The road from 
Geneva to Gex passes the Chateau de 
Fernex, long inhabited by Voltaire, and 
visited by strangers for the sake of the 
various memorials which were preserved 



ROUTE A. VALLEY OF THE AiiVE. 



189 



there. The place has lately fallen into 
the hands of a wealthy tradesman, who 
has transformed the house and grounds, 
and destroyed or removed the relics 
which had so long formed the admira- 
tion of sight-seers. 

The Reculet is one of the summits of 
the Jura due VV. of Geneva, not com- 
manding quite so fine a view as the 
Dole, but more interesting to the natu- 
ralist, because of its varied flora. 

The Saleve is a ridge of limestone 
lying S. of the city, partly divided 
by a depression, or gap, where stands 
the village of Monetier (pronounced 
Montier), accessible from Geneva by a 
circuitous carriage road. There are 
several Inns and Pensions resorted to 
in summer — Reconnaissance, preten- 
tious ; Chateau de Monetier, tolerable, 
fine view. To the NE. of Monetier is 
the Petit Saleve, and in the opposite 
direction the far larger mass of the 
Grand Saleve (4,5o7')- The escarp- 
ment towards the city is so steep as to 
be in great part quite inaccessible; but 
Monetier is easily reached from that 
side by a steep path, partly cut in the 
rock, called Pas de l'Echelle. From 
Monetier the Petit Saleve is reached 
with ease by ladies. The Grand 
Saleve involves an ascent of 1^ hr., 
passing a herdsman's cottage, near 
to a few solitary trees, called Cha- 
let des Treize Arbres. The SE. slope 
of the mountain facing the valley of the 
Arve is covered with blocks of proto- 
gine, evidently originating in the Mont 
Blanc chain. The mode of transport of 
these blocks has been long a question 
among geologists. Fatal accidents have 
arisen from attempts to descend the 
Saleve through gullies which are prac- 
ticable above, but become gradually 
steeper, and terminate in precipice.*. 
One of these gullies, called La Grande 
Gorge, though steep, is quite accessible, 
and is often visited by botanists. The 
mountain is rich in rare plants, among 
which Arabis savatilis, Hieracium an- 
dryaloides and H. glaucum, and Oro- 
banche Laserpitii SUeris may be speci- 
fied. 



Until the opening of the new road, 
travellers from Geneva to Chamouni 
could travel in a large carriage or dili- 
gence only as far as St Martin or Sai- 
lanches, and there were transferred into 
light narrow char-a-bancs, fitted for 
the steep road by Servoz. Several 
diligences now ply daily between Ge- 
neva and Chamouni, making the journey 
in 9 hrs. ascending — about 7 hrs. re- 
turning. Fares : coupe 25 fr. — else- 
where 20 fr. They carry little luggage 
and a large number of passengers on 
the roof. Carriages can easily be hired 
in Geneva, but there is no tariff, and 
the drivers are apt to make exorbitant 
demands. There is no advantage in 
taking return places for those who mean 
to remain more than one day at Cha- 
mouni, as means of conveyance are 
always to be had. Active walkers 
usually stop at Sallanches and continue 
the journey on foot, either by the old 
Servoz road, or across the Col de la 
Forclaz (lite. C). Those who arrive 
late at Chamouni are apt to fare ill if they 
have not secured rooms beforehand. 

At Annemasse (Inns : Balances; Lion 
d'Or), about 4 m. from Geneva, is the 
French frontier at the former boundary 
of Savoy. No trouble is given at the 
Custom-house. The road keeps at a 
distance from the Arve, and after cross- 
ing the Menoge by a modern lofty 
bridge of three arches, standing above 
a single inferior arch, passes the village 
of Nangy, and leaves on the 1. hand 
the road to Sixt* by St. Jeoire and Tan- 
ninges (§ 17, Rte. A), before reaching 

Conlamines (Inn: Ecu de Savoie), ax 
the western base of the Mole (6,128'), 
a conical mountain presenting a fine 
appearance from this road. To the i., 
on a steep rock, stand the ruins of the 
Castle of Faucigny, which gave its name 
to this province of Savoy. The valley 
of the Arve now lies between the Mole 
to the N., and the Brezon (6,031'), a 
favourite resort of botanists, to the S., 
and on the rt. bank stands 

Bonneville (Inns : Ecu de Geneve ; 
Couronne ; Balances), formerly capital 
of the Province of Faucigny. For 



190 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



the routes to Arinecy and Thones, see j 
§ 12. From hence the summit of the | 
Mole may be reached in 3^ hrs. and 
that of the Bre?.on in 3f hrs. From 
the latter mountain it is easy to descend 
by Saxonnex to Cluses. 

There is a new road from Bonneville 
by the rt. bank of the Arve, which is 
used by passengers bound for St. Jeoire 
or Tanninges, but the opposite bank is 
preferred by those going to Sallanches. 
A straight and dusty road along the 1. 
bank leads to Vougy, opposite the 
junction of the Arve with its most 
important affluent, the Giffre, descend- 
ing from the valley of Sixt (§ 17); 
4 m. farther is Scionzier, near the 
entrance to the wild and picturesque 
glen of the Keposoir (§ 12), and in 
another mile the traveller, after cross- 
ing the Arve, reaches 

Cluses ("Inns : Balances ; Union), a 
small town devoted to watch-making 
burnt down in 1844, and since rebuilt. 
A char-road from hence leads over 
the ridge to the N. by Chatillon to 
Tanninges, about 6 m., or to Samoens 
about 12 m. Below Cluses, which is 
but 390 ft. abc'e the level of the Lake 
of Geneva, the Arve has flowed in a 
wide bed through a comparatively open 
country. From hence for several miles 
it passes through a narrow defile, 
forming a worthy portal to the grand 
scenery that awaits the traveller who 
would approach its sources in the 
glaciers of Mont Blanc. This defile, 
which mounts nearly due S., is com- 
monly called Vallee de Magland, and 
lies between the Chaine des Fretes, the 
limestone range separating the Arve 
and the Giffre, and a nearly vertical 
wall of rock which extends continuously 
to the Mont Fleuri above the Chartreuse 
du Reposoir. At the hamlet of La 
Balme, 2 m. beyond Cluses, the defile 
opens a little, and a slope of debris, 
800 ft. high, marks the spot where a 
cavern penetrates deeply into the lime- 
stone. This has been turned to account 
by the speculative spirit of the natives. 
The admission is charged 3 fr., and 
mules are kept to carry up passers-by 



who may be tempted to visit the cave. 
It is not, however, particularly well 
worth the delay to anyone who has 
seen similar caverns, common in all 
limestone districts. Another m:jde of 
extracting francs from strangers is 
practised here, and at the Nant 
d'Arpenaz, 5 m. farther on, by firing 
small cannon, whose reverberation be- 
tween the steep recks on either side 
of the defile produces a striking effect. 
Farther on a powerful spring bursts out 
by the road-side, which was supposed 
by Saussure to be the outlet of the 
Lac de Flaine, an Alpine tarn on the 
upper level of the Chaine des Fretes 
(§17, Rte. B), and immediately beyond 
is the village of Magland, whose 
population seems to live by dealing in 
echoes, scraps of crystal or pyrites, and 
by more direct appeals to the charity 
or weakness of the crowds of strangers 
who pass here throughout the sum- 
mer. 3 m. farther, about 7 m. from 
Cluses, is the Nant d'Arpenaz, one of 
the highest waterfalls in the Alps, 
being about 850 ft. from top to bottom, 
but, except after heavy rain or in the 
spring, the volume of water is so small 
that it is broken into spray long before 
it reaches the lower ledge, £iid, save at 
such times, it is scarcely worth the 
trouble to approach it nearer than the 
road. 2 m. farther, where the valley 
opens out at the W. foot of the Aiguille 
de Veran, is the small village of St. 
Martin (Inns : H. du Mont Blanc, 
tolerably good, net cheap; Croix 
Blanche). Travellers intending to fol- 
low the old road to Chamouni on foot 
or in hired carriages have no occasion 
to cross the Arve, but the diligences all 
do so as the new road passes. 

Sallanches (Inns : Belvedere ; Le- 
man), a little town (1,793') which was 
completely destroyed by fire in 1840, 
and has been since rebuilt with much 
improved houses. The diligences halt 
here for dinner ; the food is said to be 
indiff erent and dear, and some prudent 
travellers recommend luncheon at a 
little restaurant adjoining the diligence 
office. 



KOUTE A. APPROACH TO CHAMOUNI. 



191 



The new road to Chamouni follows 
the L bank of the Arve above Sallan- 
ches, making a slight detour to ap- 
proach the Baths of St. Gervais— about 
6 m. distant (see Rte. C). The view 
of Mont Blanc from this part of the 
valley of the Arve is justly celebrated, 
and is, indeed, in some respects unique 
in the Alps. The views of the 
higher mountains when not seen from 
a great distance are almost always 
gained from some narrow valley, 
where a limited portion only can be 
Been, or else from some ridge or sum- 
mit that overlooks the intermediate 
valleys. Here at the foot of the range 
of Mont Blanc, the valley of the Arve, 
between the Vallee de Magland and 
the Val de Montjoie, opens out in a 
broad basin with the entire W. end 
of the range fully in view, a fertile 
plain in the foreground, and the pine- 
covered heights that enclose St. Ger- 
vais filling the middle distance. In 
perfect symmetry, without the same- 
ness that is the fault of human archi- 
tecture, the summit of Mont Blanc 
occupies the centre of the picture. To 
the 1. is seen the Dome du Goute, and 
the ridge connecting it with the Aiguille 
de Bionnassay, while beyond these are 
perceived the Aiguille du Midi and Ai- 
guille Verte. On the rt. of the summit 
the Aiguille de Miage is conspicuous, 
and beyond it the peaks that connect it 
with the Col du Bonhomme. The 
Glaciers of Bionnassay and Miage are 
seen surrounded by the formidably 
steep ridges that enclose their upper 
basins, and a great part of the way to 
the summit of Mont Blanc by what is 
called the St. Gervais route, and a part 
of the pass of the Col de Miage, may 
be traced in detail through the glass. 
It is true that the distance in a direct 
line to the summit of Mont Blanc is 
very nearly 14 miles, but as it is raised 
14,000 ft. above the level of the valley, 
the angular elevation is as great as 
is compatible with a general view. 
The Monte Rosa as seen from the Val 
Anzasca is a more wonderful, perhaps 
also a more fascinating object, but for 

o 



massive and stately grandeur this aspect 
of Mont Blanc surpasses all rivals. The 
view may be seen in perfection from 
the bridge close to St. Martin, and it 
is quite unnecessary for the pedestrian 
to diverge to Sallanches out of his 
direct course. 

Several interesting excursions may be 
made from Sallanches or St. Martin, 
but most of these are equally accessible 
from St. Gervais (Rte. C), which is a 
more agreeable stopping-place. The 
ascent of the Aiguille de Veran, com- 
monly but incorrectly written Varens, 
is an exception to the last observation, 
as it immediately overhangs St. Martin, 
and requires a full day's work to go and 
return. A guide is necessary, as the 
ascent is very steep in parts, and the 
successive barriers of limestone rock 
which require to be scaled are accessible 
only in places where a few steps have 
been cut to make them practicable. 
In about 3 hrs. from St. Martin the 
traveller reaches a very singular tract 
of nearly bare rock, extending for 
several miles along the upper part of 
the ridge separating the Arve and the 
Giffre, and surmounted by numerous 
peaks and shattered ridges of singular 
form. On the undulating surface of 
this plateau, called Desert de Plalei, 
air and water have worked parallel fis- 
sures in the limestone, resembling in 
form and arrangement the crevasses of 
glaciers. The Aiguille de Veran is 
8,975 ft. in height, and necessarily 
commands a grand view. (See § 17, 
Rte. B.) 

The new road, after running through 
the broad, nearly level valley, so as to 
approach the Baths of St. Gervais, turns 
abruptly to the 1. as it approaches the 
base of the Vaudugne (also called Tcte 
Noire), a ridge projecting from the base 
of the Aiguille du Goute, which ap- 
pears to bar the main valley above Sal- 
lanches. This ridge also forms a 
barrier across the SW. end of the valley 
of Chamouni, and would convert it into 
a lake if the waters of the Arve had not 
found a circuitous outlet through a 
gorge, partly cut by the river itself, 
2 



192 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



round the N. side of the Vaudagne. 
Through this gorge the new road as- 
cends, at a considerable height above the 
stream, and towards the upper part is 
joined by the old road a short way before 
it fairly enters the valley of Chamouni. 

The old road, which commands more 
picturesque views, and is still frequent- 
ed, especially by pedestrians, follows 
for above 2im. the rt. bank of the 
Arve, here retained within its bed by 
massive embankments, beginning to 
ascend near the village of Chide. Tour- 
ists often visit a pretty waterfall about 
15 min. 1. of the village, but the little 
lake which formerly reflected the snowy 
peak of Mont Blanc in an exquisite 
framework of rock and pine forest was 
completely choked up with rocks and 
debris by a landslip in 1837. Above 
the site of the lake the Pont aux 
Chevres, a wooden bridge over the 
Arve, leads by a footpath to the Pont 
Pelissier in rather less time than the 
road. A little farther the road crosses 
the Nant. Noir, sl torrent that borrows 
its name from the anthracitic slates 
through which it descends, and in 
violent rains has frequently made the 
road impassable to man or beast. The 
defile of the Arve is here enclosed on 
the N. by the Rochers des Fys, a lofty 
range of' shattered peaks, one of which 
fell with a terrific crash, mistaken in 
the neighbouring valleys for the out- 
burst of a volcano, in 1751. The huge 
pile of debris called Derochoir, between 
the Aiguille de Platei on the W. and 
the Aiguille dAyer to the E., marks the 
site of the catastrophe. Here the defile 
opens a little at the village of 

Servoz (Inns: Univers, fallen off, 
bad, and dear ; Balance), formed of 
two clusters of houses, about 2,626 ft. 
above the sea. Near the church is a 
cabinet of minerals kept for sale. This 
is the most convenient starting-point 
for a visit to the Ruchers des Fys, and 
for the mule-path to Sixt over the 
Col d'Anterne (§ 17). 

The summit of the Buet may also 
be reached in S£ or 9 hrs.' steady walk- 
ing (see § 17, lite. D\ Deschamps and 



I Felizas have been recommended aa 
guides. By the bridge over the Dioza, 
which descends from a glacier of the 
Buet, is a monument to F. A. Eschen, 
a German translator of Horace, who 
perished on that mountain in 1801. 
Above Servoz the gorge of the Arve is 
again contracted, and in about 1^ m. 
the road passes to the I. bank by the 
Pont Pelissier, where it joins the new 
road from Sallanchts. Here fodows a 
steep ascent over ice-worn rocks, where- 
on may be observed erratic blocks of 
protogine from the centre of the Mont 
Blanc range, left on the slope by the 
retirement of the ancient glacier.-., 
j A ter mounting 2 m. nearly due S. 
from the bridge, the road emerges from 
the defile of the Arve, turns to the 1., 
and looks along the whole length of 
the valley of Chamouni to the Col de 
Balme at its E. extremity. 

The first impression of the stranger 
on entering this famous valley is pro- 
bably that of disappointment. Its un- 
usual direction, parallel instead of per- 
pendicular to the main range, leaves no 
striking object to close the vista, and 
the great aiguilles that enclose the Mer 
de Glace, and which, as seen from the 
valley, are far more striking objects than 
the summit of Mont Blanc, are better 
viewed some miles farther on than from 
the W. end, where the peak of Mont 
Blanc is also concealed behind the huge 
mass of the Dome du Goute. The ob- 
jects which chiefly attract attention are 
the great glaciers descending along 
the S. side of the valley through each of 
the openings that give access to the 
upper level where the snows accumu- 
late. The two nearest, comparatively 
insignificant glaciers, are the Gl. de 
Griaz and Gl. de B orgeat, lying on the 
steep slope of the Aiguille du Goute. 
Beyond these is the Gl. de Taconnay, 
divided by the Montague de la Cote 
from the still more imposing Gl. des 
Bossons. Farther off, beyond the 
Prieure, is the Gl des Bois, but the 
great glaciers of Argentiere and Tour 
are not visible. The effect is mo3t 
striking to one who arrives late, and 



ROUTE A. — CHAMOUNI GUIDES. 



3 03 



has the good fortune to see the glaciers 
partially lighted hy the moon in her 
second quarter. By daylight the colour 
of the ice is less brilliantly white than is 
commonly expected, and the eye, still 
unused to the grand scale of all the 
surrounding objects, does not adequately 
estimate the dimensions of these vast 
streams of ice. The first village in the 
valley is Les Ouches, sometimes written 
Les Houches, with a little inn (H. des 
Glaciers). From hence the ascent is 
very gentle during the five miles that 
lead to the chief village. About half 
way, just after passing the lower end 
of the Glacier des Bossons, the road 
crosses back to the rt. bank of the 
Arve, and the great Aiguilles sur- 
rounding the Mer de Glace come into 
view as the traveller approaches 

Chamouni (Jnns: H. Royal de 
1' Union, with two houses on opposite 
sides of the Arve — that on the S. side has 
the best rooms; H. Imperial et d'An- 
gleterre, — also with two houses; H. 
de Saussure, formerly H6tel de la 
Couronne ; Palais de Cristal. The 
above are all first-rate hotels, with 
first-rate prices, belonging to a single 
joint stock company. Next in rank is 
the H. du Mont Blanc, well recom- 
mended, prices nearly first-rate. Eng- 
lish mountaineers prefer the Hotel and 
Pension Couttet, where they find clean- 
liness, attention, and moderate charges. 
Among several houses of the second 
class the H. de Fiance, H. des Alpes, 
and H. de la Paix are best spoken of). 
When ladies are of the party, it is im- 
prudent not to secure rooms beforehand. 
Those going by diligence to Geneva 
should take places at the office, or pay 
several francs more to the hotel servants. 

Much nonsense has been written as 
to the supposed discovery of Chamouni 
in the last century, but Mr. Markham 
Sherwill, in a tract published at Geneva, 
traced the authentic history of the valley 
up to the foundation of a Benedictine 
priory, about a.d. 1090, from whence 
the village is generally known in the 
valley as Le Prieure. To strangers it 
is universally known by the name 



[ Chamouni, derived from some fences 
or entrenchments, whence in early La- 
j tin documents came the name Campus 
Munitus, and in the local patois Champ 
Mouni ; and on this account we reject 
the commoner, but corrupt, spelling, 
Chamonix. It is a large village, now 
nearly a town, 3,445 ft. above the sea, 
subsisting by the great influx of 
strangers, who come either to enjoy 
grand scenery, or to follow a prevail- 
i ng fashion. In fine weather few can be 
indifferent to the objects in view even 
from the village ; but on wet days, or 
when the clouds lie low, no rare occur- 
rence, time hangs rather heavily on the 
hands of most travellers. Reading 
rooms and billiard tables, have, how- 
ever, been established of late years, and 
some will find an interest in examining 
the collections of minerals, plants, in- 
sects, &c, kept for sale by some of the 
more intelligent guides, and the models 
of Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa, exe- 
cuted by Michel Carrier. The studio 
of M. Loppe, the well-known painter, 
usually contains a good collection oi 
views of the ice-region. There are 
several shops for the sale of carved 
wood ware, polished stones, and crystal 
ornaments. 

The chief occupation of the men in 
the valley is that of guide, and, as a 
body, they bear a high character. The 
general opinion is, however, that as 
mountaineers the standard is not high. 
A few deservedly rank as first-rate 
men, though wanting something of 
the dash that distinguishes those of 
the Bernese Oberland. 
4 For many years the Chamouni guides 
have formed a sort of corporation, sub- 
ject to regulations issued by Govern- 
ment authority. These regulations 
were thought by many to exercise an 
injurious influence over the men them- 
selves, as they certainly interfered with 
the liberty of foreign travellers. Re- 
monstrances urged from various quar- 
ters, but especially by the Committee 
of the Alpine Club, obtained from the 
Piedmontese Government a revision of 
the rules by which most of the more 



194 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



obnoxious regulations were modified. 
On the cession of Savoy to France, the 
uld rules were revived, and new represen- 
tations were addressed by the Alpine 
Cub to the French authorities. The 
result was to procure the issue of a new 
code of regulations, which have been in 
force since the month of May 1862, and 
which are in some respects tin improve- 
ment upon those which preceded them. 
It may be convenient to travellers to 
rind here a summary of the rules, and 
of the tariff which is annexed. 

The body of guides consists of na- 
tives of the valley admitted to the roll 
by the sub-prefect after previous evi- 
dence of fitness and good moral cha- 
racter, and an examination showing 
a fair elementary education and a 
thorough knowledge of the district. A 
chief guide is appointed by the prefect 
to superintend the discipline of the men, 
and to advise and assist travellers in 
the organisation of such expeditions as 
they may desire to make. A guide is 
liable to suspension or removal from the 
roll for misconduct, drunkenness (which 
is happily very rare), or for proved in- 
competency. 

Each guide is appointed to accom- 
pany travellers according to his turn in 
the list, but travellers are permitted to 
choose their own guides under the fol- 
lowing contingencies: — 

1. If they desire to undertake dan- 
gerous expeditions, and such as are 
classed as extraordinary. 

2. If occupied in scientific pursuits. 

3. If, being ignorant of French, they 
choose a guide able to speak En- 
glish, German, Italian, or any other' 
foreign tongue. 

4. If in some former visit they have 
been accompanied by the guide 
whose services they demand. 

5. If (being ladies) they go unaccom- 
panied by a gentleman. 

Excursions are divided into two 
classes — ordinary and extraordinary. 
On ordinary excursions one guide is 
considered sufficient for a party, how- 
ever numerous, except that to the Jar- 
dia, where, if the party exceeds three in 



number, two guides must be taken. 
Extraordinary excursions include Mont 
Blanc, the Col du Geant, and generally 
all glacier expeditions above the level 
of vegetation, and expeditions among 
the Swiss and Italian Alps. For Mont 
Blanc, a single traveller must take three 
guides, and one additional guide must 
be added for each additional traveller; 
but for one of the guides it is allowable 
to substitute one or more porters. For 
the Col du Geant one traveller must 
take two guides, two must take three 
guides, and above that number there 
must be one guide for each traveller. 
On other high glacier expeditions the 
number of guides must be at least equal 
to that of the travellers. 

Members of the Alpine Club, and 
such other travellers as can give evi- 
dence of having made several difficult 
expeditions in the higher regions of the 
Alps, are exempted from all restrictions, 
both as to the choice of such guides as 
they may prefer, and as to the number 
of guides that they may consider ne- 
cessary. 

Travellers and guides are free to fix 
terms by mutual agreement, but the 
guides must not demand more than the 
rates set down in the tariff. It is often 
possible to engage guides for less than 
the fixed rate for the ascent of Mont 
Blanc. 

The following are the chief items in 
the Tariff:— 



Mont Blanc 100 francs 

Grand Plateau 50 „ 

Grands Mulets, returning next 

day 40 „ 

Do. returning same 

dav 20 „ 

Pierre de l'Echelle . . . . 10 „ 
Mpr de Glnce, going and returning 

by Montanvers 6 „ 

Mer de Glace, going or returning 

by the Chape.iu . . . 10 
Jardin, going and returning by 

Montanvers . . . . 12 „ 



Jardin, returning by the Chapeati . 14 „ 

Tour bv Montanvers and Hie Ai- 
guilles to the Pierre de l'Echelle 15 „ 

Col du Geant, descending to Cour- 

mayeur 50 „ 

Fleglre, or Plan Praz . . . 6 „ 
Do. do., if both are com- 
bined in one day . . . . 10 „ 

Brevent 8 „ 



TtOUTE A. SOURCE OF THE ARVEIRON. 



195 



Summit of the Buet, returning same 

day 15 francs 

Do. do. returning next 

day 20 „ 

Do. do. descendins to 
Sixt, and returning by Col d'An- 
terne 29 „ 

To Martigny by Tete Noire, or Col 
de Balme, returning the next 

dav 12 » 

Ditto, if the traveller descend 

from the Col to the Tete Noire 15 „ 

Do. if the traveller visit th^ falls 
of Poyaz or Barberine, additional 
for each fall 1 »> 

To Col de Balme and Tete Noire, 

returning same day to Chamouni 9 „ 

To the Source de l'Arveiron, 
Glacier des Bossons, or Cascade 
du Dard 3 „ 

For each, if in addition to another 

excursion 1-59 „ 

To Sixt, by Col d'Anterne 9 „ 

Do. returning by same route, or 
bv Champery and Martigny, per 
day. . . . . . . 9 „ 

To Courmayeur by Contamines, in 

three days 18 „ 

Do. do. in two days 15 „ 

Ascen'. of the Cramont . . . 6 ,, 

Courmayeur to Great St. Bernard, 

or to Orsidres ... . 9 „ 

Charge for guide's return from 
Martigny to Chamouni . . 6 „ 

The same daily charge is made for the guide's 
return when discharged at a distance from 
Chamouni. 

As a general rule, where the way is 
practicable for mules, the charge for 
each mule is the same as for a guide. 

Besides the guides who are specially- 
named in the Introduction, there are 
many very competent men who stand 
iu the next rank. Of these J. V. Far- 
ret, Michel Auguste Balmat, Michel 
Irenee Couttet, Henri Charlet, Michel 
Ducroz, Tobie Tairraz, and Frederic 
Payot, have been well recommended. 

V. Payot is well acquainted with the 
local flora, and has a fair knowledge of 
the geology of this district. 

The excursions made from Chamouni 
are very numerous, varying with the 
tastes and physical strength of visitors ; 
but they fall into two principal divisions, 
according as the object is to approach 
the great glaciers and peaks of the cen- 
tral range, or to seek a more general view 
from some point in the range of the Ai- 
guilles Rouges on the N. side of the valley. 

The chief aim of the first class of 
excursions is the Mer de Glace. It 



has been said in the introduction, that 
the mass of Mont Blanc consists of two 
parallel ridges, of which the northern is 
broken by several wide gaps through 
which the snows accumulated in the 
valleys between the two ridges are- 
drained through great glaciers that de- 
scend towards the valley of Chamouni. 
The Glacier des Bois, called in its 
middle region Mer de Glace, is the most 
important of these glaciers, from the 
extent of the area which it drains. 
Without speaking of minor tributaries, 
it receives the overflow of three great 
reservoirs. The most considerable of 
these is the Glacier du Giant, also called 
de Tacul, which descends on the E. side 
of the central mass of Mont Blanc be- 
tween a double range of Aiguilles. In 
the opposite direction, a reservoir lying 
between the Aiguille Verte and the 
Aiguille de Triolet pours down to the 
W. an ice-stream called Glacier de 
Tale/re, and before reaching the rocks 
of the Tacul receives from the 8. the 
Glacier de Lechaud. The ccntial point 
where these three ice-streams meet op- 
posite to the Tacul bears the same rela- 
tion to the adjoining ridges as Entreves 
in the Allee Blanche. Here the drain- 
age of the whole basin is carried off to 
the N. in a broad channel, which hence- 
forward bears the name Mer de Glace, 
till about 4 m. lower down it falls over 
steep rocks in an ice-cataract, to the 
level of the valley, where it comes to an 
end, about 3 m. from the village of 
Chamouni. 

1. Source of the Arveiron. Those 
who have two or three hours to spare, 
especially if they have not previously 
seen the lower end of a great glacier, do 
well to visit the spot where the stream 
of the Arveiron, one of the sources of the 
Arve, issues from the extremity of the 
Glacier des Bois. This is about 3 m. 
from Chamouni, and is approached by a 
char-road, which passes by the hamlets 
des Praz and des Bois. Between them 
the remains of a great moraine, now 
overgrown with pine-trees, deserve ex- 
amination, and the Aiguille du J)ru, 
seen towering above, is a magnificent 



196 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



object. As explained in the intro- j 
ductiOn (Art. Glaciers) the form and j 
position of the lower end of the glacier 
are subject to continual change. The 
stream usually issues from a cavern in 
the ice of variable depth, and from 30 
to 40 ft. in height, whose strange as- 
pect and exquisite colour often tempted 
strangers to penetrate some distance 
into it, and several fatal accidents have 
happened from the sudden fall of blocks 
of ice from the roof. Of late years, 
however, the stream has commonly 
escaped from beneath the ice at a con- 
siderable height above the end of the 
glacier, forming a waterfall visible from 
Chamouni. 

This excursion is often combined 
with that to the Montanvers or the 
Fiegere. There is a little inn (Au 
Touriste) near the glacier. 

2. The Mnntanve?*s. The rocks near 
to the ice- cataract of the Glacier des 
Bois being very steep, the most con- 
venient way for reaching the middle 
region of the glacier is to mount from 
Chamouni by a good mule-path, wind- 
ing up the slope of the valley towards 
a promontory extending from the base 
of the Aiguille de Charmoz, which 
forms the W. barrier of the Mer de 
Glace. After crossing some meadows, 
the path ascends through a forest, and 
if the visitor has no intention of going be- 
yond the Pavilion, a guide is quite unne- 
cessary. The mules take 2| hrs. in the 
ascent — 2 hrs. more than suffice to a 
good walker. Above half way the 
tracks of avalanches, which have de- 
stroyed much of the forest, are fre- 
quently passed ; but nervous persons 
may feel assured that there is no danger 
from that quarter in the tourist season. 
In approaching the summit the Aiguille 
divl)ru becomes a more and more im- 
pressive object, but no other conspicuous 
peak is seen, until on reaching the 
summit of the rounded ridge of the 
Montanvers, and losing sight of the 
main valley below, the traveller sud- 
denly gains that wonderful view which 
has sufficed to attract and to reward 
thousands of visitors from every part 



of the world. ~No amount of fami- 
liarity, nor even the rivalry of scenes 
less accessible and not less grand, can 
much lessen the impression which this 
makes upon all true lovers of nature. 
The first object that attracts attention 
is the Mer de Glace, so often described 
in vain, for description gives no real 
image of the reality. Of the magnifi- 
cent group of aiguilles that rise on the 
opposite bank, that of Dru (12,510'), 
pre-eminent for boldness of form, 
almost conceals the much higher peak 
of the Aiguille Verte (13,527'), which 
lies behind it. To the rt. extends the 
shattered ridge whose most promi- 
nent point is the Aiguille du Moine 
(11,214'). At the end of the vista, at 
least twice as distant as the Moine, the 
eye rests upon the Grand es Jorassrs 
(13,799'), one of the giants of the S. 
ridge of the Mont Blanc range, rising 
at the farther end of the Glacier de 
Leehaud. This glacier is bounded to 
the W. by a ridge projecting towards 
the spectator, whose highest and most 
distant peak is the Mont Mallet ( 13,08 4 ; ), 
while its N. extremity is the Aiguille de 
Tacul (ll,01&). Farther to the rt. is 
the Aiguille du Geant (13,156'), and 
then the nearer mass of the Aiguille 
de Charmoz closes the view on that 
side. 

The house which is the ordinary 
rendezvous of tourists on the Mont- 
anvers is called the Pavilion, 6,303 ft. 
above the sea; it is rented by one of 
the Couttets, who keeps minerals, cut 
crystals, and. other objects, for sale. 
During the day it is often thronged 
with visitors, who seek rest and refresh- 
ment, but in the evening all subsides 
into quiet, and it then becomes a 
pleasant stopping-place for a moun- 
taineer who can be content with good 
plain fare and beds, four or five of which 
are kept to accommodate tourists who 
often sleep here before visiting the 
Jardin or crossing the Col du Geant. 
Most strangers descend from the 
Pavilion to the bank of the glacier, 
and go some short distance upon its 
surface. Unemployed guides are usu- 



ROUTE A. THE CHAPEAU. 



197 



ally on the spot ready to offer their 
services, and the tourist who has no 
previous acquaintance with glacier 
travelling, and who may have come 
from Chamouni without a guide, will 
do wisely to accept the escort. The 
traveller who has followed the progress 
of the Glacier Theory during the last 
25 years, will recollect that he here 
stands upon classic ground, and that 
much of our present knowledge of the 
laws and causes of glacier motion 
is due to the observations made on the 
Mer de Glace by our eminent country- 
men, Principal Forbes and Professor 
Tynuall. After visiting the Mont- 
anvers, and setting foot upon the Mer 
de Glace, the less strong or adventurous 
tourists return to Chamouni, and some 
descend by a steep path, where a guide 
is expedient, to the source of the Arvei- 
ron, while those who can do so without 
over- fatigue wisely decide to combine 
this with the following excursion, by 
crossing the Mer de Glace opposite 
the Pavilion. In the latter part of the 
season, when the crevasses are much 
enlarged, this is sometimes rather 
difficult. None but persons thoroughly 
used to ice-travelling should attempt 
to go alone, and as a general rule 
a guide should be taken for each tra- 
veller. Those engaged at the Mont- 
anvers are entitled to 2fr. for crossing 
the glacier, and 4fr. if they descend 
to the Chapeau. 

3. The Chapeau. The steepness of 
the rocks on the W., or Montanvers 
side, makes it impossible to approach 
near to the ice cascade of the Glacier 
des Bois. The opposite bank of the 
glacier, although steep, is traversed 
by a path which leads up to the very 
base of the Aiguille du Dru, and 
it is thus possible to approach close 
to the towers and pinnacles of ice 
formed by the action of the sun 
where the glacier is riven into deep 
and frequent crevasses. To complete 
the impression of a glacier gained 
by a visit to the Mer de Glace, it 
is necessary to see near at hand its 
utterly different aspect in the wild 



confusion of the ice-fall. To reach 
the Chapeau from Chamouni it is 
necessary to follow for 1 hr. the cbar- 
road to Argentiere, till, beyond the 
village of Tines, a mule-path turns up 
to the rt., passes the hamlet of La- 
vanchy, and approaches the rt. bank of 
the glacier. The mules are left before 
a short and steep ascent, leading in 
about 1 hr. more to a cavern or recess in 
tbe face of the rocks, perhaps a finer 
point of view than the Chapeau, which 
is, properly speaking, the name of a 
grassy knoll above the cavern, 5,082 ft. 
above the sea, where a so-called 
Pavilion supplies refreshments. This 
point is considerably lower than the 
Montanvers, and the view of the Mer 
de Glace is not nearly so complete, 
though the Aiguilles de Charmoz, de 
Greppond, and de Blaitiere, seen on 
the opposite side of the glacier, and 
backed by the still mightier central 
mass of Mont Blanc, form the mate- 
rials of a grand picture. The special 
object of attraction is, however, the 
ice-fall of the glacier, which lies im- 
mediately below the eye, and the effect 
of the fantastic forms assumed by the 
ice is often increased in a startling 
manner by the fall of some huge mass, 
weighing many tons. The path from 
the Chapeau to the base of the Aiguille 
du Dru (12,510') passes by a rough 
staircase along a face of rock, and 
formerly deserved the name Mauvais 
Pas. But it has been so much im- 
proved, and made secure by an iron 
balustrade, that ladies pass without 
difficulty. 

About £ hr. above the Chapeau the 
traveller reaches the point from 
whence he may cross the glacier 
to the Montanvers. It is a better 
arrangement to visit the Montanvers 
first, and then cross to the Chapeau, 
so as to descend, instead of ascend- 
ing, by the steep path on the E. 
bank of the glacier. This path, espe- 
cially the staircase of the Mauvais Pas, 
is not practicable for cattle, and it is 
therefore necessary to drive the cows 
that are annually sent to feed on the 



198 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



Alpine pasture at the base of the 
Aiguille du Dru across the Mer de 
Glace. This is a curious operation, 
and well worth seeing. A large num- 
ber of men, boys, and girls are em- 
ployed, carrying axes to level the ice, 
planks to bridge over crevasses, and 
ropes to keep the cattle from slipping. 

4. The Jardin. It has been already 
said, that the easternmost of the three 
glacier streams which form the Mer de 
Glace is the Glacier de Talefre, ori- 
ginating in a great reservoir of neve 
between the Aiguille Verte and the 
Aiguille de-Triolet. In the midst of the 
neve-basin rises a mass of rock, clear 
of snow in fine weather, nearly a mile 
in length by 300 or 400 yards in 
breadth, whereon grow many species of 
flowering plants. This spot received, 
in the local patois, the name Courtil, 
which has been supplanted by the 
French equivalent Jardin. Those 
familiar with the higher region of the 
Alps know that there is nothing un- 
usual in the existence of an island of 
rock in the midst of fields of neve, nor 
in the presence of Alpine flowers on 
such islands, even above the height of 
10,000 ft.; but apart from any fancied 
interest attaching to a garden in the 
midst of eternal snows, the position of 
the Jardin fully justifies the reputation 
it has acquired as one of the most 
interesting spots within reach of Cha- 
mouni. The distance being rather 
considerable, and the objects of interest 
very numerous, it is a good plan, even 
for those who do not fear fatigue, to 
sleep at the Pavilion on the Mont- 
anvers, thus leaving time to take the 
expedition leisurely, and to explore 
some of the upper recesses of the Mer 
de Glace. Starting from the Mont- 
anvers, the excursion is quite practi- 
cable for ladies who are good walkers, 
and as in fine weather it is free from 
the slightest risk, it may safely be re- 
commended to them as one of the most 
interesting of moderately easy glacier 
excursions. An active pedestrian may 
make the whole expedition from Cha- 
mouni in 10| or 11 his., exclusive of 



halts. A guide is indispensable to 
those not already well acquainted with 
the glacier, and one should be engaged 
for each lady or other visitor unused 
to glacier-travelling. 

Within the last few years the general 
subsidence in the level of the Mer de 
Glace has made it very difficult, some- 
times impossible, to follow the old 
course by the Couvercle (see below), 
which was occasionally approached by 
the Chapeau. The excursion should 
always be made from the Montanvers. 
From thence a path is carried along 
the slope above the glacier, and the 
first so-called difficulty, which can be 
so only to the veriest beginners in 
mountain walking, is at a place called 
Les Ponts, where the path is carried 
along the face of steep rocks. It was 
formerly usual to descend to the mo- 
raine a short distance beyond Les 
Ponts, but a better way is now fol- 
lowed, which keeps for about 1^ hr. 
along the rocky base of the Aiguille de 
Charmoz to Trelaporte, where it is 
usually possible to get upon the ice 
with less difficulty than lower down. 
It should, however, be remembered that 
the condition of the glacier and the 
form and width of the crevasses are 
subject to continual variation, which is 
most rapid in fine weather ; and it is 
necessary to rely on the knowledge and 
experience of the guides, who by con- 
stant practice are able to follow the 
changing phases of the ice. 

Above Trelaporte is a remarkable 
point of view from a notch in the free 
of the Aiguille de Charmoz, which is 
known as the Cleft Station. The 
ascent is decidedly difficult, and should 
be attempted only by practised crags- 
men, and with a trusty guide. Readers 
of Professor Forbes's ' Travels ' will 
not forget the extraordinary escape of 
an American tourist who attempted 
alone to climb these dangerous slopes. 

From Trelaporte it is necessary to 
traverse the glacier diagonally below 
the junction of the Glacier de Lechaufl 
with the Glacier du Geant. In the 
way the traveller crosses four medial 



R&UTE A. AIGUILLES DE CHAMOUNI. 



199 



moraines, corresponding to as many 
points of junction between the separate 
ice-streams that make up the Mer de 
Glace, and by a slight detour, either in 
going or returning, he may inspect one 
of the Moulins, which are amongst the 
most curious of glacier phenomena. 
(See Introduction, Art. Glaciers.) 

As the traveller approaches the 
Glacier de Lechaud, he finds, on turn- 
ing round, that he has reached a point 
opposite the ice-fall of the Glacier du 
Geant, descending from the great central 
valley of the Mont Blanc range. The 
highest peak of the mountain, and the 
adjoining mass of the Mont Blanc de 
Tacul, are often in view during the 
remainder of the excursion. Advancing 
along the Glacier de Lechaud, it is 
soon seen that this is formed by the 
union of one branch, from the N. base 
of the Grandes Jorasses and the ad- 
joining peaks, with the Glacier de 
Talefre, issuing from a narrow opening 
to the E., and forming a magnificent 
ice cataract before it reaches the level 
of the main Glacier de Lechaud. To 
gain the upper level of the Glacier de 
Talefre, which is the object of this 
excursion, the course formerly followed 
was to ascend the rocks of the Cou- 
vercle on the N. side of the Glacier de 
Talefre, at the base of the Aiguille du 
Moine, and then follow an easy path 
along the base of that peak till the W. 
arm of the Talefre Glacier was crossed 
opposite the Jardin, some way above 
the ice-fall. The diminished fall of 
winter snow during several successive 
seasons has caused such a subsidence 
in the glacier, that the Couvercle has 
become very difficult of access, and the 
ordinary way now lies by the opposite 
side of the ice-fall of the Talefre 
Glacier, partly by the ice, partly by 
moraine. At a spot called Pierre a 
Beranger. a rude hut gives shelter for 
the night to explorers. 

The ideas excited by the name 
Jardin may at fir.-t cause some disap- 
pointment. It is, in fact, a steep rock, 
and in great part bare, though here and 
there Alpine flowers bloom luxuriantly 



during the short summer, often no6 
more than six weeks, when the sur- 
face is clear of snow, the lower part 
being 9,144 ft., and the summit 
9,833 ft. above the sea. What is 
really impressive here is the position 
of this patch of rock in the midst of a 
world that has so little in common with 
ordinary experience. The mountaineer 
who is used to roam in the upper region 
of the Alps, may often find himself in 
some similar solitude, entirely cut off 
from the lower inhabited world, where 
nothing but ice, snow, and rocks meet 
the eye ; but rarely can he see this 
strange region on so great a scale, and 
so completely isolated as here. The 
distance in a direct line to the sum- 
mit of Mont Blanc is about 9 m., and 
throughout that distance, and on either 
side, there is no spot that exhibits traces 
of life, animal or vegetable. The 
tokens of destruction, the fall of rocks 
or of blocks of ice, or the gentler 
murmur of the rivulets that flow from 
the melting snow, and by their un- 
ceasing energy complete the process 
of decay, are the only witnesses to 
the presence of living force in this wil- 
derness. The ridge NE. of the Jardin, 
extending from the Aiguille Verte to 
the Aiguille de Triolet, one of the 
massive beams in the architecture of 
the Mont Blanc range, is called Les 
Courtea, and its formidably steep slopes 
are often sought by crystal hunters. 
At the S. corner of the glacier basin 
rises the Aiguille de Talefre (12,287'). 

In returning from the Jardin there 
is usually time to visit the Lac du 
Tacul, formed in summer by the snow- 
water accumulated between the base of 
the Aiguille du Tacul and the glacier. 
This central point of the glacier sys- 
tem has been resorted to for a night 
bivouac by Forbes, Tvndall, and other 
explorers, and an interesting account 
of a night passed there is given in 
Mr. Wills's 'Wanderings among the 
High Alps ' 

5. Les Aiguilles de Chamouni. Five 
summits, all visible from Chamouni, 
overlook the middle portion of the val- 



4 200 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT ELANC DISTRICT. 



ley, and separate? it from the parallel 
snow-valley of the Glacier de Geant. 
Reckoning from E. to W., these are the 
Aiguille de Charmoz (11,293'), A. de 
Greppond (12,044'?), A. de Blaitiere 
(11,5 .1'), A. du Plan (12,051'), and, 
lastly, the Aiguille du Midi (12,608'). 
Several small glaciers descend in the 
hollows at the N. base of this range, 
besides one more considerable, the Gla- 
cier des Pelerins. An excursion now 
frequently made is to pass along the 
base of the Aiguilles, either traversing 
the glaciers, or passing below them, and 
descending by the Glacier des Pelerins, 
and along a new path which has been 
made to facilitate the excursion. To a 
mountaineer this is an easy and very 
interesting expedition, and it is not too 
much for some enterprising ladies, who 
may ride a portion of the way. It may 
very conveniently be made from the 
Montanvers, and is often combined as 
a second day's walk after that of the 
Jardin by those who pass the night at 
the Pavilion. A guide is necessary. 
Immediately above the village of Cha- 
mouni, and just on a level with the 
Montanvers, arc the Chalets of Blai- 
tiere Dessus, which may be reached by 
mule-path in 1 hr. from that place, 
or in about if hr. from Chamouni. 
Thence the mule -path is carried for 
about § hr. past the lower end of the 
Glacier de Nantillon, to the Lac Du 
Plan. From the lake it is not difficult 
to reach the very base of the Aiguille 
du Plan, and even to ascend some way 
up the steep rocks. Mr. Wills recom- 
mends those who make this excursion 
from the Montanvers to traverse the 
glaciers of Blaitiere and Nantillon in 
preference to passing below them, the 
latter way involving some risk from 
blocks of stone that fall during the 
heat of the day. The views through- 
out this excursion are varied and 
grand. Some travellers, instead of de- 
scending direct to Chamouni, lengthen 
the excursion by reaching the Pierre de 
l'Echelle at the NW. base of the Aiguille 
du Midi. (See Rte. G.) 

6. The Glacier des Bossons and Cas- 



cade du Dard. The Glacier des Bossons, 
which descends directly in one stream, 
without medial moraines, from the upper 
part of Mont Blanc to the valley of 
Chamouni, does not drain nearly so 
extensive an area as the Mer de Glace, 
neither does it exhibit so fully the vari- 
ous aspects of glacier existence. It is 
necessarily traversed by those who go 
from Chamouni to the Grands Mulets, 
and its lower extremity where it reaches 
the level of the valley is often made the 
object of a short excursion from the 
village, and, taken together with the 
pretty Cascade du Dard, suffices for a 
pleasant afternoon's stroll. Both may, 
by a slight detour, be taken by a pedes- 
trian in his way through the valley be- 
tween the Prieure and L<>s Ouches. 
The end of the Glacier des Bossons 
reaches the valley about 4 m. below 
Chamouni, and may be reached by the 
road or by a path along the S. side of 
the Arve. The ice is broken up into 
pinnacles of great beauty — often more 
than 150 ft. in height, which may be 
approached very nearly. They are best 
seen on the W. side of the glacier, and 
instead of returning by the same way, 
it is easy to cross the glacier in a place 
where it is free from crevasses. 

It is a walk of but 15 min. from the 
E. bank of the glacier to the hamlet des 
Pelerins, a short distance below the 
Cascade des Pelerins, formerly much 
visited as one of the most beautiful and 
graceful of watei falls. The torrent, 
descending in a single bound, struck a 
projecting mass of rock, and sprung out 
anew with fresh vigour in the fashion 
which is imitated on a petty scale by 
some artificial fountains. The fall of 
some mass from above broke the pro- 
jecting rock, and spoiled the waterfall. 
Within a few hundred yards, and nearer 
to Chamouni, is the Cascade du Bard, 
very pietur sque, and better worth see- 
ing than the Pelerins in its present con- 
dition. Near at hand is a chalet, where 
bread and butter, strawberries and 
cream, cheese and wine, with crystals 
and scraps of minerals, are kept on sale 
to tempt visitors. Anyone used to 



ROUTE A. THE BREVENT. 



201 



mountain walking may find the way 
back to Chamouni, but it is possible 
to go astray. 

The excursion to the Grands Mulets 
is described in Rte. G., and the Glaciers 
du Tour and d'Argentiere are noticed 
in Etes. L. and M. The Col de Balme 
and the Col de Voza, both well worth a 
visit, even by those who may have no 
occasion to traverse them, will be found 
in Rtes. B. and H. 

We now notice the two excursions 
most frequently made on the side of the 
valley of Chamouni opposite to the range 
of Mont Blanc. 

7. The Fiegere. This is a very easy 
excursion, involving an ascent of 2^ hrs. 
by a good mule-path, and a descent 
which is easily accomplished in 2 hrs. 
It is very often made by ladies. A guide 
is not necessary to a pedestrian. Near 
the hamlet of Les Praz, and just oppo- 
site to the lower end of the Glacier des 
Bois, the Arve is crossed by a wooden 
bridge close to the base of the Aiguille de 
Charlanoz, one of the Aiguilles Rouges. 
The ascent lies at first through a ravine, 
and then amidst pine forest to an open 
pasture called Praz Viola, From thence 
1 hr., for the most part through a forest 
composed of pine and larch, suffices to 
reach the Croix de Fiegere (5,925'), com- 
manding a general view of the Mont 
Blanc range, and the whole length of the 
valley from the Col de Balme to the Col 
de Voza. Being exactly opposite to the 
Mer de Glace, the cluster of pinnacles 
whose highest summit is the Aiguille 
Verte is seen to greater perfection than 
from any ether easily accessible spot 
near Chamouni. Close to the Fiegere 
is a chalet where visitors find (dear) re- 
freshments, and where one or two beds 
may be obtained by travellers desiring 
to explore the range of the Aiguilles 
Rouges. From hence the Aiguille de la 
Gliere, one of the summits of that range, 
may be reached in 4 (?) hrs. The 
height is about 9,700 ft, and the view 
is said to be more extensive than that 
from the Brevent, but it is not so well 
placed for a view of the central mass of 
Mont Blanc. It is quite possible to com- 



bine a visit to the Fiegere with the 
ascent of the Brevent. A new mule- 
path has been opened by which Plan- 
praz is easily reached in 2 hrs. from the 
Fiegere inn. It turns to the rt. as 
you descend towards Chamouni. \ hr. 
below the Fiegere. Guide scarcely re- 
quired. 

8. The Brevent. The SW. end of '.he 
range of the Aiguilles Rouges is formed 
by the ridge of the Brevent. The 
summit, standing just opposite to the 
Glacier des Bossons, offers the very 
finest view of the N. side of Mont 
Blanc, and in favourable weather is one 
of the most interesting, some think the 
most interesting, excursion to be made 
from Chamouni. To those not well 
used to mountain walking, it is a some- 
what laborious day's work of 7 hrs., 
exclusive of halts, but it is nevertheless 
often achieved by ladies, who may ride 
for two-thirds of the way. Persons used 
to find their own way may go with- 
out a guide. Although rounded at the 
top, and sloping gently to the N and 
NW., the side of the Brevent facing 
Chamouni is a precipice almost com- 
pletely vertical, and the most direct way 
to reach the summit is by the ridge to 
the E. of the summit. The ascent com- 
mences immediately from the Prieure. 
The mule- path, part of the new line 
from Chamouni to Sixt, mounts the 
steep slope of the mountain by zig- 
zags, in part through forest, at inter- 
vals over open spaces that have been 
cleared by avalanches and landslips. 
After reaching the upper limit of trees, 
the path leads to a gently sloping green 
pasture, called Planpraz, where many 
halt for refreshment at a poor and dear 
little mountain inn, and where it is 
necessary to leave the mules. This 
spot, 6,959 ft. in height, commands a 
magnificent view, superior to that from 
the Fiegere, and not much inferior to 
that gained from the summit, and is 
well worth a visit by those who are 
unable to go farther. Mules take about 
3 hrs. to reach Planpraz, but a pedes- 
trian, following a more direct path which 
lies in great part over slopes of debris, 



202 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



or cutting off some of the zigzags of 
the mule-track, may make the ascent in 
2 hrs. 

At Pianpraz the beaten mule-track 
is left, and the way is by a rocky path 
that -winds round a projecting ridge 
and enters a stony hollow, leading in 
about 1 hr. to a steep wall of rock, 
50 ft. in height, which must be climbed 
to reach the upper ridge of the moun- 
tain. Though the rock gives good hold 
for feet and hands, this is too steep to be 
convenient to ladies, and they usually 
avoid the difficulty by a circuitous path, 
longer by 15 or 20 min., which joins the 
other near the top of the Cheminee. 
From thence a gentle ascent of less than 
§ hr. leads to the summit, 8,284 ft. above 
the sea. 

Amongst the numerous objects that 
attract attention, the peak of Mont Blanc 
is preeminent. Those who have read with 
eager interest the narratives of the as- 
cent are anxious to follow, as they here 
can do, the whole course of ,the ordinary 
route from the Pierre de l'Eclielle to the 
summit, and they can at the same time 
study the upper part of the so-called St. 
Gervais route from the Aiguille du Goute 
to the top. After satiating the eye with 
the contemplation of the snowy range 
opposite, the traveller should not omit 
to examine the remainder of the pano- 
rama. The most prominent object to 
the N. is the Buet, a flattened glacier- 
clad pyramid ; more to the 1., looking 
across the deep gorge of the Dioza, is 
the Col dAnterne, leading to Sixt, fol- 
lowed by the range of the Rochers des 
Fys, crowned by the Pointe de Salles 
(10,333'), the whole mass appearing; — as 
it is in truth — a gigantic ruin, on which 
the short period of human history has 
worked notable change in undermining 
many of its highest towers and battle- 
ments. To the SW., above the moun- 
tains of Beaufort, one of the peaks of 
the Pelvoux group is seen in the far 
distance,and comparatively near at hand 
the Mont Joli, a rival of the Brevent 
(§ 12, Rte. A), rises beyond the Col de 
Voza. 

A variety of routes may be taken to 



or from the Brevent. Those who in- 
tend ascending the Buet may go to the 
Chalet de Yilly, about 3^- hrs., where 
they may pass the night. If the day be 
not too far advanced, an active walker 
may reach Sixt by the Col d'Anterne 
(§ 17, Rte. C) in 8^ hrs. An easier 
course is to descend to Servoz by the 
gorge of the Dioza, 3 hrs.' walk, and 
thence either return to Chamouni, or 
follow the road to Sallanches. A cir- 
cuitous but interesting way, often taken 
in returning from the summit, passes 
by the Lac du Brevent, and winds round 
the western slopes of the mountain till 
it reaches the high-road at Les Ouches, 
in 4 hrs. from the summit. For all the 
above-mentioned routes, excepting the 
mule-track from the Brevent to the 
Col dAnterne, it is expedient to take 
a guide. In the writer's opinion, it is a 
better arrangement to gain the summit 
of the Brevent (if possible, early in the 
day) by any of the aboye routes, and to 
descend to Chamouni, following the 
ordinary path by Pianpraz. The tra- 
veller thus has the view of Mont Blanc 
before him throughout the descent, and 
avoids the heat of the sun, which is 
often inconvenient in the direct ascent 
from Chamouni. Thus a pedestrian 
approaching from Geneva may sleep at 
Servoz, and take the Brevent on his way 
to Chamouni, or, better still, if starting 
from Sixt, and favoured by fine weather, 
he may reach the Brevent by the Col 
dAnterne, 9^ hrs. — exclusive of halts — 
enjoy the marvellous evening view of 
Mont Blanc lit up by the sun in the 
western sky; and if he should have the 
further good fortune to conclude the 
descent by moonlight, when the valley 
of Chamouni is seen to its utmost per- 
fection, he will have enjoyed a day 
which cannot easily be surpassed for 
grandeur and variety. 

The ascent of the Buet, though it 
may count as one of the excursions to 
be made from Chamouni, is included in 
§ 17, Rte. D. 

Enterprising mountaineers may add 
largely to the above list of excursions 
from Chamouni. Mr. A. A . Reilly, whose 



ROUTE B. VAL DE MONTJOIE. 



203 



opinion deserves the utmost weight, es- 
pecially recommends the ascent of the 
Aiguille des Grands Montets, above the 
Glacier du Nant Blanc. Among the 
more remarkable exploits of adventur- 
ous mountaineers, the ascents of the 
Aiguille Verte and theGrandes Jorasses, 
first effected by Mr. E. Whymper, with 
Christian Aimer as leading guide, de- 
serve to be noted. See Rte. F. 

In the neighbourhood of Chamouni 
the botanist may gather most of the 
characteristic species of the Alpine re- 
gion that grow on the detritus of gra- 
nitic rocks, but the flora is much less 
rich than in the valleys of Monte Rosa, 
where the rocks vary more in mineral 
composition. To the geologist the val- 
ley of the Dioza is interesting from the 
fossil remains which abound on its N. 
slopes. The anthracite deposits ot'Cou- 
peau, about 40 min. above Les Ouches, 
also deserve a visit. 



Route B. 

CHAMOUNI TO COURMAYEUR, BY THE 
COL DU liONHOMME. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

Les Ouches li 5 

Col rie Voza 2 5 

Contamines . . 3 8 

Nant Bnurrant . If 4% 

Col tin Bonhomme 3± 8£ 

Chapiu ]% 4j 

Motet ... 2 5 

Vol de la Seigne . 1J 3| 

Courmayeur 4£ 12 



2'i 



56 



Practicable for mules, and frequently 
made by ladies, who usually sleep at 
Contamines and Chapiu, making the 
journey in 3 days. Active pedestrians 
who sleep at Nant Bourrant usually 
take the rte. by the Col des Fours to 
Motet, 1 hr. shorter than the way by 
Chapiu, and reach Courmayeur in 11 
hrs.' steady walking, exclusive of halts. 

This route forms the most frequented 
portion of the tour of Mont Blanc, an 
expedition often made by visitors to 
Chamouni. Adventurous mountaineers 
now-a-daysoften prefer one or other of the 



glacier passes described in this section; 
but the view from the Col de la Seigne, 
and the descent from thence through the 
Allee Blanche, will always make that 
part of the present route attractive to the 
true lover of nature. The path over 
the Col de Bonhomme has been so 
much improved that in moderate 
weather a guide is not necessary. 
But when fresh snow has fallen and 
the clouds lie low on the pass, it 
is almost impossible for anyone not 
possessing minute local knowledge 
to find the true way. It is far bet- 
ter to make the rte. in the direction 
here indicated rather than in the op- 
posite sense, from Courmayeur to 
Chamouni. 

From Les Ouches, on the road to 
Sallanches, 5 m. below the Prieure, a 
rough mule-path mounts rather steeply 
to the SW., and, after passing several 
chalets, attains the summit of the Col de 
Voza (5,496'), a depression in the ridge 
which extends from the base of the 
Aiguille du Goute, between the valley 
of Chamouni and that of Montjoie. 
Nearly 2^ hrs. are required for the 
ascent, while li hr. suffices to descend 
to Les Ouches. The Col lies between 
the Mont Lachat to the SK., and the 
Prarion (6,460') to the N. If time can 
be spared, it is worth while to make a 
detour to the latter point, which com- 
mands a still finer view. A small inn — 
Pavilion de Bellevue— has been built on 
the slope of the Mont Lachat. in a fold 
of the ridge parallel to, but consider- 
ably higher than, the Col de Voza, 
rising 5,945 ft. above the sea. The 
position is extremely convenient for 
mountaineers. When first opened the 
eharges were extortionate, but later re- 
ports have been more favourable. The 
view of the valley of Chamouni and the 
Mont Blanc range is a counterpart to 
that from the Col de Balme (Rte. H), 
but not quite so advantageous, as the 
Dome du Goute conceals the h ighest part 
of the mountain. The descent towards 
the Val de Montjoie lies along the 
steep ridge of the Mont Lachat, 
which forms the N. boundary of the 



204 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTKICT. 



fine Glacier of Bionnassay. In front the 
view is bounded by the Mont Joli,with 
the church of St. Nicholas de Yeroce at 
its base, and to the 1. the ridge extend- 
ing from the Aiguille de Bionnassay to 
the Aiguille de Tricot on the opposite 
side of the glacier is the most conspi- 
cuous object in view. The mule-path 
descends by Bionnassay, and thence by 
the rt. bank of the torrent to Bionnay 
(3,1920, ^ the Val de Montjoie, l.£ hr. 
from the Col de Voza, where it joins: 
the main track from St. Gervais to the' 
Col du Bonhomme. The way from Sal- 
lanches to Bionnay is described in Rte. 
C. It is an easy walk of 1^ hr. from 
Bionnay to 

Contamines (Inns : H. du Bonhomme, 
very good). The former Hotel de l'Union 
is closed, and a very poor cabaret has 
now assumed the name. A pedestrian 
may save \ hr. by taking a path to the 
1. in descending from the Col de Voza 
a little before reaching Bionnassay, and 
crossing the torrent by a wooden bridge 
a little below the spot where it issues 
from the glacier. From thence a path 
lies chiefly across meadows to Champel, 
and joins the main track to Contamines 
at the hamlet of Tresse. By this way 
Contamines is reached in 2^ hrs. from 
the Pavilion de Bellevue. Contamines 
(3,944') lies at the W. base of the Mont 
Joli (§ 12, Rte. A), which may be 
reached from hence, and will be more 
often visited when it is known to be a 
worthy rival of the Bravent and the 
Cramont. In the opposite direction the 
Glacier d'Armencettes, lying in a grand 
amphitheatre crowned by the Aiguille 
de Miage and the Aiguille de Berenger, 
has apparently shrunk within dimen- 
sions much smaller than its former 
limits. For the way to Courmayeur 
by the Col de Tondu, a course strongly 
recommended to mountaineers, see 
Rte D. 

Half a m. beyond Contamines a path 
descends to the rt., to the Sanctuary of 
Notre Dame de la Gorge, frequented in 
August by many pilgrims ; while the 
main track keeps to the rt. bank of the 
Bonnant, or Bon JNant, and afier mount- 



ing a steep and rough slope of the 
valley, crosses the torrent by a stone 
bridge, and, traversing an Alpine pas- 
ture, reaches the chalets of Nant Bour* 
rant (4.560'). There is here a little 
mountain inn, not uncomfortable, but 
extortionate charges — make your bar- 
gain. It is the common halting-place for 
those who make the journey in two days. 
There is a fine fall of the Bonnant be- 
low the bridge which is crossed to reach 
the chalets, and a still finer one rather 
higher on the branch of that stream 
coming from the glacier of Trelatete, 
which is in sight of the chalets. (See 
Rte. D.) 

Above Nant Bourrant the path to the 
Col du Bonhomme traverses a wood 
before reaching the hamlet of La 
Barmaz, where a tired traveller may 
find a bed for the night. From hence 
a path mounts W. to the Enclave 
de la Fenetre, a pass leading to St. 
Maxime de Beaufort by the valley ot 
Haute Luce (§ 12, Rte. *E). Here the 
massive tower of rock called the Tetedu 
Bonhomme (10,138') conies into view, 
and to the 1. the similar but rather 
lower summit called La Fernme du Bon- 
homme (9,908'). The track now mounts 
through a narrow strait in the valley, 
and then, passing: some vast moraines of 
ancient glaciers, ascends amidst debris 
to an open space where, near a little 
lake (5,892'), stand the chalets of Mont 
Jovet, 1^ hr. from Nant Bourrant. 
Bread, wine, and ordinary chalet fare 
are to be had here, and tired travellers 
sometimes pass the night ; but the pro- 
vision for their accommodation is in 
every way scanty. Having now passed 
beyond the region of tree vegetation, 
the valley assumes a wilder and 
sterner aspect. A short but steep 
ascent leads to another step in the 
valley, a plateau called Plan des Barnes 
(6,523'), where a large pile of stones 
marks a spot consecrated by a vague 
popular tradition that tells of a great 
lady and her suite who all perished 
here in a snow-storm. Another ascent, 
longer than the last, leads in about 40 
min. to what appears to be the desired 



EOUTE B. — COL DE LA SE1GNE. 



205 



col; but on reaching the summit, which 
lies between the Tete du Bonhomme 
and the Aiguille de Rousselctte (9,843'), 
it is seen that the pass which does in 
truth lie between those summits turns 
sharply to the W., and descends through 
the Vallon de la Gitta to St. Maxime de 
Beaufort (§ 12, Efce. F). It is still a 
distance of 1 hr. across barren stony 
slopes, usually necked with patches of 
snow, to the true pass. This portion of 
the rte. is much exposed to storms, and 
in threatening weather, with fresh 
snow, it is highly imprudent to pass 
without a guide. The fate of two 
Englishmen, who perished here in a 
snow-storm in September 1830, is still 
quoted as a warning to travellers. 

The Col du Bonhomme (8,195', 
Forbes), marked by a large cross, 
is the watershed between the basin of 
the Arve and that of the Isere. The 
view is not so extensive as might be 
expected ; the fine peak of the Mont 
Pourriis full in view, but Mont Blanc 
is shut out by the heights of the 1. of 
the Col. To pass from the Col du 
Bonhomme to the Allee Blanche is 
not so easy an operation as it appears 
to be upon the map. The gorge 
which lies at the S. side descends 
by Bonneval to Bourg St. Maurice 
(§ 12, Rte. F), but rather more than 
3,000 ft below the Col, at the poor 
hamlet of Chapiu, it is joined at an 
acute angle by the stream which flows 
to the Isere from the W. side of the 
Col de la Seigne. The mule- track 
descends to Chapiu (4,974') with two 
inns — H. du Soleil, clean and reason- 
able, good wine ; and Repos des Voya- 
geurs — and then reascends to Motet 
(6,004') through a barren and dreary 
glen, the least interesting part of the 
entire route. The pedestrian may 
choose between this and three other 
short er routes. Of these the most often 
used, lying N. of the Cime des Fours 
(I2,615')is by the Col des Fours (8,892'), 
reached by a path mounting to the 1. 
from the Col du Bonhomme. The de- 
scent thence to Motet is rather steep 
and fatiguing, but in fine weather it is 

PART L i 



m uch to be preferred,being shorter by 1 In . 
than the mule-path by Chapiu. There is 
a little-used path intermediate between 
the two already mentioned, which crosses 
the ridge at a point lower than the 
Col des Fours, and joins the track from. 
Chapiu at a group of chalets called Ha- 
meau du Glacier, £ hr. below Motet, 
where all these paths converge. There 
are two chalets, or rather mountain 
inns, at Motet, poor and uncomfortable, 
much inferior to those at Chapiu. A 
more direct way than either of those 
above mentioned is by the Col d'En- 
claves. This lies between the Tete 
d'Enclaves and the Mont Tondu. It 
may be reached from the Plan des 
Dames by mounting somewhat N. of E. 
to the Lacs Jovet, small lakes formed 
by ancient moraines. The col is reached 
by a steep ascent over piles of debris. 
Below it on the S. side is a snow-bed 
above a little lake, and to the 1. a 
ridge from the Mont Tondu, locally 
called Les Lancettes. A rapid descent 
leads to Motet in 4 hrs., from Nant 
Bourrant 

Ascending steadily for l£ hr, from 
Motet, the traveller reaches the sum- 
mit of the Col de la Seigne (8,327'), and 
here the fatiguing and not very inte- 
resting way that has been toiled over 
for the preceding 5 or 6 hrs. is rewarded 
by a view of extraordinary graudeur 
along the S. side of the range of Mont 
Blanc. The Piedmontese counterpart 
of the valley of Chamouni is undoubt- 
edly more imposing and more impressive 
than its Savoyard rival. The S. face of 
the Mont Blanc range includes, besides 
the actual summit, most of the highest 
secondary peaks, and between them 
there is but one opening, the Col de 
Miage (Rte. E) — which can be con- 
sidered as a break in the continuity of 
the ridge. To the left of the spectator 
are the Aiguille du Glacier (12,579'), and 
beyond it the Aiguille de Trelatete 
(12,907'). The last-named peak lias 
borne various names — e.g., Aiguille de 
1' Allee Blanche, Petit Mont Blanc, &c. 
It has three points, of which the central 
and highest was attained in 1846 by 



206 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



Mr. A. A. Reilly in 7^ hrs. from the 
Lac de Coinbal. This is followed by 
the wide opening through which the 
Glacier de Miage descends into the 
valley, and then the eye rests on 
the central mass of Mont Blanc, here 
seen as a dome of snow sustained by 
three enormous buttresses of rock. The 
nearest of these is the Mont Broglia 
(13,091'). beyond this is the Mont 
Rouge, and the third is the Mont Peter et, 
a granite pinnacle of the boldest form, 
somewhat more detached than the 
others from the main mass, and which 
remains prominent as one of the most 
striking objects in view throughout the 
descent to Courmayeur. Among the 
more distant summits of the range the 
Aiguille du Geant and the Grandes 
Jorasses are prominent. At the end of 
the long vista is the Col de Ferrex, and 
beyond it rise the snowy peaks of the 
Velan and the Grand Combin. To the 
rt. the ranges of the Cramont and the 
Mont de la Saxe, broken by the gap 
through which the Dora escapes towards 
the SE., run parallel to the great range of 
Mont Blanc. The valley between these 
ranges, whose whole length now extends 
beneath the traveller's feet, is properly 
called La Lex Blanche ; but it seems 
now impossible to change the received 
spelling adopted by modern writers in 
ignorance of the true etymology, and 
the name Allee Blanche is applied to 
the whole, although the portion which 
descends from the Col de Ferrex to 
Entreves is also known by the name 
Val Ferrex, as well as that which from 
the opposite side of the Col descends 
to Orsieres. 

In descending from the Col de la 
Seigne several rare plants may be 
gathered, and amongst others Ranun- 
culus parnassifolius. Lower down 
Hugueninia tanacetifolia and Achillea 
macrophylla are rather common. About 
1 hr. below the Col are the highest 
chalets (6,595'), where milk may be 
obtained. Having left behind on the 
1. the Glacier de VEstelette, the more 
considerable Glacier de V Allee Blanche 
now comes into Yiew. Another hr. 



or less leads down to the level of the 
Lac de Combal (5,774'), which receives 
the torrents from both the above- 
named glaciers. This lake is retained 
by a massive embankment of great 
antiquity, with sluices which regulate 
the outflow of the stream, the principal 
source of the Dora Baltea. A path 
turning to the rt. above the lake 
leads to Courmayeur, by the Col de 
Checruit, but nothing is gained by 
taking that way, which is on the whole 
less interesting than the regular track, 
though it is recommended to those who 
make an excursion from Courmayeur 
to the lake. Below the embankment 
above-mentioned the mule-track crosses 
to the I. bank of the Dora, and con- 
tinues for nearly 1 hr. between the 
stream and the enormous moraine 
which conceals from view the Glacier de 
Miage. This great glacier, sadly re- 
duced of late years, no longer stretches 
out so as nearly to cross the valley ; it 
is only when the path enters upon the 
pastures near the Chalet de la Visaille, 
below its lower extremity, that it comes 
fully into view. The portion of the 
Allee Blanche extending from hence to 
Entreves is sometimes called Val de 
Veni. The pine forests which now 
clothe the slopes on the S. side of the 
valley, and the more luxuriant vegeta- 
tion, present an agreeable contrast to 
the wild and somewhat dreary character 
of the scenery throughout the long 
space from Nant Bourrant. Advanc- 
ing down the valley, and passing oppo- 
site the Mont Peteret, the beautiful 
Glacier de la Brenva comes into view, 
and is too well deserving of examination 
to be fully appreciated by a passing 
traveller ; it is more fully noticed below. 
At the point where the glacier once 
stretched across the valley, bridging 
over the stream and abutting against 
the rocks on the S. side, the path passes 
by the chapel of Notre Dame de la 
Guerison, and winding round the base 
of the Mont Chetif, reaches the point 
where the Dora, now grown to a river 
after uniting in the two torrents that 
descend from the Col de la Seigne and 



ROUTE B. — COURMAYRUSt 



207 



th® Col de Fcrrex the drainage of at 
least twenty glaciers, escapes through 
the portal opened to the S. between 
the Mont Chetif and the Mont de la 
Saxe. After crossing the Dora by 
a wooden bridge, the path reaches the 
baths of La Saxe, near to which is the 
Hotel du Mont Blanc, commanding a 
liner view than Courmayeur, and nearer 
to most of the objects of interest. It 
was formerly pretty well kept and 
cheaper than the hotels at Courmayeur, 
but it is said that the management has 
fallen off, while the prices have in- 
creased. About 1 m. from La Saxe, 
and 4 hrs.' steady walking from the 
Col de la Seigne, is 

Courmayeur (Inns : Hotel Royal; 
Angelo; both well managed and com- 
fortable, prices rather high for Pied- 
mont, but less than at Chamouni ; 
visitors remaining some time pay a 
fixed moderate charge for rooms and 
living ; H. de l'Union, second-rate), a 
large village, much frequented in sum- 
mer by visitors from Turin, who seek 
here mountain air, fine scenery, or the 
mineral waters, of which several springs 
exist near the village. In addition to 
these, it has become of late years a 
frequent resort of English and other 
foreign tourists, who have discovered 
here a rival to Chamouni. Though 
higher than that village, being about 
4,000 ft. above the sea, the climate is 
considerably warmer, but if in fine 
weather the days are hot, the nights are 
always cool. Several of the excursions 
within easy reach may rival, if they do 
not excel, those equally accessible from 
Chamouni, and for a panoramic view of 
the Mont Blanc range the Cramont may 
well dispute precedence with the Bre- 
vent ; but owing to the peculiar con- 
formation of that range already alluded 
to, it is far more difficult from this side 
to gain access to the upper snow region, 
and aspiring mountaineers will probably 
continue to look on Chamouni as the 
best head -quarters for the explorer of 
Mont Blanc. 

In respect to guides, Courmayeur is 
far behind Chamouni, but the contrast 

p 



is not so great as it was. There are 
some fairly good men at Courmayear, 
and not so many as there once were at 
Chamouni. A tariff for guides and por- 
ters has been established, on the model 
of that in force at Chamouni, both as to 
the tariff of charges and other details. 
The charges are, however, more mo- 
derate than at Chamouni, and are based 
on the notion that 6 fr. is amply suf- 
ficient pay for a fair day's work; whereas 
at Chamouni the slightest addition to a 
very easy excursion is made a pretext 
for demanding extra pay. There are 
many men at Courmayeur quite suitable 
for ordinary excursions, but not many 
worth taking on expeditions of real 
difficulty. Julien Grange (called La- 
berge) — very good — Laurent Lagnier, 
Laurent Proment, and Seraphin Henry 
are the best ; Joseph and Alexis 
Proment, Michel Brunod, and Julien 
Rey are also recommended. 

Courmayeur stands at the natural 
termination of the Val d' Aosta, called, 
between St. Didier and Entreves, Val 
d Entreves, and the only easy access is 
by the carriage-road which descends to 
Aosta. The diligence from Aosta (§ 1 5, 
Rte. A) now carries passengers to Cour- 
mayeur without change of carriage, but 
as the last 3 m. are up-hill a pedestrian 
loses no time. The immediate neigh- 
bourhood of Courmayeur, not to speak 
of the surrounding mountains, produces 
some interesting plants, such as Sisym- 
brium altissimum, Silene vallesia, Scu- 
tellaria alpina, &c. 

In appreciating the advantages and 
drawbacks of Courmayeur as head- 
quarters for tourists, it is right to say 
that the view from the village is far 
more limited than from Chamouni. The 
summit of Mont Blanc is concealed by 
the comparatively insignificant Mont 
Chetif, and none of the higher summits 
of the range are in sight. 

In enumerating the chief excursions 
to be made from Courmayeur, it may be 
observed, that the district has been far 
less thoroughly explored than the neigh- 
bourhood of Chamouni, and an active 
mountaineer may doubtless cut out for 
2 



208 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



himself many new expeditions. Onej 
of these, especially deserving attention, 
is the ascent of the Grande JRoase/e 
(10,905'), the highest point in the 
range, extending ENE. from Cour- 
mayeur. From its position this must 
be the hest point for a survey of the 
least known part of the Mont Blanc 
range — that between the Mont Dolent 
and the Aiguille du Geant. 

1. Glacier de la Brenva. This beau- 
tiful glacier descends from the upper- 
most shelves and plateaux of Mont 
Blanc directly to the Alice Blanche. 
Until within the last seven years it com- 
pletely barred the valley, giving passage 
to the torrent through a vault beneath 
the ice, and abutting against the op- 
posite wall of rock. It appeared, 
indeed, that at no distant period it had 
reached nearly to the junction of the 
two branches of the Dora at the foot 
of the Mont Chetif ; and it is certain 
that within the last 50 years it rose so 
high against the opposite slope as to 
ruin the foundations of the little Chapel 
of Notre-Dame de la Guerison, stand- 
ing beside the path to the Col de la 
Seigne. Although a general falling off 
in the glaciers of the Pennine chain 
has been observed of late years, none 
other has shrunk to nearly so great an 
extent. Between 1857 and 1866 the 
writer estimated the space over which 
the glacier had retired at about one- 
third of a mile, but he is informed 
that it has retired at least an equal 
distance during the last seven years. 
Though the traveller can no longer 
reeognise the description given by 
Forbes, nor the notice contained in the 
first edition of this work, he will find 
it interesting to visit the glacier in its 
present shrunk condition. The best 
way is to follow a track from the village 
of Entreves which leads to the lateral 
moraine on the 1. bank, and then cross 
the glacier diagonally towards the Mont 
Peteret, which towers in the most de- 
fiant fashion above the middle region 
of the glacier. It is possible, and worth 
the trouble, to approach very near to 
its base, and beautiful as are many of 



the Aiguilles on the side of Chamouni, 
none for grandeur can surpass this. 
On its ledges, safe from the approach 
of human foot, the writer has counted 
thirty-seven chamois in a single herd. 
| The best way to complete the excur- 
i sion is to cross the huge rt. moraine, 
| that formerly crossed the valley like 
I an enormous railway embankment, at 
j a point rather high up where it will 
j give less trouble, and then descend an 
easy slope amid clumps of pines to a 
place where a bridge over the Dora 
enables the traveller to join the mule- 
path from the Col de la Seigne. 

Moderate walkers may very well 
ascend to the point on the I. bank, be- 
i low the upper ice-fall of the Brenva, 
chosen for a bivouac in the arduous 
ascent to the Corridor (Rte. G). 

2. Col de Checruit (6.542'). Those 
who do not intend to cross the Col de 
la Seigne, should nevertheless make the 

| summit of that pass the object of a 
I day's excursion from Courmayeur, or, if 
i that be too fatiguing, should at least 
| visit the Lac de Combal. For that 
I purpose they will do well to vary their 
route, following a mule-path over the 
Col de Checruit, between the Mont 
Chetif and the Cramont. Crossing the 
Dora opposite the village, the mule-path 
follows the 1. bank of a torrent for ^ m., 
and then mounts the side of the ravine 
by steep zigzags to a little oratory 
perched on a rock. The way then lies 
over gently sloping pastures to the Col, 
about 2 hrs. from Courmayeur. From 
the Col, or, better still, from a rock to the 
rt, there is a noble view of Mont Blanc 
and the Alice Blanche. One path 
descends directly through the pine 
forest, but it is a better plan to keep to 
the 1. along the slope of the mountain by 
a rougher path that falls into the valley 
a little above the Lac de Combal. The 
latter path is not well traced, and may 
require a guide. It has the advantage 
of obtaining a good view of the Glacier de 
Miage, which is not otherwise well seen. 

3. The Mont Chetif (7,671'), also 
I called Mont Dolina, and Pain de Sucre, 
J is the dome-shaped, isolated eminence 



ROUTE B. — THE MONT DE LA SAXE. 



209 



conspicuous from Courmayeur because 
it shuts out the view of the main mass 
of Mont Blanc. Following the above- 
mentioned mule- path to the Col de 
Checruit, a path turns off to the rt. ^ hr. 
before the Col., and leads in 1| hr., or 
3 hrs. from Courmayeur, to the summit 
of the mountain, commanding a noble 
view, nearly equal to that from the 
Cramont, and far easier of access. 

4. The Cramont The principal sum- 
mit of the range separating the Allee 
Blanche from the valley of the Little St. 
Bernard is the Cramont (corrupted from 
Grand Mont). Its position, exactly 
opposite to the summit of Mont Blanc, 
is a counterpart of that of the Brevent 
in the valley of Chamouni. The view 
of Mont Blanc is at least as fine, and in 
addition the panorama includes the 
chief peaks of the Pennine and Graian 
Alps. The side of the Cramont, lacing 
Courmayeur, is extremely steep, if not 
absolutely inaccessible. The usual 
way requires a considerable detour, and 
is long, but not very fatiguing. Mules 
may be taken lo within l| hr. of the 
summit. It is well to start very early 
to avoid the heat of the sun during the 
ascent, and to gain time for thorough 
enjoyment of the scenery. It is neces- 
sary to commence in a manner always 
distasteful to the mountaineer, by de- 
scending for 3 m. to St. Didier. It is 
possible to avoid the road and follow a 
path along the rt. bank of the Doire, 
but this is so rough that it involves some 
ioss of time. From St. Didier the road 
to the Little St. Bernard (§ 15, Rte. A) 
is followed for £ hr., and then a path 
strikes off to the rt. among larches, and 
mounts gradually for 2 hrs., passing 
several chalets. On reaching the limit 
of the larch, which is here at 6,800 ft., 
the ascent becomes too steep for mules, 
and the remainder of the way must 
be made on foot, chiefly up rather 
steep parched slopes of grass not very 
troublesome to mount, but requiring 
caution in the descent. l£ hr. more, 
or 4 hrs. from St. Didier, suffice to 
reach the summit (9,059'), consisting 
of slightly inclined slabs of rock, which 



on the side facing Mont Blanc project 
a little beyond the edge of the precipi- 
tous face of the mountain. The view 
has been deservedly celebrated by Saus- 
sure, Forbes, and all other travellers 
who have been fortunate enough to reach 
the summit in favourable weather. If it 
be allowable to note a defect in the pre- 
sence of a scene so magnificent, it may 
be said that the Mont Chetif and a por- 
tion of the lower part of the Cramont 
itself prevent the eye from reaching the 
bottom of the Allee Blanche, and thus, 
although the height is considerably 
greater than that of the Brevent or the 
Mont Joli, the range of Mont Blanc is 
not here seen to spring out of a valley 
relatively so deep or so well defined. 3 
hrs. suffice for the descent to St. Didier. 
On reaching the point where the mule- 
path comes to an end, a practised crags- 
man may descend direct to Courma- 
yeur; not much time is saved, but he 
gains the pleasing excitement of a stiff 
scramble. 

The ascent of the Cramont is some- 
times taken in the way from Cour- 
mayeur to the Little St. Bernard, by 
travellers intending to sleep there or at 
Bourg St. Maurice (§ 15, Ete. A). 

'The traveller who proposes to make 
a visit to the Cramont a part of his 
day's journey to St. Maurice, should 
start very early, and direct that the 
mules, if he take any, should, from 
where he left them, be sent across the 
pasturages, to chalets which he in his 
way to the village of La Balme. He 
will thus gain time in ascending the 
valley, though the descent to the ham- 
let of Eleva, down a steep and rugged 
path over loose stones, is fatiguing. 
La Balme is in the valley, about an 
hour's walk above where the path up 
through the forest leads to the Cramont ; 
and there is no object of interest missed 
between the two places.' — [M.] 

5. The Mont de la Saxe, rising NE. 
of Courmayeur, commands a view of 
the Grandes Jorasses and the adjoining 
peaks, which is even superior to that 
from the Cramont. It is easily reached 
in 2% or 3 hrs., and well deserves a visit. 



210 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC LISTLiCT. 



4 After passing the baths of La Saxe, the 
track to the rt., leading into the Yal 
lerrex, is followed for a short distance, 
and then the ascent begins by an easy 
path, which gradual iy reaches the sum- 
mit ; this is a surt of undulating plateau, 
in which no single point much over- 
looks the rest' — [M.] The summit, 
called Trosse Blanc (8,435'), at the E. 
end of the ridge, commands a wider view. 

6. The Mont Carmel, also called 
Mont Connet, and Mont Merou, lies 
about due E. of Courmayeur in the 
range whose highest summit is the 
Grande Rossere. It is fully i,000 ft. 
higher than the Mont de la Saxe, and 
about on a level with the Cnunont. The 
ascent is here pointed out as deserving 
attention, and information respecting it 
is desired. 

7. The Col da Geant, leading from 
Courmayeur to Chamouni, is described 
in Rte. F. Those who do not intend 
crossing the pass may make an ex- 
tremely interesting excursion to the 
summit, returning in the afternoon to 
Courmayeur. Practised mountaineers 
may, in settled weather, find the way 
without a guide, but a solitary traveller 
should on no account attempt to descend 
on the N. side of the pass, as there is 
usually a concealed crevasse a short 
distance below the CoL 



Route C. 

8ATXAKCHES TO CUSTTAMMKES UD 
COUKMATEUS, BY ST. GERVAIS. 

4| hrs.' walking to Contamines. 

The large majority of foreigners who 
reach Sallanches Irom Geneva, are 
bound for Chamouni, and follow the 
road described in Rte. A, but many 
visitors from Sallanches, approach the 
baths of St. Gervais. and some moun- 
taineers have found the village of St 
Gervais. about a mile above the baths, 
to be convenient head-ouarters for ex- 



ploring the W. side of Mont Blanc 
Travellers bound for the S. side or 
Mont Blanc, who have already visited 
Chamouni, may go by St. Gervais to 
Contamines, or even Jiant Bonrranr. in 
one day from Geneva, acoi s: r_ n 
Courmayeur on the Second long day. 

The new road to Chamouni will ap- 
proach near to St. Gervais, but mean- 
while there is a good char-road from 
Sahanehe- ::• the baths, a distance :f 
6 miles — cost of a char, 5 or 6 fr. The 
road keeps near the base of the moun- 
tain at some distance from the Avre, 
leaving on the rt. the road which 
mounts by Combloux to Megeve S '2. 
Rte. A). On the slope below the'fiYst 
of those villages, and near JJomen.cv x 
are a profusion of errarie blocks depo- 
sited there by the ancient glacier; and 
near to the baths of Si. Gervais the re- 
mains of a gigantic moraine, partly cut 
away by torrents, well deserve expla- 
nation. After passing the Bonuant, 
ju5t where it issues from the vallev of 
Montjoie. one road, turning sharp to" the 

Sallanches to Chamonni (Rte. A), ^rrl 
another mounts the hill to the village <:f 
Si. Gervais. A traveller who has engaged 
a char to the village need not pass by 
the baths, but it is shorter for a poo s- 
trian to keep the lower road, which le-.^s 
in L nr. from the bridge to the Baihi 
of ~SL Gervais (2,0670, standing in a 
picturesque situation in the rocky gorge 
of the Bonnant. For the extent ar i 
completeness of ihe buildings ana th.ir 
appurtenances, they surpass ad simh.-.r 
establishments in Savoy. Tne edifice 
comprises a large central pile connected 
on either side with two Things, to which 
large additions h. : .ve been lately maze, 
and the establishment is designed to 
accommodate no less than 450 guests, 
with several large public rooms for 
dinner, conversation, dancing, and 
music. There is brS'des a considers ie 
library and a collection of natural 
history, antiquities, kc. The charge 
for persons remaining en p i* 5 

fr. a day. A few years ago there were 
many complaints of the management, 



ROUTE D. COL DE TRELATETE. 



211 



but recent reports are satisfactory. 
Families intending to stay here should 
secure rooms beforehand, or they may 
be disappointed. Of the two principal 
springs, one is warm and sulphureous, 
the other chalybeate. The ascent of the 
Mont Joli may be made in 4^ hrs. from 
the Baths. 

A rather steep path, much shorter 
than the char-road, and commanding 
fine views, leads, in 20 min., direct from 
the Baths to the village of 

St Gervais (Inns : H. du Mont Joli, 
very well kept, pension 6 fr. day ; 
H. de Geneve, new ; H. du Mont 
Blanc ; H. de 1' Union ; H. du Prarion), 
standing 2,680 ft. above the sea, and 
613 ft. above the Baths. This place 
has been resorted to by mountaineers 
of late years, in part because it is well 
situated for some excursions on the W. 
side of Mont Blanc, but mainly to 
escape from the restrictions and high 
charges of the former Regulations, now 
amended, for the Guides at Cliamouni. 
There are several good guides here, not 
equal to the best of the Chamouni men, 
but thoroughly trustworthy. Of these, 
Hoste, and Joseph and Lucien Jacquet 
may be recommended. Mollard, "who 
-was highly thought of by his employers, 
no longer undertakes difficult expedi- 
tions, but may be consulted with ad- 
vantage. He lives at La Villette, near 
Bionnay. 

[Three ways lead from hence to Cha- 
mouni : the char-road above mentioned, 
passing by Chede, makes a long detour ; 
the way by the Col de Voza (Rte. B), 
which is the most interesting, also in- 
volves a circuit ; a more direct way, 
shorter by 2 m. and considerably lower, 
is by the Col de la Forclaz, practicable 
for part of the way in a char. Mules 
take nearly 5 hrs. to reach Chamouni, 
but 4^ hrs. suffice for a pedestrian. The 
summit (5,105') commands a view 
similar to that from the Col de Voza, 
but less commanding and more limited. 
Superior to either is that from the 
6ummit of the Prarion between the 
two passes ; but this is most conveniently 
reached from the Col de Voza,] 



The ascent from the village of St. 
Gervais to Bionnay, along the rt. bank 
of the Bonnant, requires but 45 min. ; 
and there the mule-track to Contamines 
joins the way from Chamouni described 
in the last lite. 



Route D. 

COURMAYEUR TO CONTAMINES, BY THIS 
COL DU MONT TONDU, OR THE COL 
DE TRELATETE. 

The way from Chamouni to Cour- 
mayeur described in Rte. B, passing 
round the W. side of the range of 
Mont Blanc, and the circuit by the 
eastern end of the same range de- 
scribed in Rtes. H and K, both involve 
a detour which is not less than four 
times the direct distance between those 
places; but it is possible to reduce con- 
siderably the distance, and in a less de- 
gree the time necessary for the journey, 
by glacier passes which, however, are 
scarcely fit for any but trained moun- 
taineers. The least arduous of those 
leading directly from Chamouni to the 
Allee Blanche is the Col du Geant ; 
but even this is sometimes difficult, 
and at all times a laborious expedi- 
tion. The pass described in the first 
edition of this work as Col de Tre- 
latete, now known as Col du Moni 
Tondu, has become a favourite passage 
for those who, without seeking diffi- 
culties, are anxious to add the enjoy- 
ment of fine glacier scenery to all that 
is really interesting in the old route. 
Between Contamines and the Col de la 
Seigne it saves not less than 5 hrs. on 
I the way by Chapiu; and it is ju^t pos- 
sible for a pedestrian in thorough train- 
ing to make the whole distance from 
Chamouni in one long day, but far 
more advisable to sleep at the Pavilion 
de Trelatete or at Contamines. From 
Contamines to the Col de la Seigne 
about 6£ hrs. should be allowed, but 



212 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



1 hr. less when travelling in the opposite 
direction ; but, on the other hand, nearly 
5 hrs. are needed for the ascent, from 
Courmayeur to the Col de la Seigne, 
while 4 hrs. suffice for the descent. At 
least one good guide should he taken. 
The glacier is sometimes rather difficult, 
and none of the established precautions 
should be omitted. By Mr. Tuckett's 
observations the height of the Col is 
9,204 ft. 

On quitting the Col de la Seigne, 
the traveller, instead of proceeding for- 
wards to Motet, must strike off to the 
rt. towards a depression in the ridge 
between the Aiguille de Glacier and 
the more westerly summit known as the 
Mont Tondu. To reach this point the 
Glacier des Lancettes must be traversed, 
but as it is cut off from the Col de la 
Seigne by some steep buttresses and 
ravines, it is necessary either to mount 
towards the Aiguille du Glacier, and 
then bear away to the 1. nearly at a 
level, or else descend some distance and 
then remount to the Glacier des Lan- 
cettes. The former course is recom- 
mended by Mr. A. Reilly From the 
W. side of the glacier, gently inclined 
slopes of snow lead up to the depression 
already alluded to, and in about 2 hrs. 
after quitting the Col de la Seigne that 
of Trelatete is reached. The last ascent 
is up a face of rock which appears 
alarmingly steep to those who approach 
it from the opposite direction, but the 
stair- like ledges make it quite free from 
difficulty. ' The view is a fine one, but 
travellers are recommended to climb 
the rocky point to the N.E. which com- 
mands a greater extent of horizon. To 
the S., the Graian Alps from the Grivola 
to the Grande Casse are admirably 
seen. The mass of the Tondu confines 
the range of vision in a W. direction, 
as that of the Aiguille du Glacier does 
to the eastward, but between NW. 
and NE. the summits of the Aiguilles 
de Miage and Berenger, with the 
ranges bordering the valley of the 
Arve, form very beautiful features in 
the view. Beneath is the central part 
of the Glacier de Trelagrande, com- 



i monly called Glacier de Trelatete, and 
over its head, between the Aiguille de 
i Miage and de Trelatete, the summit of 
i Mom Blanc is a very grand and con- 
spicuous object. The perspective ex- 
tent of snow-surfaces is proverbially 
deceptive, and in the present instance 
the neve of the glaciers before us ap- 
peared to unite directly with the W. 
slopes of the Mont Blanc. In reality, 
however, the entire basin of the southern 
Miage Glacier intervenes, and is sepa- 
rated from the head of that of Trela- 
tete by extremely precipitous, if not 
impassable slopes of rock, which are 
well seen from the Col de Miage.' 
[F. F. T.] 

To gain the Glacier de Trelagrande 
from the Col, it is necessary to descend 
by a steep lateral glacier which joins 
the main ice-stream. The seracs are 
sometimes rather difficult, and it is then 
expedient to keep to the rt. along the 
snow slopes formed by the remains of 
avalanches. On reaching the main 
glacier, it is usually possible to descend 
alon»' its centre, till a sort of plateau is 
reached above the great ice- fall. By 
keeping diagonally towards the rt. la- 
teral moraine, a short scramble down 
debris and rocks brings the traveller to 
a path leading in less than h hour to the 
Pavilion de Trelatete (6,483'). When 
the crevasses are wide, it is probably 
better to keep to the 1. on reaching the 
main glacier, and descend by the mo- 
raine and the rocks at the base of the 
Mont Tondu, till the plateau is reached. 
The Pavilion affords good sleeping ac- 
commodation, and would be in many 
respects the best starting-point for those 
tjoing to Courmayeur. Other interest- 
ing excursions may be made from it, 
such as the ascent of the Aiguille de 
Miage (12,074'), and Aiguille de Beren- 
ger (11,693'). or the circuit of the upper 
Glacier of Trelatete, &c. The landlord 
and his wife are well spoken of. The 
descent from the Pavilion to Conta- 
inines occupies about 1 hr. From 10 
to 11 hrs/ actual walking suffice for this 
route between Contamines and Cour- 
mayeur. On one occasion Mr. A. 



ROUTE £. COL DE MI AGE. 



213 



Reilly lost his way in a mist, and | 
re.idK'd the Col in 6 hrs. from the j 
Pavilion, passing over the summit of 
the Mont Tondu. The same explorer 
has reached the summit of the Aiguille 
de Trelatete (12,907'), passing over the 
summit of the Mont Sue, in 7| hrs. 
from the Lac de Combal. In attempt- 
ing the ascent of the same peak by 
way of the Glacier de l'AUee Blanche, 
Messrs. C. E. and G. S. Mathews 
effected a new pass, properly called 
Col de Trelatete. It is a snow Col im- 
mediately W. of the summit. The 
descent of the secondary glacier, leading 
to the upper level of the Trelatete, was 
found to be excessively steep and dan- 
gerous. In 1869 an English party, in- 
cluding a lady, ascended from Conta- 
mines over the Glacier de la Frasse to 
the depression between the Aiguille de 
Miage and Aiguille de Berenger — now 
called Col de Berenger — and then de- 
scending along the Glacier de Trela- 
grande reached the Col du Mont Tondu. 

Route E. 

CHAMOUNI TO COURM A YETTR, BY THE 
GLACIER DE MIAGE. 
16 hrs.' walking. 

The only considerable breach in the 
range of Mont Blanc is that marked 
by the Col de Miage. It is true that 
recent measurements make the Col du 
Geant lower by a few ft., but the two 
glaciers, both named Glacier de Miage, 
which descend N. and S. from the Col, 
lie in hollows that are cut deeper and 
farther into the mass than any other. 
The ridge over which the pass lies has 
been truly likened to a dyke or cause- 
way, connecting together the Aiguille 
de Bionnassay with the Aiguille de 
Miage, and it is so steep on both sides 
that two points, not quite 2 m. apart in 
a straight line, are separated by 8 or 9 
hrs. of laborious climbing. 

The Col de Miage was at first visited 
with a view to discover a new route to 
the summit of Mont Blanc, rather 
than as a way from Chamouni to Cour- 
mayeur, but of late adventurous moun- 



| taineers, not satisfied with the difikul- 
j ties of the pass, have sought to reach 
the S. Glacier of Miage from Cha- 
mouni by traversing the ridge of the 
Dome du Goute. That course, however, 
involves serious difficulties, and cannot 
be recommended to ordinary travellers. 

The earliest passage, as the writer 
believes, was by some chamois hunters, 
of whom one perished in a crevasse at the 
N. base of the Col. The first foreign 
traveller was Mr. Coleman,who has given 
an account of his passage in 1858, in his 
beautiful work, ' Scenes from the Snow 
Fields.' Another interesting account 
of the pass, by Mr. J. G. Dodson, is 
contained in the second series of ' Peaks, 
Passes, and Glaciers ' Mr. Dodson and 
his companions achieved the whole dis- 
tance from Courmayeur to Chamouni 
in a single day of rather less than 19 
hrs, of which but 1^ hr. was given to 
halts. The same distance has since 
been accomplished in little more than 
16 hrs. by very active mountaineers, in 
thorough condition, and with first-rate 
guides. On no other conditions should 
the achievement be attempted. The 
difficulties on the S. side seem to be 
rather greater than on the N., but in 
whichever direction it be taken, none 
of the approved precautions and ap- 
pliances of glacier-travelling should be 
omitted. In taking the pass from Cha- 
mouni it is advisable to sleep at the 
Chalets de Miage, or else at that of La 
Turche, higher up on the N. side of the 
glacier. When taken from Courmayeur 
a traveller may rest for the night at the 
Chalet de la Visaille, near the foot of 
the southern Glacier de Miage. 

Starting from Chamouni the way lies 
for 4^ hrs. over the Col de Voza (Rte. 
B), to the foot of the Glacier de Bion- 
nassay. On the S. side that glacier is 
bounded by a ridge, whose prominent 
summits are the Aiguille de Bionnassdy 
(13,324'), the Mont Tricot, (9,27 8'), and 
the Mont Vorassay (7,530'). Between 
the two last named is a comparatively 
low pass, called Col de Tricot, leading 
from the lower end of the Bionnassav 
Glacier to the Chalets dc Miage, on the' 



214 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



N. side of the Miage Glacier. Should 
the traveller have slept at the Pavilion 
above the Col de Voza, or at Bionnas- 
say, he need not, on the way from the Col 
de Tricot, descend so low as the Chalets 
de Miage. The ascent along the slopes, 
and afterwards by the moraine of the 
Glacier de Miage, is rather long and 
fatiguing. On reaching the upper level 
of the glacier the aspect of the ridge 
which has to be traversed is formidable 
even to experienced mountaineers. Its 
appearance is that of a gigantic dyke, 
2,000 ft. in height, rising almost ab- 
ruptly from the gently sloping neve of 
the upper glacier, and defended by a 
series of great crevasses, of which one es- 
pecially, a true bergschrund, runs along 
the base of the rock by which the ascent 
is effected Usually, but not always, a 
snow bridge is to be found at the re- 
quired point. In the centre of the 
ridge, just below the lowest point of 
the Col, a steep couloir of snow extends 
from top to bottom of the slope, 
flanked on either side by extremely 
steep rocks. Beyond these rocky 
metes, on either side, the ridge appears 
still more impracticable, the ice-slopes 
being of formidable steepness, and in- 
terrupted now and then by ledges of 
rock or vertical faces of ice. The most 
obvious way of attempting the ascent 
would be by the snow couloir, which, 
though in truth very steep, is not 
beyond the limit of what may be 
accomplished by step-cutting; but the 
experienced mountaineer will anticipate 
the real difficulty, which lies in the fact 
that the couloir is the channel through 
which masses of snow and detached 
fragments of rock shoot, rather than 
slide, down to the bottom of the ridge. 
The ascent is effected by the rocks to the 
1. or NE. of the couloir, and they are so 
steep that fully 2^ hrs. must be allowed. 
The summit (11,076') is but a very few 
yards in width, and the view is chiefly 
interesting as the nearest point from 
whence to survey the W. side of the 
peak of Mont Blanc. 

The southern Glacier de Miage is 
altogether on a grander scale than that 



on the N. side. It receives two consi- 
derable tributaries — one called Glacier 
duMont Blanc, originating on the S.W. 
side of the main peak ; the other Glacier 
du Dome, descending southward from 
the Dome du Goute. A further less 
considerable contribution is received 
from the ridge connecting the Col with 
the Aiguille de Bionnassay, and leading 
thence towards the Dome du Goute. 
These three glaciers fall in very long 
and steep icefalls to the main ice 
stream ; but a still greater ice-fall im- 
mediately below the Col forms the pro- 
per head of the S. Glacier of Miage. 
To descend, the traveller must pass some 
way along the ridge that runs SW. from 
the Col, which is narrowed to a mere 
path, and he then traverses a mode- 
rately steep slope of neve, beset with 
concealed crevasses. After a \ hr. this 
leads, on the W. side of the great ice- 
fall, to the summit of the excessively 
steep crags, by which alone access to 
the Col from the S. side appears prac- 
ticable. These are of great height, 
and traversed by couloirs of snow 
or ice, and the descent requires great 
care, steadiness, and patience, as 3 hrs. 
are required for the purpose. At 
the base of these rocks the difficulties 
are not yet over, as a portion of the 
glacier, very steep and much crevassed, 
still remains before the traveller can 
reach the more gently inclined tract 
where, for the first time, it becomes 
prudent to cast off the rope, and where 
the ice-axe may at length be let to rest. 
The view of the grand masses that 
enclose the glacier, and of the great 
horse-shoe fall of ice by the side of 
which the descent has been effected, is 
of the most sublime character, and 
should oftener lead visitors to Cour- 
mayeur to explore the lower part, at 
least, of this glacier. In about six 
hours from the Col, or less if the ice 
be in favourable condition, the traveller 
may hope to have got clear of the 
moraine, and reached the mule - path 
leading to Courmayeur (Rte. B), When 
taken rather early in the season, this 
pass may be effected in less time, and 



ROUTE F. — COL DU GEANT. 



215 



■with less labour than fell to the share of 
its earliest explorers. 

In 1864 Messrs. Reilly and J. Birk- 
beck, jun., for the first time effected a 
passage from the S. side of the Col de 
Miage to the arete connecting the Ai- 
guille de Bionnassay with the Dome du 
Goute. Following the arete to the 
summit of the Dome, and descending 
directly to the Grands Mulets, they 
arrived at Chamouni the same night. 
In the following season Messrs. E. N. 
Buxton, Grove, and Macdonald, with 
three guides, starting from Chamouni 
at midnight, and passing near to the 
summit of the Dome, descended from 
the same arete to the Glacier du Dome ; 
and after overcoming formidable ob- 
stacles reached the S. Glacier de Miage 
in 24 hrs. Courmayeur was finally at- 
tained at 5.30 on the following morn- 
ing, in 29£ hrs. of which were 25 hrs. 
of actual walking. The last-named 
travellers also ascended the Aiguille de 
Bionnassay \n 14 hrs. from the Pavilion 
de Bellevue, and in descending the 
rocks above the N. Glacier de Miage 
were benighted at a height of about 
1 2,000 ft. Finally, in 1 868, Mr. Frede- 
rick Brown, with Julien Grange and 
Daniel Chabot of Courmayeur, follow- 
ing Mr. Reilly's route, reached the 
summit of Mont Blanc by the Bosse du 
Dromadaire. These expeditions must, 
however, be considered as mere tours 
de force. 

On the 1st of July, 1872, Mr. T. S. 
Kennedy, with Johann Fischer of 
Meyringen, and J. A. Carrel of Val- 
touraanche, took a course which ap- 
pears to promise future usefulness. 
After a bivouac on the rt. bank of the 
Glacier du Mont Blanc, about 4| hrs. 
from Courmayeur, they started at 
3 a.m., and keeping to the 1. of the 
icefall of that glacier, and also to the 
1. of an upper range of seracs, they 
climbed, chiefly over weathered rocks, 
to a point on the verge of a great snow- 
field supported by the Mont Broglia 
and Mont Peteret. Above this are 
steep but not difficult rocks, forming 
Uie W. side of the Calotte. This was 



attained about 1.15 p.m. The difficulties 
might be more serious later in the year. 

Route F. 

CHAMOUNI TO COURMAYEUR, BY THE COL 
DU GEANT, OR THE COL DE TALEFRE. 

The Col du Geant long ranked as 
the only pass across the range of Mont 
Blanc, and as the highest in the Alps. 
Recent explorers have, however, so 
much enlarged the list of practicable cols 
that this has had to yield precedence to 
more than thirty competitors. Even 
though this list should be largely in- 
creased, this pass, traversing the very 
centre of the most extensive glacier 
region of Mont Blanc, and descending 
into Piedmont from a point which 
overlooks all the southern ranges of the 
Alps, will be always full of attraction 
for the lover of grand scenery ; and 
there are few excursions that, within 
the compass of a single day's walk, 
initiate a stranger so thoroughly in the 
wonders and beauties of the ice -world. 

In taking the pass from Chamouni it 
saves 2 hrs.' walk to sleep at the Mon- 
tanvers, and a still greater advantage is 
gained by starting from the Mont Frety 
when going from Courmayeur. An 
early start gives time for enjoying the 
pass, and for contending with any diffi- 
culties that may arise from the state of 
the glacier. Constant liability to change 
is the familiar characteristic of the gla- 
cier region, and this holds especially as 
to the Col du Geant. In fine weather the 
expedition involves no risk other than 
those which everywhere in the Alps 
attend the neglect of well-known pre- 
cautions. The accident which, in 
1860. cost the lives of three English 
travellers and one guide, might just as 
easily have occurred in many places 
often visited by travellers. A person 
not somewhat used to glacier- travelling 
should take two guides, and however 
competent in other respects, he should 
neglect none of the established appliances 
and precautions. Early in the season, 
when the crevasses are comparatively 



21 6 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



narrow, less time is needed for the pass 
than in August, when it is most fre- 
quently passed by strangers. 

From the Montanvers the way to 
the Col du Geant is by the same route 
as that taken to the Jardin (Rte. A, 
Excursion 4), save that on approaching 
the junction of the Gl. de Lechaud 
with the Gl. du Geant (sometimes called 
Gl. du Tacul) the course lies more to 
the rt. until in about 2| hrs. the travel- 
ler finds himself face to face with the 
latter grand glacier. The lower part 
is moderately even and easily traversed, 
especially on its E. side, but beyond 
this is seen the great ice-cascade, ' like 
the foam of ten Niagaras placed end to 
end and stiffened into rest.' This ex- 
hibits on the grandest scale that peculiar 
condition of the ice for which Saussure's 
name, seracs, has been retained (see 
Introduction : Article, Glaciers). The 
vast mass of neve that is accumulated 
in the basin whose highest summits 
are the Mont Blanc de Tacul and the 
Aiguille du Midi to the W., and the 
Aiguille du Geant (13,186') to the E. 
descends through the comparatively 
narrow opening between the rocks of 
the Noire — one of the main buttresses 
of the last-named peak — and an island 
of rock called Le Rognon, rising to the 
W. The earlier passages were made 
by the W. side of the ice-fall, but it is 
now agreed that the difficulties are less 
serious on the E. side, where it is 
sometimes possible to take to the rockg. 
Save under unusually favourable cir- 
cumstances, from 4 to 5 hrs. from the 
Tacul are required to reach the Col. 
The rope should not be cast off, as 
there is at least one concealed crevasse 
near the top. 

The head of the Gl. du Geant lies 
between the Monts Maudits and a peak 
called LaTourBonde (12,600'). Messrs. 
Freshfield, Tucker, Backhouse, and 
Carson effected a long and difficult pass 
from the E. branch of the Brenva 
glacier, passing near the summit of 
that peak. They propose to call it Col 
de la Tour Itonde. 

The view from the Col du Geant 



(11,030', Fr. Engineers )does not remind 
the ordinary traveller that he is standing 
on the main ridge of Mont Blanc. The 
great group of peaks surrounding the 
Aiguille Verte does indeed preserve its 
familiar outline when seen from a few 
yards N". of the Col, but so dwarfed as 
not to be immediately recognised. The 
main mass of Mont Blanc, and the 
Aiguilles that separate the upper basin 
of the Glacier du Geant from the valley 
of Chamouni, present a still more un- 
usual aspect ; but the portion of the 
horizon which attracts most attention is 
that lying to the S., where the great 
mass of the Graians and most of the 
higher peaks of the Cottian and Dau- 
phin e Alps, sometimes even far distant 
glimpses of the Maritime Alps and the 
Ligurian Apennine, fill up the pano- 
rama. 

The reader of Saussure's travels will 
recall with interest the account of his 
ten days' residence on this spot. In 
spite of all that has been done in 
modern times, no more striking proof 
has been given of persevering devotion 
to the cause of science. The highest 
rocks, which are within a few feet of 
the actual Col, are almost exclusively 
composed of pure quartz, which is here 
all but the sole constituent of the pro- 
togine form of granite that constitutes 
the axis of the Mont Blanc range. 
Tolerable crystals are easily obtained. 

The descent towards the Val d'En- 
treves may at first appear alarmingly 
long and steep, but, except in bad 
weather, does not present any real 
difficulty. A ridge projecting very 
slightly from the face of the mountain 
at once presents itself as the natural 
and secure track. The ground is very 
rough, and when fresh snow fills the 
crevices between the points and edges 
of rock, some caution is necessary to 
avoid disagreeable slips. After a short 
descent the character of the ridge is 
more fully seen ; on the 1. it overhangs 
a snow couloir, which lower down 
terminates in an apparently imprac- 
ticable gully; on the other side is a 
snow-slope, which may be reached 



HUUTE F. COL DE TALEFRE. 



217 



without difficulty, and which, although 
steep, may be used by practised moun- 
taineers, as rather less troublesome than 
the rocks. This snow-slopes terminates, 
however, in that fatal ravine where the 
three travellers and the guide, Frederic 
Tairraz, were lost in 1860. Having 
three tired and unpractised travellers in 
charge, the guides first commuted the 
serious imprudence of exchanging the 
security of the rocky ridge for the 
slippery snow- slope, but were guilty of 
the more inexcusable error of merely 
holding in one hand the rope to which 
the travellers were attached, instead of 
fastening the same round their bodies. 
It is impossible to use the alpenstock 
with effect in checking the descent on 
an ice or snow-slope when it is held in 
one hand only; but all experienced 
mountaineers are agreed that three men 
with hands free, and knowing how to 
use the alpenstock, could pull up three 
travellers, however helpless, on a far 
steeper slope than that where the fatal 
accident arose. 

The steepest part of the rocky but- 
tress down which the traveller has 
descended is its base, where it springs 
from a more gently inclined ridge con- 
necting it with the Mont Frety. This 
is the only point on the S. side of the 
pass where a man used to mountain 
climbing need wish the aid of a guide, 
but by a little searching he will find an 
exit, and on reaching the base his 
difficulties are over, though a long 
interval still separates him from the 
valley below. The ridge which gra- 
dually expands from hence towards the 
Val d'Entreves, and is covered towards 
its base with a forest of pine and larch, 
is called the Mont Frety. Not far 
below the base of the rocks, near the 
limit of the highest pastures, a small inn 
was erected a few years ago by the Cour- 
mayeur guides, and leased to a tenant 
who acts as innkeeper. Serious com- 
plaints have been made of rudeness and 
extortion, but recent accounts are less 
unfavourable. A traveller who dues 
not object to hurry down a long and 
steep slope, may save a little time by 



descending direct through the forest 
which clothes the base of the Mont 
Frety, and terminates close to the vil- 
lage of Entreves, whence a char-road 
leads in about 2 ni. to Courmayear 
(Ete. B). 

Many attempts have been made to 
effect other passes, from the tributaries 
of the Mer de Glace to the Allee Blanche. 
In one very arduous expedition in 1864, 
a point in the ridge W. of the Grandes 
Jorasses was attained, but the descent 
was found to be impracticable, and the 
party returned to the Montanvers after 
an ab.-ence of 21 hrs. The first suc- 
cessful attempt was made in 1864 by 
Messrs. Adams Reilly and Whymper. 
They ascended from the Couvercle to the 
Jardin, and tr-aversed the Glacier de 
Talefre towards the affluent which de- 
scends from the foot of the Aiguille d? 
Triolet (12,726'). The pass, named 
Col de Triolet (12,162'), lies imme- 
diately SSW. of the Aiguille de Triolet, 
and may be reached in 3£ hrs. from the 
Pierre a Beranger. ' The descent com- 
mences with a steep curtain of ice lead- 
ing down to a branch of the Glacier de 
Triolet. After more than 1 hr. the 
traveller reaches some steep slopes of 
neve cut across by crevasses. After 
this the glacier is easy until the com- 
mencement of the ice-fall, when it must 
be left for the 1. moraine, or the rocks 
that overhang it. These, however, 
must be cautiously held, as they are 
cleft by deep gullies, and often cut off by 
precipices from the glacier.' [A. A. R.J 
It appears best to bear to the left on 
approaching the Val Ferrex. Mr. 
Reilly counts 5 hrs. from the Col to the 
valley, and 3 hrs. thence to Cour- 
mayeur — in all, 1 1^ hrs. from the Pierre 
a Beranger. 

In 1865 a far more practicable and 
easier pass (called Col de Talefre), the 
only one crossing the range of Mont 
Blanc likely to compete with the Col 
du Geant, was discovered by Mr. 
Whymper, accompanied by Christian 
Aimer and Franz Biener. Starting 
from the Jardin they aimed at a re- 
markable couloir bent at a consider- 



218 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



able angle, and running up to the ridge 
connecting the Aiguille de Triolet and 
Aiguille de Talefre. In spite of much 
fresh snow, the summit of the Col 
(about 11,430 ) was reached without 
difficulty. The descent by steep but 
not difficult rocks leads to the W. 
branch of the Glacier de Triolet. 
Keeping to snow-slopes between the 
glacier and the rocks above the 1. bank, 
and crossing to the rt. bank between 
the upper and lower ice-falls, they 
reached Pre du Bar (Rte. K) in 9^ 
hrs. (including halts) from the Mont- 
anvers, and Courmayeur in 3^ hrs. 
more. Another, very difficult, passage 
from the Gl. de Lechaud to Courmayeur, 
over the summit of the Aiguille de 
PEboulement, has been effected by Mr. 
C. G. Heathcote, and again by Mr. 
Marshall Hall. 

We must notice in this place the as- 
cent of the Aiguille Verte (13,527'), first 
accomplished in 1865 by Mr. Whym- 
per with the above-named guides. 
Having slept in a tent at the Couvercle, 
they mounted in less than 2 hrs. to the 
base of the peak. A large couloir is 
seen to run up the arete connecting the 
Aig. Verte with Les Droites, but it was 
found better to ascend by a smaller 
couloir still more to the rt., and then to 
return across the rocks to the larger 
couloir. The remainder of the way 
was by very steep but broken rocks. 
The travellers were driven more and 
more to the left until they reached the 
arete leading down to the Aiguille du 
Moine. Rocks covered with snow then 
lead towards the summit of the peak. 
This was reached in 6± hrs., exclusive 
af halts, and the return to the Couvercle 
occupied 5^ hrs. In the same season 
two other ascents were made by English 
travellers, who seem to have followed a 
more difficult and longer way than that 
taken by Mr. Whymper. 

The same mountaineer, with the 
same guides, and the late M. Croz, 
effected in 1865 the first ascent of the 
Grandes Jorasses (13,799') the highest 
of the outlying peaks of the Mont 
Blanc range. Starting from Cour- 



mayeur, and ascending by the Glacier 
des Grandes Jorasses to a small plateau 
S. of the summit, they reached the 
western summit in 11^ hrs., and re- 
turned to Courmayeur in 6f hrs., in- 
cluding some short halts. The eastern 
summit, higher by a few ft., and se- 
parated by a deep cleft in the ridge, 
was first attained in 1868 by Mr. EL 
Walker, with M. Anderegg, J. Jaun, 
and Julien Grange. 

Route G. 

ASCENT OF MONT BLANC 

The ascent of the highest mountain in 
Europe long passed for a mountaineer- 
ing exploit of the first order, deserving 
of special record, and admitting, on the 
part of those who achieved it, of a style 
of high-flown description which gave a 
formidable idea of the difficulty of the 
performance. Such descriptions repre- 
sented, for the most part in perfect good 
faith, the impression made upon the 
minds of travellers by phenomena new 
and imposing from the grand scale 
on which they operate, very much 
heightened by ignorance of their laws, 
which left the imagination subject to an 
ill-defined sense of wonder and terror. 
The same descriptions might, however, 
with little alteration, have served for the 
ascent of many other of the glacier-clad 
peaks of the Alps, and according as 
experience has made men familiar with 
the means and precautions required, and 
more accurate knowledge has enabled 
them to understand the obstacles to be 
overcome, and the dangers to be avoided, 
it is found that the ascent of Mont Blanc 
by the ordinary route is an expedition 
involving no peculiar difficulties, nor, 
when made in favourable weather, any 
appreciable risk. The shrewdness of the 
natives of the valley of Chamouni has 
led them to invest the ascent with as 
much importance as they can contrive to 
give to it, and while they were able to 
obtain for a number of men ten times 
the remuneration which would be con- 
sidered sufficient for the same amount 
of labour and exposure at other seasons 



ROUTE G.- — ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 



219 



of the year, they were not likely to 
diminish the allowance of powder that 
is burned to celebrate each successful 
ascent. Of late years the number of 
ascents has very largely increased, and 
the evil now to be guarded against is 
not so much undue appreciation of the 
difficulties as an under-estimate, lead- 
ing men to neglect needful precautions, 
and to dispense with the requisite amount 
of previous training. To guard against 
immediate danger, the guides are usually 
quite worthy of reliance, and if the ob- 
ject be simply to reach the summit, and 
come down again without bodily hurt, 
most Englishmen of active habits, who 
agree to pay the proper number of 
francs to the guides and innkeepers at 
Chamouni, may count on achieving their 
object, provided the weather be favour- 
able, or they have the patience to wait 
until it becomes so. But men who 
desire not merely to accomplish a feat, 
but to enjoy, in the true sense of the 
word, an expedition which brings them 
face to face with so many phases of the 
beautiful and sublime in Nature, must 
recollect that for that object some gene- 
ral and some special preparation is 
necessary. That amount of training of 
the muscles which will support without 
undue fatigue almost continued exer- 
tion, with but short intervals of rest, 
and little or no sleep, during 24 hour* 
or more, is not generally obtained with- 
out several days or weeks of previous 
practice. This might be acquired on 
a Scotch moor as well as on the Alps, 
but it is only here that a man can gain 
that familiarity with the ice-world which 
is essential to an intelligent enjoyment 
of its wonders and its beauties. The 
keenest observer, plunging suddenly into 
scenes where everything is new and 
unlike previous experience, carries away 
but a confused and over-crowded series 
of impressions, instead of those indelible 
pictures that he might otherwise retain. 
At the least, a traveller should begin by 
devoting several days to the explora- 
tion of the higher glaciers, however 
thoroughly trained he may otherwise 
be. It should not be forgotten that 



some persons are liable to suffer severely 
from the combined effects of rarefied air 
and unusual exertion at a great height. 
Apart from the difference of constitution 
in individuals, which can be ascertained 
only by trial, there is no doubt that 
habit has a great influence in making 
men insensible to this distressing affec- 
tion. Those who have accustomed them- 
selves to breathe the air at heights of 
11,000 or 12,000 ft. rarely, if ever, feel 
inconvenience when they mount some 
3,000 or 4,000 ft. above that limit. 

The form of the central portion of 
the range, to which alone the name 
Mont Blanc is properly given, has been 
partly indicated in the introduction to 
this chapter, and may be better under- 
stood by referring to a tolerable model 
than by verbal description. The highest 
summit, or calotte, 15,781 ft. above 
the sea-level, lies in the range of peaks 
which overhangs the Allee Blanche. 
It has been compared to a dome of 
snow irregularly cut away on the N. 
and S. sides, standing on a vast base- 
ment propped up by buttresses of rock, 
of which the most prominent are the 
Mont Broglia and the Mont Peteret. 
If the range of aiguilles that enclose 
the valley of Chamouni were continuous 
from the Aig. du Midi to the Aig. du 
Goute, the summit of Mont Blanc would 
be completely shut out from that side, 
but between those two summits there is 
a wide opening through which two great 
glaciers descend into the valley. This 
opening corresponds to the main pecu- 
liarity in the architecture of the moun- 
tain. From the central mass a massive 
ridge stretches to N W., and by the com- 
parative evenness of its outline presents 
a remarkable contrast to the jagged 
and bristling forms of the surrounding 
ranges. In this ridge the first promi- 
nence has the descriptive name Basse 
du Dromadaire. The next noticeable 
feature is the huge rounded mass of the 
Dome du Goute" (14,209'), and at the 
N. end, formed by the Aiguille du Goute" 
(12,707'), the ridge is cut away ab- 
ruptly on three sides by steep slopes, 
after the fashion of the gable ends 



220 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



of old French roofs. Corresponding 
in some measure to this ridge, another, 
bolder in form, diverges from the sum- 
mit towards the NNE. Its two chief 
summits sometimes pass under the col- 
lective name Monts Maadits, but the 
farther and more massive of the two is 
generally known as the Mont Blanc du 
Tacul, while the nearer peak is called 
Mont Maudit, or Aiguille de Saussure. 
Although it- is separated from the Mont 
Blanc du Tacul by a gap, the Aiguille 
du Midi seems to be the natural ter- 
mination of this ridge, corresponding 
in position, though not in form, to the 
Aiguille du Goute. 

In the angle between these converging 
ridges is the Grand Plateau (12,900'), a 
level space, probably filled to an enor- 
mous depth with accumulated neve. 
Below this the great snow-valley lying 
within the angle is divided longitudin- 
ally by a much smaller subordinate 
ridge, in great part covered with neve 
and glacier, but projecting through 
this envelope in the sharp peaks of the 
Grands Mulets, and terminating in the 
Monlagne de la Cote, which divides the 
Glacier des Bosaons from the Glacier 
de Taconnay. The latter originates in 
the neve that accumulates on the NE. 
slopes of the Dome du Goute, and in 
the fold or ledge between it and the 
ridge of the Grands Mulets, while the 
Glacier des Bossons drains the much 
wider snow-valley between the latter 
ridge and that of the Aiguille du Midi. 

Until the recent discovery of three 
new routes from Courmayeur, but two 
ways were known to lead to the sum- 
mit of Mont Blanc. The one, described 
below as the St. Gervais Route, lies 
along the summit of the ridge extending 
from the top to the Aiguille du Goute ; 
the other, now called the Chamouni 
route, lies mainly along the E. base of 
the same ridge, by the ledge formed 
between it and the minor ridge of the 
Grands Mulets. 

The earliest step towards the ascent of 
Mont Blanc was made by Saussure, who, 
after his first visits to Chamouni in 1760 
and 1761, offered a liberal reward to 



the person who should first find a way 
to the summit. 

The first attempt was not made till 
1775, when four guides mounted by the 
Montague de la Cote, and probably 
arrived some way above the Grands 
Mulets when they were overpowered 
'by the reverberation of the sun from 
the snow, and the stagnation of the air 
in the valley.' The next attempt, in 
1783, was abandoned because one of the 
party of three guides was seized with an 
irresistible desire to sleep. Later in the 
same year M. Bourrit made his first at- 
tempt, but was driven baek by a storm. 

In 1784 M. Bourrit learned that two 
chasseurs had reached a great height on 
the Aiguille du Goute, and had found 
the snow-slopes 'so well aerated' that 
there was no risk of the suffocation caused 
by ' the stagnation of the air in the great 
snow-valley.' He accordingly started 
with the same chasseurs, but having 
gained the foot of the Aiguille du Goute, 
he was overcome by cold and fatigue. 
The two chasseurs went forward, and 
attained a much greater height. 

In September 1785, Saussure, with his 
son and M. Bourrit, made his first at- 
tempt by way of the Aiguille du Goute. 
The party p issed the night at a cabane, 
which had been prepared near the foot 
of the Aiguille. On the next day they 
took the same course that has been fol- 
lowed by recent travellers, crossed the 
' Grand Couloir,' and climbed some way 
farther up. Here they were arrested by 
the quantity of fresh snow on the ledges 
of the rocks, and they retreated after 
gaining a height of 12,195 ft. 

In June 1786, Pierre Balmat, with 
two other guides, commissioned by 
Saussure for the purpose, erected another 
cabane higher up and nearer to the base 
of the Aiguille du Goute - . On the follow- 
ing day they climbed the Aiguille, and 
reached the summit of the Dome du 
Goute, where, by previous arrangement, 
they met Dr. Paccard with Jacques Bal- 
mat and two others, who had ascended 
by way of the Montagne de la Cote. 
The united party reached the commence- 
ment of the ridge connecting the Dome 



BOUTE G. ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 



221 



with the summit, but judging this to be 
impracticable, they redescended towards 
Chamouni. On the way, Jacques Bal- 
mat separated from his companions, 
and passed the ni_ht alone on the snow. 
The following day was employed by 
him in exploring the mountain, and 
he then succeeded in discovering the 
way from the Grand Plateau to the 
summit. 

In the month of August of the same 
year, Balmat actually reached the top 
for the first time, and led with him Dr. 
Paccard, and in July 1787 made his 
second ascent with two other Chamouni 
guides. 

Saussure made soon after his cele- 
brated ascent with Jacques Balmat and 
seventeen other guides. Starting on the 
1st August, he passed the first night at 
the top of the Montagne de la Cote, and 
the second at the Grand Plateau. On 
the 3rd August he reached the summit, 
where he remained 3| hrs., and re- 
descended to a point about 1,300 ft. 
below the bivouac of the previous night, 
returning to Chamouni on the fourth 
day. Five days later Colonel Beaufoy, 
an English traveller, made a successful 
ascent, in which he was destined to be 
followed by so many of his country- 
men. 

For a long time no change was made 
in the route followed by Balmat and 
Saussure, except that it was found more 
convenient to pass the first night on the 
rocks of the Grands Mulets, rather than 
on the Montagne de la Cote, and to 
reach the halting-place by ascending the 
rt. bank of the, Glacier des Bossons to 
the Pierre a l'Echelle, and then cross- 
ing the glacier. 

In 1820 a large party, including 
Dr. Hamel, a Russian, and two English 
travellers, who perti.-ted in the ascent 
against the advice of the guides, after a 
fall of fresh snow, was cut in two by an 
avalanche while ascending the steep 
slopes between the Grand Plateau and 
the highest peak, and three guides thus 
lost their lives. This, the solitary fatal 
accident that — until lately — has hap- 
pened in the ascent, suggested the ex- 

FART I. 



pediency of a change of route. Accord- 
ingly, in 18*27, Messrs. C. Frllowes and 
W. Hawes, with Jos. Marie Couttet and 
several other guides, struck out a new 
way by the Corridor and the Mur de la 
Cote, which has been generally followed 
since that ascent. 

No serious attempt seems to have 
been made to discover a new route to 
the summit until 1854, when Mr. J. H. 
Ramsay endeavoured to strike out a way 
from the Col du Geant. In this he was 
not successful, nor did better fortune 
attend a party of English travellers who 
renewed the attempt in the following 
year. Having gained the gap between 
the Aiguille du Midi and the Mont Blanc 
du Tacul, and reached a great height on 
the W. side of the latter peak, they were 
stopped by bad weather and forced to 
retreat. 

A few days later the same party made 
a new attempt from St. Gervais. Hav- 
ing passed the remains of Saussure's 
cabane of 1785, they spent the night in 
another higher up, erected in 1854 by 
a M. Guichard. Early on the next 
morning they climbed the Aiguille, and 
reached the summit of the Dome du 
Goute\ Leaving behind them the porters 
and two of their companions, the party, 
consisting of the lievds. C. Hudson, 
Grenville, and Christopher Smith, and 
Messrs. E. S. Kennedy and C. Ainslie, 
descended to the Grand Plateau, and 
reached the summit, without guides, on 
the 14th August, 1855. 

This ascent helped somewhat to eman- 
cipate travellers from the vexatious re- 
strictions of the old Chamouni regula- 
tions, and the unreasonable expenses to 
which they were there subjected, but it 
left the route to the summit by the N. 
ridge still incomplete. Several attempts 
to supply the portion still wanting, and 
one intended to discover a new route by 
the Col de Miage, were made in 1856, 
and were all defeated by bad weather. 
These are recounted by Mr. F. V. Haw- 
kins in the first series of 'Peaks, Passes, 
and Glaciers.' 

It was not until 1859 that the practi- 
cability of the ridge connecting the sum* 



222 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



mifc with the Dome du Goute was finally 
established by the Rev. C. Hudson, who 
four years earlier had taken a leading 
share in the first ascent from St. Gervais. 
Having mounted from Chamouni to the 
Grand Plateau by the ordinary route, he 
then ascended the Dome du Goute, and 
followed the ridge leading to the summit 
by the Bosse du Dromadaire. 

The first complete passage by the new- 
route was effected in 1861 by Messrs. 
Leslie Stephen and P. F. Tuckett, who 
reached the summit direct from St. 
Gervais on the 1 8th July, thus achieving 
the under;aking commenced 76 years 
previously by Saussure and his com- 
panions. 

1. The Chamouni Route. Prom the 
hamlet of Pelerins, 2 m. from the 
Prieure, a path mounts rather steeply 
through a pine forest, and then over al- 
pine pastures, keeping at some distance 
from the Glacier des Bossons, from 
which this part of the way is separated 
by a deep ravine often partly choked 
by the remains of the spring avalanches. 
Those who would spare their legs may 
ride for 2^ hrs. from Les Pelerins. A 
very fair mountain inn has been opened 
at the Pierre Pointue, and some active 
mountaineers have made the ascent 
hence, returning before nightfall. The 
landlord supplies provisions and other 
requisites on reasonable terms. On 
approaching the base of the Aiguille 
du Midi the way becomes rougher 
and steeper, and after passing beneath 
overhanging rocks which sometimes 
discharge volleys of stones across 
the track, the first halt is made at 
the Pierre a VEchelle, A\ hrs. from 
Chamouni, so called from this being 
the place where a ladder used in the as- 
cent is commonly deposited. The upper 
part of the glacier is enclosed between 
inaccessible precipices, down which 
'masses of ice are constantly hurled 
from the slopes of the Aiguille du Midi 
and the Mont Blanc du Tacul. On the 
opposite side rise the steep dark rocks 
of the Grands Mulets, well seen in 
all the views of this side of Mont 
Blanc, and even ' from the village of 



Chamouni. As it is not advisable to 
descend at once from the Pierre a 
1'Echelie to the glacier, the way lies 
for a short distance along the moraine, 
passing rapidly a spot where fragments 
of rock fall at intervals from the Aiguille 
du Midi. The Glacier des Bossons is 
always much crcvassed, and it not 
seldom happens that the chief difficulty 
of the ascent is encountered here ; but 
with the help of a ladder and the 
practical skill of the guides the traveller 
is not called upon for more than a 
reasonable degree of steadiness in 
awkward places, which he should have 
acquired by some previous practice. 
The most difficult part is usually found 
on the farther side, where the ridge of 
the Grands Mulets being continued 
under the bed of the glacier, the ice is 
broken up into seracs, and intersected 
by crevasses of unusual width. After 
accomplishing the ascent to the upper 
level of the neve which feeds the 
Glacier de Taconnay, the traveller in 
2 ,or 3 hrs. from the Pierre a 
1'Echelle reaches the Grands Mulets, 
where, near the top of the first pro- 
jecting mass of rock, a small hut 
(10,007') has been constructed for the 
convenience of those who pass here 
some part of the night. The beautiful 
chromo-lithographie plates of Mr. 
Coleman's 'Scenes from the Snow 
Fields ' give a lively impression of the 
scenery of the upper part of the 
Glacier des Bossons, and of the views 
from the Grands Mulets, and may 
suggest to many who may object to the 
labour and expense of the ascent of 
Mont Blanc the advantage of coming 
so far on the way, and spending a 
night on the Grands Mulets. The 
cabane cannot be recommended as a 
sleeping- place, as it is extremely limited 
in point of space, and the numerous 
fleas make up for long fasting by un- 
usual activity. It was formerly usual 
to start from hence about 2 hrs. be- 
fore daylight, but of late years, since 
the guides have become familiar with 
the route, the practice has been to 
commence the ascent to the summit at 



ROUTE G. — ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 



223 



a still earlier hour, and several recent | 
travellers have left the Grands Mulets 
about midnight. The advantage of 
this arrangement is that the snow is 
usually in better order, and the fatigue 
of the ascent proportionately diminished, 
and that by reaching the top earlier 
there is a better chance of a clear view ; 
but, on the other hand, the traveller loses 
some of the finest effects when he makes 
nearly the entire ascent by the faint 
light which the snow emits even on 
dark nights, and the cold is usually 
severely felt by those who reach the 
upper peak of the mountain soon after 
sunrise. More than half-way in the 
ascent from the Grands Mulets to 
the Grand Plateau is a nearly level 
and uniform field of neve called the 
Petit Plateau, followed by a steeper 
slope traversed by a great crevasse, 
usually half choked with snow and ice, 
which leads to the Grand Plateau 
This is of considerable breadth, fully 
an hour's walk when the snow is soft. 
It lies immediately below the highest 
peak of Mont Blanc, between the Dome 
du Goute and the range of the Mont 
Maudit. From 3 to 4 hours are 
generally consumed in reaching this 
stage in the ascent from the Grands 
Mulets. Here, at a height of 12,900 ft., 
Messrs. Martins, Bravais, and LePileur 
pitched their tent in July 1844, and 
remained three days and nights engaged 
in scientific observations. 

Between the Grand Plateau and the 
summit is a range of steep rocks, the 
highest of any extent that are visible 
on the N. side of the mountain, called 
the Rochers Rouges, and the main diffi- 
culty of the ascent lies between the 
Plateau and the fields of neve above 
these rocks, which stretch without in- 
terruption to the summit. The direct 
course to the rt. of the Rochers 
Rouges is the obvious way, but it is 
exposed to avalanches, especially 
1 after fresh snow. The fatal accident 
to Dr. Hamel's three guides and 
\ the unfortunate fate of Captain Ark- 
I wright ought to secure a preference 
j for the safer but circuitous course, I 

Q 



| devised by Messrs. Fell owes and Hawes, 
which lies considerably to the 1. of the 
Rochers Rouges, towards the depres- 
sion between the peak of Mont Blanc 
and the Mont Maudit, and reaches 
the summit of that depression through 
a steep ravine filled with snow, and 
called the Corridor. Here, at 14,112 ft. 
above the sea. the traveller obtains the 
first view of Italy, with Monte Rosa and 
the Matterhorn in the eastern horizon. 
The way now lies up a steep convex 
slope of hard neve, called the Mur de la 
Cote. Here it is -isually necessary to 
resort to the tedious process of cutting 
steps with the axe, until above the 
Rochers Rouges, where the modern 
route joins that by the so-called 'ancien 
passage, ' the slope becomes more 
gentle, and this is no longer requisite. 
It is on this highest ridge of the 
mountain that most strangers, and not 
rarely some of the guides, show symp- 
toms of exhaustion. Even those who 
feel no more serious inconvenience 
move more slowly, and are conscious of 
a languor which is not felt under 
similar circumstances at a lower level. 
In many cases the sense of exhaustion 
is such that men find it necessary to 
halt after every twenty or thirty paces, 
and a certain degree of stupor comes 
on, which does not disappear till after 
they have rested for some time at the 
summit. In the last part of the ascent 
the calotte presents itself as a flattened 
dome of snow, gradually becoming 
steeper on either side, and at last con- 
tracted to a ridge. A group of rocks, 
which jut out through the snow, 
are called the Pet its Mulets ; from 
thence to the top the ascent takes a 
time disproportioned to the short- 
ness of the distance and the gentle- 
ness of the slope, and the first feeling 
of those who are told that they have 
reached the summit is generally that of 
relief from a load of ungrateful labour, 
rather than any more keen sense of 
enjoyment. 

To describe the view, if that were 
possible, would little serve the traveller's 
I purpose. His power of identifying the 
2 



224 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



individual features of the immense pano- 
rama will depend upon his personal 
acquaintance with each district that 
comes within his range of vision ; and 
here he who has previously explored 
many parts of the Alps, and made many 
minor ascents, has an immense advan- 
tage over the new comer, who is simp'y 
bewi dered hy the enormous extent and 
complexity of the mountain ranges that 
are laid out before him. 

The time necessary to reach the sum- 
mit from the Grand Plateau depends 
mainly on the extent to which travellers 
are affected by the attenuated air of the 
upper region, but ceteris paribus it may 
be reckoned that the way by the Corri- 
dor involves a detour of from 1 to 2 
hrs. ; and when the snow is in good 
order, so as not to involve the risk of 
avalanches, experienced mountaineers 
may bejustified in preferring the ancient 
and more direct route. Those who do not 
tarry long on the summit may easily 
return to Chamouni on the same day, 
the time necessary varying, according 
to the state of the crevasses, from 6 to 
8 hrs., exclusive of halts. 

2. The St. Gervais Route. It has been 
already remarked that this lies along 
the ridge connecting the Aiguille du 
Goute with the main mass of Mont 
Blanc. 

The NW. face of the Aiguille du 
Goute, which is the only accessible way 
to its summit, is formed by a number of 
very steep parallel ridees of rock, rising 
vertically, with couloirs of ice or frozen I 
snow between them. One of these 
couloirs, broader and more continuous 
than the rest, stretches from near the 
summit to the Glacier do Bionnassay, 
which lies at the base of the ridge. 
None of the ridges of rock is practicable 
throughout from the base to the sum- 
mit, and the main objection to this route 
arises from the necessity for passing 
from one to the other across these cou- 
loirs, and more especially across the 
great central couloir. At certain times, 
especially in hot weather, or after a 
Storm, this involves unavoidable risk, 
especially to the man engaged in cutting 



steps in the ice, owing to the crumbling 
condition of the top of the ridge, from 
which stones are constantly detached 
which find their way into the couloirs, 
down which they are discharged with 
formidable velocity. The ascent may bo 
made from St. Gervais, by way of Bion- 
nassay and the N. bank of the glacier, or 
more easily from the inn above the Col 
de Voza. Turning to the S-,a faintly 
marked path leads from the Pavilion de 
Bellevue along steep grass slopes, 1 with 
a gradual ascent, as far as a ravine where 
Mont Lachat begins.' 'Ascending, and 
turning a little to the rt. on the opposite 
side of the ravine, a path, whose existence 
would never be suspected from above or 
below, traverses the precipitous side of 
Mont Lachat, on the Bionnassay side, at 
a great height above the glacier. This 
leads out into a barren rocky region, 
which is crossed in nearly the same 
direction, till the rt. bank of the glacier 
descending from the base of the Aiguille 
is finally reached just above the part 
where it begins to be much crevassed. 
This glacier is then traversed, turning 
sharply to the 1. afier tiie first ridge of 
rocks is passed, and keeping up the 
slopes or along the rocks, so as ulti- 
mately to reach a spot at some height 
above thert or NE. bank of the glacier, 
near toitsorigin, and immediately under 
the Aiguille du Goute.' 'Here is the 
ruined cabane of M. Guichard, with 
a striking view of the Aiguille de 
Bionnassay on the opposite side of the 
I glacier, and from this point begins the 
ascent of the actual Aiguille du Goute.' 
— [F. V. H.] 

The ruined cabane may be reached in 
4 hrs. from the Col de Voza, or in 6 hrs. 
from St. Gervais. The ascent of the 
Aiguille, under favourable conditions, 
may be accomplished in 2^- hrs., and it 
depends altogether upon circumstances 
whether this is mer. ly an agreeable 
scramble, or an operation of some diffi- 
culty, involving a certain unavoidable 
amount of danger, when the couloir is 
crossed during the fall of stones from 
above. A small wooden cabane has 
been erected by the St. Gervais guide* 



ROUTE G. ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. 



225 



which is by many degrees the highest 
dwelling in Europe, being only 144 ft. 
below the summit of the Aiguille de 
Goute (12,707')- It is by no means snow- 
proof, and the floor is often coated with 
ice, so that those who mean to pass the 
night should bring ample covering, 
which should be partly waterproof. 

In fine weather the passage of the 
ridge connecting the Aiguille with the 
Dome du Goute, and this with the 
Bosse du Dromadaire and the summit 
of Mont Blanc, presents no real diffi- 
culty, and it is not easy to point out any 
other route at nearly so great a height 
which involves so little labour either in 
ascending or descending. Fine weather 
is, however, indispensable, as at this 
height a moderate wind is unbearable, 
and clouds may make it impossible to 
follow the true direction. This alone 
explains the fact that the completion of 
this route, though so long a matter of 
interest, was so long delayed. In 1864, 
Mr. A. W. Moore, with Christian Aimer, 
accomplished the ascent in one day from 
the Pavilion de Bellevue; but having 
descended by way of the Grands Mulets, 
they lost their way,- and were forced to 
pass the night in the pine forest, and 
within half an hour of the village of 
Chamouni. 

The advantages of the two routes are 
pretty equally balanced, and will be 
differently appreciated under different 
circumstances, and according to the taste 
of each traveller. On the Sr. Gervais 
route the most laborious and difficult 
part of the expedition is encountered on 
the first day, in reaching the summit of 
the Aiguille du Goute. The ascent 
from thence commands distant views, 
continually increasing in grandeur and 
extent, and the summit is reached with- 
out fatigue, in 3^ to 4^ hrs. By the 
Chamouni route the ice-scenery is far 
more striking, and the cabane at the 
Grands Mulcts affords better shelter at 
night than that on the Aiguille du 
Goute. Some travellers have sought to 
unite portions of both routes by ascend- 
ing from the Grand Plateau to the ridge 
connecting the Dome du Goute with the 



Bosse, and returning from the summit 
by the Corridor. 

The Chamouni guides, out of the 
sum of 100 fr., to which each is entitled 
by the tariff, agree to pay the hire of 
such porters as they employ to carry 
necessaries to the Grands Mulets, but 
on the St. Gervais way they expect tra- 
vellers to pay the porters who are taken 
to the Aiguille du Goute. 

3. The Courmayeur Routes. As men- 
tioned above, the earlier attempts to 
reach the summit of Mont Blanc from 
the Col du Geant were unsuccessful. In 
1863 the guides of Courmayeur con- 
structed a cabane, or shed, at the base 
of the Aiguille du Midi, and a few weeks 
later MM. Maquellin and Briquet, start- 
ing with ten Courmayeur guides from this 
cabane. ascended in 2 hrs. to the Mont 
Blanc du Tacul, reached the summit of 
the Mont Maud it in 2 hrs. more, and 
then descended to the Corridor, whence 
they followed the ordinary way to the 
summit of Mont Blanc. The same 
course has since been followed by other 
travellers. 

As mentioned in Rte. E, the top of 
Mont Blanc has been reached from the 
S. side by the Gl. de Miage, but the 
way is very long and difficult. 

In 1865 a still more arduous exploit 
was achieved bv Messrs. G. S. Mathews, 
A. W. Moore,*F. and H. Walker, with 
Melchior and Jacob Anderegg. Having 
bivouacked at a height of about 9.200 
ft. above the 1. bank of the glacier of 
Brenva, they succeeded in crossing 
below the ice fall to the opposite bank, 
and ascending a very steep buttress of 
rock. On reaching the top they had 
to traverse for l£ hr. a perilously sharp 
arete, chiefly of hard ice, which ulti- 
mately leads to the steep and broken 
slopes of neve that lie on the S. side of 
the peak of Mont Blanc between the 
Calotte and the Corridor. Bearing to 
the rt., they reached the summit of the 
Corridor in 10^ hrs. from their sleeping- 
place, attained the top of Mont Blanc, 
and descended to Chamouni in 1 day 
of nearly 20 hrs., of which 17^ were 
spent in active exertion. By this ex,- 



226 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



pedition the upper end of the Corridor 
has hecome a pass, to be called Col de 
la Brenva (14,111'), exceeding in 
height all other Alpine passes excepting 
the Sesia Joch. 

Route H. 

CHAMOUNI TO MARTIGNY. 

A large proportion of the strangers 
who visit Chamouni either go or return 
by way of Martigny, and have to choose 
between three routes, two of which are 
amongst those most frequented by or- 
dinary tourists, while the third deserves 
to be more generally known. In the 
Alps it is a great mistake to suppose 
that what is common is necessarily 
commonplace; and many a beaten track 
abounds with interesting and pleasing 
scenery. A good walker, not bound 
for Martigny, may spend a day very 
agreeably, and combine the best por- 
tions of both routes, by going from 
Chamouni to the Tete Noire, and re- 
turning by the Col de Balme. He 
would require a guide to find the direct 
way from the Tete Noire to the Col. 

1. By the Col de Balme. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 
Arpentiere . . 1? 
Col de Balme . 2£ 6 
Forclaz . 2± 5£ 
Martigny . 2± 6 

8£ 23 

The village of Chamouni being 
nearly 2,000 ft. higher than Martigny, 
an average walker will employ fully 
9 hrs., exclusive of halts, in making 
the pass from Martigny, while in the 
opposite direction 8 hrs. suffice. There 
is a char-road from Chamouni to Ar- 
gentine. Charge for a guide from 
Martigny to the Col de Balme, 8 fr.; 
to Chamouni, 12 fr. The same charge 
is made for a horse or mule. For the 
Chamouni tariff, see Rte. A. By an 
arrangement professedly founded on 
mutual jealousy, but in reality upon a 
common desire to extract the largest 
practicable sum from the pockets of 
strangers, the Chamouni guides and 
mules do not go beyond Martigny, nor 
those of Martigny beyond Chamouni ; 



and as they are respectively forbidden to 
take travellers on the territory of the 
rival commune, no stranger can avail 
himself of return guides or mules. In 
fine weather a guide is quite unneces- 
sary to anyone having a little expe- 
rience in mountain travelling, and, 
except in clear weather, the route by 
the Tete Noire is in every way to be 
preferred. 

After leaving on the 1. hand, at 
about 2 m. from Chamouni, the path to 
the Flegere (Rte. A), the road to 
Argentiere mounts through a defile, 
traversing a fine forest wherein stands 
the hamlet of Tines ; a little farther on 
it crosses the Arve, and returns to the 
1. bank before reaching 

Argentiere (Inns: Couronne, pretty 
good village inn ; Bellevue, tolerable), 
near the lower end of the great glacier 
bearing the same name, the vast extent 
of which cannot, however, be guessed 
when it is merely seen from below. (See 
Rte. L.) Above Argentiere the valley 
is bare, the forests having been gradu- 
ally destroyed by storms and avalanches, 
and perhaps still more by the careless- 
ness of the inhabitants; but cultivation 
extends as far as the hamlet of Le Tour, 
2 m. beyond Argentiere, near the ter- 
mination of the Glacier du Tour, the 
most easterly of the great glaciers of 
Mont Blanc that flows into the valley 
of Chamouni. From hence the ascent 
to the col, passing the chalets of Chara- 
millan, is continuous, but nowhere 
steep, lying up grassy slopes, partly 
over lias, partly over the debris of a 
black friable slate, a member of the 
carboniferous series, which is more 
extensively developed in the parallel 
valley of the Eau Noire and the Trient. 
The ridge whicti closes the NE. end of 
the valley of Chamouni is a prolongation 
of that separating the Glacier du Tour 
from the Glacier de Trient. NW. of 
the Col de Balme it rises into a peak of 
crumbling rock called the Croix de Fer, 
whereon M. Escher. of Zurich, was 
dashed to pieces by a fall over the pre- 
cipice when attempting the ascent in 
1791. 



ROUTE H. — CHAMOUNI TO MARTIGNY. 



227 



On the summit of the Col de Balme 
(7,231') is a stone marking the bound- 
ary of the Valais and Savoy, and close 
to it a mountain inn, where refreshment 
and tolerable beds are supplied at rather 
high prices. The view from the col is 
justly celebrated, and in fine weather 
this route should always be preferred by 
those who approach Chamouni from the 
Valais, as the effect of the grand range 
of Mont Blanc seen from its nearest 
summit, the Aiguille du Tour, to the 
Aiguille du Goute, with the opposite 
mass of the Aigiulles Rouges, is en- 
hanced by the charm of surprise when 
it is suddenly unrolled before one who 
ascends from the narrow gorge of 
Trient. To the NE., over the Forclaz, 
the range of the Bernese Alps between 
the Diablerets and the Jungfrau forms 
a distinct portion of the panorama. It 
is worth while to ascend from the col to 
a point about \ hr. towards the NW., 
whence the view is still more extensive. 

Some travellers sleep at the Col de 
Balme for the sake of seeing the sun- 
rise, but the effect of sunset is pre- 
ferable, and it is quite possible to reach 
Chamouni on the same night. 

A pedestrian who does not fear to 
lengthen his day's walk by fully 2 his. 
may descend in l£ hr. from the col to 
Valorsine on the route of the Tete 
Noire, and so combine on the way to 
Martigny the most interesting parts of 
both routes. 

The descent by the ordinary track 
from the Col de Balme to the village of 
Trient is much steeper than the ascent 
from Argentiere, but it has been so 
much improved that there is no risk in 
riding up or down. The chalets of 
Herbageres, nearly \ hr. from the sum- 
mit, command a fine view of the Glacier 
de Trient, which closes the series of 
glaciers that drain the NW. flanks of 
the Mont Blanc range. The forest 
through which the steepest part of the 
descent is carried has been thinned and 
partly carried away by avalanches; at 
its base are some meadows where the 
track joins that from the Tete Noire, 
and crosses the stream descending from 



the glacier and bearing the same name, 
before reaching the wretched village of 
Trient, which has a very poor and dirty 
inn. The natural course from hence to 
the Rhone valley would be to follow 
the torrent of Trient to its junction 
with the great river; and this is in 
truth the most interesting, though 
longer, route (see below) ; the shorter 
way crosses the low ridge E. of the 
village, and follows a nearly direct line 
down a lateral valley of the Dranse. 

The Forclaz pass, sometimes called 
Col de Trient (4,997'), is reached by a 
good path in ^ hr. from Trient. At the 
summit is a little inn, and here the 
authorities of the Canton Valais levy, or 
did levy, a toll upon all strangers on the 
discreditable pretext of a charge for the 
visa of passports, which are not required 
by the Federal government of Switzer- 
land. About \ hr. below the pass the 
track turns to the 1. and opens a vista 
of vast extent along the course of the 
Rhone from Martigny to beyond Sierre, 
and even to its source in the Rhone 
Glacier below the pass of the Furka. 
The uniform slope of the mountains on 
either side makes this and other views 
of the valley of the Rhone less interest- 
ing than they would otherwise be. The 
descent lies through a pleasant valley, 
tolerably well planted, and the change 
of climate is very marked on reaching 
the region of vines and chestnuts through 
which the path winds, till in if hr. 
(descending) it joins the main road of 
the valley of the Dranse at Martigny 
le Bourg, and 1 m. farther, passing 
under an avenue of fine trees, reaches 
Martigny, called for distinction Mar- 
tigny la Ville (Inns : Hotel Clerc ; 
Grande Maison ; Le Cygne ; H. de la 
Tour), described in § 18, Rte. A. 

2. By the Tete Noire and Trient. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 
Argentidre . . If 5£ 
Tete Noire . 2£ 8 
Forclaz . 1J 3$ 
Martigny . 'l\ 6 

Although not shorter than the way 
by the Col de Balme, this requires less 



228 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT RLANC DISTRICT. 



time. About 7£ hrs. suffice when it 
is taken from Chamouni. and 8 5 hrs. in 
the opposite direction. Including halts, 
mules take about 10 hrs. by either rte. 
Charge for a guide from Marti gny — 
6 fr. to the Tete Noire ; 12 fr. to Cha- 
mouni ; 1 fr. extra for a visit to either 
the Barberine or the Berard waterfall. 
The same charge for a horse or mule. 

A line drawn from near Servoz to 
Vernayaz in the valley of the Rhone, 
through the valley of the Dioza and the 
Val Orsine, marks a depression parallel 
to that of the valley of Chamouni, from 
which it is separated by the range of the 
Aiguilles Rouges and the Brevent. N. 
of Argentiere this barrier subsides to a 
low ridge, traversed by a much fre- 
quented mule-path, which turns off 
close to the village, crosses the Arve, 
and ascends over rough ground past 
the hamlet of Trelechant to the summit 
called Les Montets (5,037'). After a 
slight descent, the head of the Val 
Orsine, sometimes called Val de Berard, 
opens on the 1. near the hamlet of Poyaz, 
and shows the snowy summit of the 
Buet. [A fine waterfall, the Cascade 
de Berard, may be reached in ^ hr. by 
mule-path. It lies on the way through 
the Val de Berard by which the ascent 
of the Buet is commonly made, and 
better deserves a visit than many of 
more celebrity. The Eau Noire here 
breaks through a mass of huge granite 
rocks piled together in the wildest con- 
fusion, and springs over a ledge 50 ft. 
in height into a dark basin. A small 
house has been built near the fall, 
where refreshments are ready to tempt 
the traveller.] 

An easy descent leads in l£ hr. from 
Argentiere to Valorcine (no decent inn), 
the last village in Savoy, much exposed 
to avalanches. A massive stone bastion 
is raised to protect the village church 
from their destructive force. A little 
farther the track crosses to the rt. bank 
of the Eau Noire, near the junction of 
the Barberine torrent with that stream. 
[Another fine waterfall, called Cascade 
de la Barberine, much higher, but less 
singular than that of Berard, lies about 



£ hr. above the mule-track, and a com- 
fortable little inn, A la Cascade, has 
been opened at the point where the path 
leading to the fall turns off. An attempt 
is made to levy a tax of 1 fr. on each 
visitor for admission to a stage for view- 
ing the fall.] The defile of the Eau 
Noire through which the way now lies 
has been compared to the Via Mala, 
but is perhaps more beautiful in its de- 
tails, though on a less grand scale. It 
lies between the Gros 'Perron and Bel 
Oiseau, which rise above the 1. bank, 
and the Posettes, forming the N. ex- 
tremity of the range of the Croix de Fer, 
on the rt. bank. A bridge over the Eau 
Noire marks the Swiss frontier, and 
10 min. beyond it the path returns to the 
rt. bank at Chatelard (inn here closed 
in 187 1), where the new path to Ver- 
nayaz turns off to the 1. (see below). 
About £ hr. farther on, nearly 1 hr. from 
Valorcine, is a short tunnel, called La 
Roche Percee, through a projecting 
point of rock which nearly closes the 
defile. This is within 5 min. of the 
Tete Noire (3,917'), where a tolerable 
inn (H. de la Tete Noire; charges 
sometimes extortionate) commands a 
very beautiful view. 

The junction of the Trient torrent 
with the Eau Noire is not seen from 
this rte., as the path turns out of the 
defile and enters the valley of Trient, 
carried nearly at a level through a 
pine forest, at a considerable height 
above the stream. The village of Trient 
is reached in 5 hr., the path from the 
Col de Balme being met on the 1. bank 
of the torrent, a short way from the 
bridge. The way to Martigny by the 
Forclaz has been already described. 

3. By Valorcine and Salvan. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles. 

Valorcine. ♦ 3* 10 

"I t 



Finhaut . 
Salvan 
Vernayaz . 
Martigny . 



: li 



H 24f 

The glen of the Trient, which de- 
scends from the Tete Noire to Vernayaa 
in the valley of the Rhone near Mar- 
tigny, offers a more interesting, and 



ROUTE I. CHAMOUNI TO ORSIERES. 



229 



quite as short a route to reach the rly. j 
as that just described. The path was I 
in 1866 much improved, and is per- 
fectly fit for ladies' riding. It certainly , 
deserves more notice than it has yet 
received from tourists. One who does 
not fear a long day's walk cannot ap- 
proach Chamouni hetter than by taking 
this way from Martigny to the Tete 
Noire, and then following a mountain 
path, for which he should secure a local 
guide, leading direct from thence to 
the Col de Balme. This way would 
require from to 11 hrs.' steady 

walking, exclusive of halts. 

The path turns to the 1. from the 
way to the Tete Noire at the place 
mentioned above, and ascends gradually 
from the hamlet of Chatelard, above 
the 1. bank of the Eau Noire, till it 
attains the poor village of Finhdut 
(4,059')- Before reaching that place 
the traveller gains a fine view of Mont 
Blanc. 

With some undulations, which offer 
varied views of the beautiful scenery of 
the valley, the path gradually descends 
for about 1 hr. to Trinquent (3,261'), 
the next village, and soon after reaches 
a stone bridge over the torrent, de- 
scending from Emaney (§ 17, Rte. E.), 
which here forms a fine waterfall — 
Cascade de Dailly. The scenery may 
be compared in many respects with that 
of the Pantenbriicke in the Linth-thal. 
A little inn here supplies refreshments 
to the wayfarer. Nearly f hr. farther 
is Salvan (3,051'), a poor village, with 
an uninviting inn. Soon after this the 
path, which now lies at some distance 
from the impassable gorge of the Trient, 
begins to wind in zigzags down the 
steep slope that leads to the valley of 
the Rhone, commanding noble views of 
the Dent de Morcles, and attains the 
main valley at 

Veruui/az (§ 18, Rte. A), close to the 
opening of the remarkable gorge of the 
1 rient. It is a station on the railway be- i 
tween Bex and Martigny, and has a new | 
large inn (H. des Gorges de Trient) j 
better than any at Martigny, provided j 
with mules and guides for Chamouni. 



Route I. 

CHAMOUNI TO ORS T ERE8, BY THE COl* 
DE CHAMPEY. 

Mule-path, 14 hrs.' walking. 

This is a very interesting and agree- 
able route, far superior in scenery to 
that by Martigny, and it is surprising 
that it should not be more frequented 
by pedestrians. The entire distance is, 
however, rather much for a single day's 
walk, and it is better to sleep at the 
Tete Noire or the Col de Balme. 

Having reached the summit of the 
Forclaz by either of the ways described 
in the last Rte., the traveller takes a 
path to the rt. close to the little inn, 
and ascends gradually, amid pastures 
and pine-trees, to a point between the 
chalets of La Giete and Bovine, com- 
manding a view similar in character 
but more extensive than that from the 
Forclaz. It reaches on one side to the 
E. end of the Lake of Geneva, and 
includes a great part of the chain of 
the Bernese Alps. By mounting a 
little above the path the peak of the 
Grand Combin is brought into view. 
At the chalets of Bovine 160 cows are 
kept during the summer. On leaving 
them the path winds round a corner of 
the mountain, turns to the rt., and 
descends by steep zigzags to cross a 
torrent by a plank bridge. The way 
then lies through meadows and pine 
forest, amid beautiful scenery to the 
Col de Champey (5,046' F. W. J.). The 
view overlooking the secluded Lac de 
Champey, fringed with pine forest, and 
hacked by the noble peak of the Grand 
Combin, is extremely picturesque. The 
mass of the Mont Caloyne separates the 
pass and the lake from the valley of the 



230 PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



Dransc and the road of the Great St. 
Bernard, and the summit must com- 
mand one of the finest panoramic views 
in this part of the Alps. The Col is 
accessible from Bovernier between 
Martigny and Sembranchier (§ 18, 
Rte. A), so that it may be taken by a 
traveller going from Martigny to Or- 
sieres, though involving a detour of 
nearly 3 hrs. 

■ The descent from the lake is rapid, 
and soon leads to the char-road be- 
tween Orsieres and Issert (Rte. K). 
The descent may be made in 1 hr., but 
nearly 2 hrs. are required to reach the 
lake from Oi\»ieres. 

The above notice is chiefly taken 
from the < Alpine Journal,' No. 1. 



Route K. 

ORSIERES TO COURMATEDR, BY THE 
COL D£ FERREX. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 
La Foliaz . 3 9 
Col de Ferrex . 2± 5| 
Praz Sec . 2£ 5£ 
Courmayeur . . 2 6 

9£ 26 

The line of depression extending 
parallel to the crystalline range of Mont 
Blanc from the Col de la Seigne to 
Orsieres is partially interrupted by a 
rid<re which connects the Mont Dolcnt 
with the minor range of carboniferous 
schists, whose principal summit is La 
Grande Bossere. Over this ridge lies 
Ihe pass of the Col de Ferrex, or Ferret, 
practicable for mules, and frequented by 
those who make the tour of Mont 
Blanc, or who wish to take the shortest 
way from Martigny to Courmayeur. A 
second pass, nearer than the principal Col 
to Mont Blanc, and steeper but shorter, 
is called the Petit Ferrex (8,176'). This 
is not much frequented by strangers, 
because the view of the Allee Blanche 
is inferior, and it is not passable for 
mules. The valley on the NE. side ol 
the Col, lying in Swiss territory, and the 
portion of the Allee Blanche between 



the pass and Entreves, are both known 
by the name Vol Ferrex. The view 
from the Col is in clear weather very 
interesting, but in other respects the 
scenery of this route is not quite equal 
to that of the other passes in the neigh- 
bourhood of Mont Blanc. 

From Orsieres the way to the Col lies 
on the 1. bank of the Dranse, soon 
reaching the junction of the Dranse de 
Ferrex with the Dranse d'Entremcnt, 
which descends from the Great St. 
Bernard. A char- road extends to the 
village of Issert, the chief place in the 
valley, rather over 2 m. from Orsieres, 
passing on the wavthe turn to Champev 
and Trient (Rte." I). The Swiss Val 
Ferrex contains many hamlets, and 
appears fertile and well planted with 
fruit trees; but although it presents an 
agreeable contrast to those who descend 
into it from the glaciers described in the 
following routes, the scenery is not of a 
striking character. The first hamlet 
is P/az-Ie-Fort, between which and 
Branc/te, about J m. farther, the stream 
from the Glacier de Salena (Rte. M) 
joins the Dranse. Beyond Branche the 
two small glaciers of Vlanereuse and 
Trubuzc are seen hanging over the NW. 
side of the valley, and the path, which 
since Praz-le-Fort has kept to the rt. 
bank, mounts more rapidly to Za Foliaz, 
also called La Folie, a group of chalets, 
in one of which refreshments and beds 
may be procured. Nearly opposite, in 
the midst of a larch forest, is the open- 
ing of the Glacier dela Neuva(Rte. L). 
Nearly \ hr. farther on are the Chalets 
de Ftrrex, where it is said that rather 
better quarters are to be found than at 
La Foliaz. Here a track bears to the 
1. to the Col de la Fenetre, leading to 
the Great St. Bernard (§ 18, Rte. B). 
[The track to the Petit Ferrex keeps 
to the rt. from the mule- path, mounts 
by a steep declivity, called the Grapillon, 
and rejoins the main path at Pre du 
Br.] The mule-path mounts over the 
rtmains of a great landslip, which in 
1 7 r 6 covered the pastures of Banderai, 
The way here lies am<mg jurassic lime- 
stone rocks, small patches of which, the 



ROUTE L. GLACIER d'aHGENTI ERE. 



231 



remains of extensive deposits removed 
by denudation, are found overlying the 
carboniferous strata that surround the 
crystalline mass of Mont Blanc. 

The last part of the ascent is steep, 
and l| hr. from the Chalets de Ferrex 
is required to reach the Col de Ferrex 
(8.320'), a depression in the ridge 
connecting the Mont JDolent (12,566') 
with a summit which on the Pied- 
montese map is called Le Grand Goile 
(10,630'). The view extends along the 
Alice Blanche to the Col de la Seigne, 
and includes the series of glaciers 
which stream down the flanks of the 
Mont Blanc range, eight or nine of 
which are visible from this point. The 
Grandes JorasscS (13,799'), here pre- 
senting a very grand appearance, and 
the Geant, conceal the main peak, which 
is not seen till more than half the de- 
scent has been accomplished. In the E. 
the Velan, and to the NE. some peaks of 
the Bernese Alps, complete the view. 

The eastern portion of the Allee 
Blanche, or Piedmontese Val Ferrex, 
is far wilder and more rugged than the 
Swiss side of the pass. Avalanches 
and bergfalls have destroyed most of 
the timber, and ruined pastures and 
chalets. One of the most considerable 
on record destroyed, in 1728, a group 
of chalets called Pre du Bar, near the 
base of the Glacier du Triolet. The 
track lies over soft slaty soil, in which 
the rains cut deep trenches, and for 
some distance is carried along the S. 
slope of the valley, at a great height 
above the torrent, passing a cross 
which serves to guide those who ap- 
proach the Col from Courmayeur. 
Several groups of very miserable look- 
ing chalets are passed. The chief of 
these are called Sagion, Praz Sec, and 
Plan Pansier. The latter lies on the 
rt. bank of the stream, but before 
reaching Entreves the path returns to 
the S. side of the valley, and passing 
under the Mont de la Saxe, reaches 
Courmayeur (Rte. B) in 4 hrs. from the 
Col. Nearly 5 hrs. are required when 
the ascent is made on the Piedmontese 
side. 



Route L. 

CHAMOUNI TO ORSIERES, BY THE 
GLACIER D'ARGENTIERE. 

The Col d'Argentiere was until very 
lately reckoned the highest and the 
most difficult pass across the range of 
Mont Blanc. It was first discovered by 
Auguste Simond, and the summit was 
reached in 1860 by Messrs. Tuckett 
and Wigram. but the passage was firs 
effected in the following year by Mr 
Stephen Winkworth, accompanied by 
Auguste Simond and his son Francois, 
and by Tobie Simond. 

Such was the state of our knowledge 
of the passes connecting the Glacier 
d'Argentiere with the neighbouring val- 
leys so lately as the beginning of the year 
1862. In that year Mr. A.Adams Keilly 
crossed the Col d'Argentiere, and Avas 
so much struck by the discrepancies 
between the existing maps and the ap- 
pearance of the surrounding ranges, 
that he resolved to make a serious at- 
tempt to ascertain their origin. In the 
following year the same enterprising 
mountaineer returned to Chamouni 
with a good theodolite, and after com- 
mencing his work on the Gl. d'Argen- 
tiere, was led to undertake a general 
map of i he range of Mont Blanc, in the 
course of which he determined the posi- 
tion of about 200 points with a degree 
of accuracy that appears marvellous, 
when the difficulty of the undertaking 
is considered, and when it is remem- 
bered that the only reliable materials 



2°/2 PENNINE ALrS. §16. 

previously existing were the excellent 
map of the Mer de Glace, made by 
Principal Forbes, and the small portion 
of the range lying in Swiss territory, 
included in sheet XXII. of the Federal 
Map. The map which embodies the 
results of his labours must be called 
excellent in spite of the appearance of 
the still newer map by the French Go- 
vernment engineers. 

The Glacier d'Argentiere, perhaps the 
greatest, and certainly one of the most 
beautiful glaciers of the Mont Blanc 
range, descends nearly at right angles 
to the valley of Chamouni, between the 
range extending from the Aiguille de 
Triolet through the Tour des Courtes 
(12,1 19') and the Aig. Verte to the Aig. 
du Dru, and that which includes the 
Aig. de Chardonnet, the Aig. d'Argen- 
tiere, and the Tour Noire (12,608'). 
All maps which follow the Sardinian 
Government Map, represent the range 
between the Chardonnet and the Tour 
Noire as separating the Glacier d'Ar- 
gentiere from the head of the Glacier 
du Tour, while a second range, whose 
highest summit has been called Pointe 
des Plines, divides the latter from the 
Glacier de Salena (Rte. M). It had 
been suspected by several recent tra- 
vellers, and has been demonstrated by 
Mr. Reilly, that the second range has 
no separate existence. The Poiute des 
Plines is merely a name given to the 
Aig. d'Argentiere when seen from the 
Glacier de Salena, and this extends to 
the range between the Chardonnet and 
the Tour Noire. It follows that the 
Glacier du Tour has but about half the 
length given to it on the maps, being 
limited to the SE. by a ridge projecting 
from the Aig. de Chardonnet. The 
head of the Glacier d'Argentiere is en- 
closed by a very steep rocky range, ex- 
tending in a broken curve from the 
Aiguille de Triolet to the Tour Noire. 
The Mont Dolent (Rte. K) is a lofty 
promontory, projecting from this range 
towards the Col de Ferrex, but equalled 
or surpassed in height by several other 
summits. 

In making the Col d'Argentiere, or 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 

the other passes hereinafter noticed 
from Chamouni, it is usual to pass the 
night at the Chalets des Ognons. The 
path mount* to a point near the Chapeau, 
then bears to the 1., nearly all the way j 
amid pine forest, till it reaches an open 
space where it crosses a stream from the 
Glacier de. la Pendant, lying on the N. 
flank of the Aiguille du Dru. The | 
chalets lie near the NE. end of that 
glacier, at some height above the ice-fall 
of the Glacier d'Argentiere, and are not 
inhabited till the month of July. A path I 
is carried for some distance from the 
chalets along the slope of the mountain, 
which is one of the buttresses of the 
Aiguille du Dru, and in consequence of 
the crevassed condition of the middle 
part of the Glacier d'Argentiere, it is 
not advisable to take to the ice until 
more than 1 hr. from the chalets, where 
a lateral branch from the NE. side of 
the Aiguille Verte joins the main stream. 
The last-mentioned magnificent peak | 
here rises direct from the glacier basin, 
white to the summit, yet so steep that it 
is wonderful that snow or ice can cling 
to it. After crossing the branch from I 
the Aiguille Verte, the traveller reaches 
the upper level of the glacier, which is 
of great extent, and surrounded on all 
sides by a barrier of precipices. The 
range between the Aiguille Verte and 
the Aig. de Triolet is, tor the most part, i 
bare rock, save where it is streaked by 
snow couloirs. On the opposite side, 
between the Aig. d'Argentiere and the 
Aig. de Chai-donnet, is a steep and 
crevassed, but not impassable lateral 
glacier. 

' The ice-stream from the Col d'Ar- 
gentiere descends in a mass of irregular I 
seracs, alternating with slopes of neve, 
from a snow-ridge guarded on the N. 
side by the Tour Noire, and to the S. I 
by a similar peak which is joined to the 
Mont Dolent by a steep and serrated 
ridge. The stream is bounded on the j 
L side (ascending) by a buttress of the 
Tour Noire, and on the rt. by two 
masses of rock which crop out from the Ij 
glacier like the Grands and Petits 
Iioguons.' — [A. A. R.] In ascending 



ROUTE L. COL 

the traveller may choose between the 
ice, which is a good deal crevassed, and 
the rocks on the 1., rich in crystals of 
brown quartz, which in some places 
keep up an irritating fire of small stones. 

The Col d ■ Argentine, 11,555 ft. in 
height, may be reached in 6 or 7 hrs. 
from the chalets. It commands a mag- 
nificent view towards the E., in which 
the Grand Com bin, the Dent Blanche, 
and the Weisshorn are conspicuous. 
The slope on the Argentiere side of the 
Col is not very steep, but the sheer 
descent on the opposite or E. side is 
positively startling. Immediately below 
the Col is the couloir by which (as 
described in * Peaks, Passes, and 
Glaciers') Mr. Winkworth made the 
descent. To the 1. of this is a project- 
ing spur of rock, between which and 
the Tour Noire, in a deep hollow not 
seen from the top, lies a small and very 
steep glacier. The descent by the 
couloir is often impracticable, and at all 
times difficult and rather dangerous. 
Mr. Reilly and his companions effected 
a descent by the N. side of the spur of 
rock above mentioned, but found the 
glacier between it and the Tour Noire 
so difficult that they were forced to 
make a circuit round its head, immedi- 
ately under the precipitous rocks of the 
Tour Noire, not without considerable 
difficulty and some danger from falling 
rocks. The Rev. C. Pilkington, Mr. 
D. Jones, and other recent travellers, 
have shown that the best way is to 
mount the rocks N. of the col, and then 
keep along the ridge of the rocky spur 
towards the E., until the descent is 
finally effected to the small lateral gla- 
cier near the point where it joins the 
main glacier. 

The Glacier de la Neuva, which 
unites the several ice-stre«ms descend- 
ing from this part of the range, flows 
about due E. towards the Swiss Val 
Ferrex. Its chief affluent lies to the N. 
in a recess of the range E. of the Tour 
Noire. At the head of this branch of 
the glacier is a tempting Col, which has 
been reached by some mountaineers 
seeking a pass to the Glacier d'Argen- 



DE CHARDONNET. 233 

tiere. It overlooks, however, the head 
of the Glacier de Salena, and the de- 
scent on the N. side did not appear 
practicable. 

The descent to the Val Ferrex must 
be effected partly by the rocks, but 
chiefly by the long and wearisome 
moraine on the 1. bank of the Glacier 
de la Neuva, as the ice is much 
crevassed, and the Alpine pastures, 
which promise a more agreeable way, 
are cut off by precipices from the lower 
valley. The glacier and its moraine 
come to an end in a stony tract 
not far from the Val Ferrex. The 
proper course is to cross to the rt. bank 
of the torrent below the glacier, and so 
reach a chalet which is connected by a 
path and a plank bridge with those of 
La Foliaz in Val Ferrex. Tolerable 
quarters may be found at either, but the 
chalets at the upper end of Val Ferrex 
are annually shut up between the 8th 
and 15th Sept. 

The pass is more easily effected from 
the side of Val Ferrex than from Cha- 
mouni. From the chalets of La Foliaz 
a great part of the route may be traced 
to the col, which is the depression be- 
tween the conspicuous black peak of 
the Tour Noire and the first of the 
series of jagged teeth in the range con- 
necting it with the Mont Dolent. The 
Rev. C. Pilkington, who, besides cross- 
ing the col, gave two days to exploring 
the Gl. de la Neuva, found the follow- 
ing compass-bearings (magnetic) from 
the point where it is necessary finally 
to leave the moraine of the 1. bank : — 
Tour Noire, 295°; Col d' Argentiere, 
275°; foot of the rocky spur, 255°. 

Two new passes from the Gl. d'Ar- 
gentiere to that of Salena were effected 
in 1863, and a third, leading to the 
Allee Blanche, was discovered in 1865. 

The most important and useful of 
these is the Col de Chardonnet, first 
traversed by Messrs. Reilly and Bran- 
dram. This lies between the Aiguilles 
de Chardonnet and d' Argentiere. After 
crossing the main glacier, from the 
upper Chalet des Ognons, and mount- 
ing some way over a huge moraine at 



234 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



the base of the Chardonnet, the way 
lies up a lateral glacier, much crevassed, 
but not extremely difficult, and the Col 
is gained in from 3| to 5^ hrs. The 
descent to the head of the Glacier de 
Salena is extremely steep for some 500 
or 600 ft., but was not found so difficult 
as might have been expected, the course 
being along the base of the rocks on 
ihe 1. hand. 

Instead of attempting to descend the 
ice-fall of the Salena Glacier, Mr. Eeilly 
wisely decided on ascending the branch 
leading to the Fenetre de Salena (Rte. 
M), crossing that Col, and then reaching 
Orsieres by the Glacier d'Orny. The 
same course was taken by Mr. A. Moore, 
with Christian Aimer. They reached 
Orsieres in 7f hrs. of actual walking 
from Les Ognons, but this must be con- 
sidered a tour de force. The. summit of 
the Aiguille d' Argentiere (12,793') was 
attained by Mr. Reilly in 7 hrs. from Les 
Ognons, by bearing to the rt. from the 
lateral glacier that leads up to the Col 
de Chardonnet. The Aiguille de Char- 
donnet (12,543') was first reached in 
1865 by Mr. R. Fowler, with Michel 
Ducroz and Michel Balmat as guides, 
who also accompanied him to the sum- 
mit of the Aiguille Verte. They 
ascended from Argentiere by the rt. 
bank of the main glacier, and turned 
aside on reaching a tributary descending 
from the Aig. de Chardonnet. 

Another new pass, if it deseiwe that 
name, was effected by Messrs. H. B. 
George and Macdonald, with Christian 
Aimer and Melchior Anderegg. Mis- 
taking the true position of Col d' Argen- 
tiere, they had reached the lowest point in 
the ridge between the Aiguille d'Argen- 
tiere and the Tour Noire. The side of 
the same ridge, facing the glacier of 
Salena, is a perilously steep slope, about 
2.000 ft. in height, formed partly of 
neve, but in part of hard ice, with 
points of rocks here and there breaking 
through the surface. The descent cost 
6^ hrs. of severe and dangerous work, 
ending by a char fall of 30 ft. over the 
edge of a bergschrund. Three of the 
party were lowered in succession by the 



rope, but M. Anderegg, in attempting 
to reach a less dangerous pl.ice, slipped 
and fell, narrowly escaping serious con- 
sequences. 

The Col de la Tour Noire, as it has 
been called, will doubtless be avoided 
by all future travellers who would not 
expose their guides to imminent danger. 

A passage from the Allee Blanche to 
the Glacier of Argentiere was accom- 
plished for the first time in 1865 by 
Mr. .Whymper, with Christian Aimer, 
the late M. Croz, and Franz Biener, 
and must be counted amongst the most 
difficult, and even dangerous, exploits 
achieved in that season by the same 
traveller. The Col Dolent (11,624') 
lies in the ridge connecting the Mont 
Dolent with the Aig. de Triolet. It 
was reached in about 9^ hrs. from Cour- 
mayeur by a course nearly the same as 
that taken in ascending the former 
peak in the preceding year. The de 
scent to the Gl. d'Argentiere was by 
a great couloir, perilously steep, and in 
great part over hard ice. The above- 
named accomplished mountaineers con- 
sumed 7 hrs. in effecting the descent to 
the glacier, and it is to be desired that 
they should find no imitators. 

The Mont Dolent (12,566') had been 
reached for the first time in the pre- 
ceding year by Messrs. Reilly and 
Whymper, with M. Croz, and the 
younger M. Payot as guides, in 7 hrs. 
from the chalets of Pre du Bar. Fol- 
lowing the track of the Petit Ferrexfor 
about 40 min., they climbed diagonally 
across the rocky buttress that sustains 
the Glacier du Mont Dolent on its E. 
side. Then keeping along the glaciet 
above the ice-fall to a hump of rock 
near its head, they turned to the rt. up 
snow slopes to the base of the peak, 
and attained first the S. end, and then 
the N. or highest point of the final 
arete, by skirting the rocks. The view 
is of the highest order 



ROUTE M. — GLACIER DU TOUR. 



235 



ROCTE M. 

CHAMOUNI TO ORSIERES, BY THE 
GLACIER DU TOUR. 

The Glacier du Tour, which is the 
easternmost of the great glaciers that 
flow into the valley of Chamouni, gives 
access to two considerable glaciers that 
descend to the Val Ferrex, each af- 
fording a practicable pass across the 
E. end of the Mont Blanc range. 
The first recorded passage from the 
Glacier du Tour to that of Salena was 
made by Professor Forbes in 1850, but 
the pass is said to have been discovered 
many years before by a native of Cha- 
mouni. The same pass was again 
made in 1857 by Mr. Alfred Wills, 
with two friends, accompanied by the 
late Auguste Balmat and Francois 
Cachat, as*guides ; and those who in- 
tend following the route will not fail to 
read the very interesting description 
given by Mr. Wills in the first series of 
4 Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers.' Though 
extremely interesting, the pass by the 
Glacier of Salena is both difficult and 
circuitous, and of late the descent 
to Orsieres has usually been effected by 
the much easier and more direct way of 
the Glacier d'Orny. A rough idea of 
the relative position of the four chief 
glaciers which occupy the upper valleys 
of the NE. end of the Mont Blanc 
range may be formed if we first fix our 
attention on a great plateau of neve 
lying E. of the Aiguille du Tour. This 
is drained by two glaciers which flow 
at rt. angles to each other— the Glacier 
du Trient descending N., and the Glacier 
d'Orny to the E. The angle formed by 
these glaciers lies within another right 
angle, formed by the glaciers of 
Tour and Salena; but while the 
two first start from the same level, 
; the upper part of the Glacier du 
! Tour lies at a great height above the 
Glacier de Salena, and, till lately, there 
■was no known pass from the one to 
i the other. S. of the Aiguille du Tour 
I there is an opening in the ridge forming 



the E. boundary of the Glacier du Tour, 

and this gives easy access to the plateau 
at the head of the Glacier d'Orny, 
which at the same time affords the 
easiest passage for reaching from this 
side the Salena Glacier, through the 
opening called Fenetre de Salena. 

The Glacier du Tour may be reached 
from the village of Argentiere, hut 
still more easily from the little inn 
on the Col de Balme. A short but 
steep ascent leads thence to the ridge 
which overlooks the E. bank, and it is 
then possible to keep along the face of 
the rocks for h hr. before taking to the 
ice. The whole middle region is much 
crevassed, the difficulties varying, as 
usual, with the season and with the 
condition of the snow, which usually 
covers all but the wider crevasses. Pro- 
fessor Forbes and Mr. Wills, in the 
passages above referred to, ascended 
for a considerable distance beyond the 
Aiguille du Tour, nearly to the ex- 
treme head of the glacier ; but Mr. 
Wills subsequently found a much easier 
course through a gap immediately S. 
of the Aiguille du Tour, leading to the 
great plateau which forms the common 
source of the Glaciers of Trient and 
Orny. From hence the Aiguille du Tour 
was ascended with ease in 1864 by 
Mr. Heathcote, with Moritz Ander- 
matten. The direct course to Orsieres 
by what is commonly called the Col du 
Tour, now lies due E., and on reaching 
the slightly convex summit of the pla- 
teau (11,213') a very fine distant view 
of the Bernese Alps gives an unexpected 
interest to the pass. The descent of 
the Glacier of Orny offers no unusual 
difficulties, and from the small chapel 
near its base a short glen leads to the 
Val Ferrex, at a point near Issert, 
about 2 m. from Orsieres. Time from 
Argentiere, or the Col de Balme, to 
Orsieres, 10 hrs.' actual walking. 

Longer and more difficult, but also 
more interesting, is the route by the 
Glacier of Salena. The S. end of the 
plateau already mentioned is fenced in 
by a shattered range of aiguilies, 
| through which an extremely narrow 



[234] 



PENNINE ALPS. § 16. 



MONT BLANC DISTRICT. 



opening, not more than 5 ft wide and 
about 11,200 ft in height, forms the 
pass. The scene exhibited from this 
singular gap in the ridge, well named 
by Mr. Wills Fenetre de Salena, is 
remarkable, not for the distant view, 
for the Velan is the only high summit 
seen, but for the grand range of crags 
and aiguilles thar enclose the head of 
the Glacier de Salena. The most pro- 
minent point is that which has been 
called Pointe des Plines, now known to 
be no other than the Aiguille d'Argen- 
tiere. The most remarkable portion of 
the view from the Fenetre is the range 
enclosing the N. side of the glacier, 
happily named by Professor Forbes 
Aiguilles Dorees. They consist of a 
succession of ruddy yellow pinnacles 
of great height, Avhose natural colour 
is enriched by their exposure to the 
full blaze of day, when the traveller is 
favoured by fine weather, and without 
■which such a pass should not be at- 
tempted. Between the gaps of the 
range small tributary glaciers and ice 
couloirs stream down, and by contrast 
heighten the effect of the scene. 

A steep descent leads from the 
Fenetre to the upper level of the Glacier 
de Salena. This is separated from the 
long lower reach of the glacier, extend- 
ing nearly to the Yal Ferrex. by a great 
ice-fall, where, in the course of a rapid 
descent of about 1,500 ft,, the glacier is 
compressed into a narrow channel, be- 
tween a spur projec ing from the base 
of the Aiguilles Dorees, and the great 
range which walls it in on the S. Mr. 
Wills and his companions made the 
attempt to cross the ridge projecting 
from the Aiguilles Dorees, and descend 
its steep E. face along the 1. side of the 
glacier; but, although he does not con- 
sider this impossible, the lateness of the 
hour at which the attempt was made 
deterred them from persevering, and 
they followed the same course which 
had been taken by Professor Forbes, 
and has since been adopted by others. 
This lies on the rt. side of the ice-fall, 
and involves the descent of a steep and i 
high rocky slope, whereon Mr. Wills*s | 



party bivouacked. The objection to 
the passage along this side of the valley 
lies in the presence of several small 
tributary glaciers overhanging the S. 
bank of the main glacier, which, espe- 
cially during the afternoon, discharge 
falling stones. On reaching the lower 
level of the glacier below the ice-fall, 
it is expedient to cross the glacier to 
its N. bank, whence a steep but not 
very long descent leads down to the 
Val Ferrex. A barrier of pine-forest 
lies between the lower end of the 
glacier and the valley, nearly shutting 
out all view of the former from the 
neighbourhood of Praz le Fort, where 
the route joins the main track of the 
Val Ferrex (Kte. K). 

In 1S67 Messrs. F. and W. H. Pol- 
lock, guided by F. Couttet (Baguette), 
made the first direct passage from the 
Gl. du Tour to that of Salena. This, 
which they propose to call Col de Sa- 
lena, does not appear to be difficult, and 
certainly shortens the distance for those 
making' the tour by the Col de Char- 
donnet. 

In concluding the description of the 
range of Mont Blanc, wherein the 
recent achievements of several ardent 
mountaineers have been very briefly 
noticed, the editor may be permitted to 
make a single remark. Experienced 
travellers in the High Alps do not 
require, and would not heed, his advice; 
but those who have not learned by con- 
siderable practice to cope with all the 
difficulties of ice-travelling and rock- 
climbing, and who are not assured that 
their companions and guides are equally 
well prepared, should be warned that 
i many of these expeditions involve very 
serious risk — risk that in regard to 
some of them can be but partially 
averted by skill and experience. Of 
the glacier passes here enumerated 
| none but the Col du Mont Tondu, the 
Col de Miage, the Col du Geant, the 
Col de Talefre, the Col de Chardonnet, 
the Col du Tour, and Col de Salena, 
can be called moderately safe when 
i undertaken with favourable weather 
1 aud trustworthy guides. 



SECTION 17. 

SIXT DISTRICT. 

It has been remarked in the introduc- 
tion to § 12, that the limestone ridges 
lying between Chambery and the valley 
of the Arve form an extension to the 
S W. of the geological formations which 
characterise the range of the Bernese 
Alps. The connection is orographical 
as well as geological, and the range of 
the Dent du Midi, the Buet, and the 
Rochers des Fys, supplies the link be- 
tween them. It will be observed, as 
something more than an accidental co- 
incidence, that a nearly continuous line 
of valley extends from Grenoble to the 
Rhone near Martigny , and nearly follows 
the line of separation between the secon- 
dary and the older rocks. This line of 
depression is marked by the Isere from 
Grenoble to Albertville, and by the Arly 
from thence to Megeve. Descending 
to the Arve, and partly following that 
stream to Servoz, it then mounts along 
the Dioza to the Col de Salenton, and, 
following the Eau Noire and the Trient, 
reaches the Rhone near Martigny. 
The traveller wishing to trace the rela- 
tion between the geological structure 
and the orography of this district, 
should consult the valuable map by 
Professor Alphonse Favre, of Geneva, 
referred to in the Introduction. 

In the present section we include the 
chain of the Buet, above alluded to, and 
the mountain-district lying NW. of it, 
between the Arve and the Lake of 
Geneva. The lower ridges, although 
occasionally parallel to the princi- 
pal range, are for the most part very 
irregular in their form and direction — 
a circumstance which, perhaps, con- 
tributes to the variety of scenery for 
which the district is remarkable. The 

FART I. 



§ 17. SIXT DISTRICT. |"235] 

valley of Sixt, lying W. of the Buet, is, 
for the mountaineer, the natural centre 
of the district. It abounds in grand 
and beautiful scenery, and the accom- 
modation at Sixt is improved of late. 
Better quarters are found at Samoens, 
lower down in the valley. A good 
inn has been opened at Champery, near 
the base of the Dent du Midi (Rte. H), 
and is deservedly frequented, as it com- 
bines a fine position with the advantage 
of easy access by railroad to Geneva, 
Sion, &c. The rugged range of the 
Dents d'Oche. near the E. end of the 
Lake of Geneva, deserves more atten- 
tion than it has received. The higher 
summits command noble views of 
the high Alps on one side, and of the 
Lake of Geneva on the other. The 
grand panoramic views gained from 
the Buet and the Dent du Midi an- 
nually attract an increasing number of 
visitors Both summits may be reached 
without danger or difficulty by any 
moderately active walker. 

The best map of this district is that 
(on a small scale) contained in Joanne's 
pocket guide-book. 



Route A. 

GENEVA TO SIXT, BY TANNINGES. 

The valley of Sixt is accessible by a 
pretty good carriage-road as far as Sa- 
moens, but the way from thence to Sixt 
is fitted rather for chars than heavy car- 
riages. There are two roads to SamoStos, 
of which that by St. Jeoire should be 
preferred in going to Sixt, and that by 
Chatillon in returning from thence to 
Geneva. A more attractive way for the 
pedestrian is described in the next route. 

1. By St. Jeoire. 

Eng. miles 



Nangy 
St. Jeoire . 
Tanriinges 
Samoens . 
Sixt . 



Kilometres 
. 15 
. 13 
. 14 
. 14 
. 8 

64 



it 



3<| 



236 PENNINE ALPS. § 

The high-road from Geneva to Bonne- 
ville is followed to Nangy, where 
a road turning off to the 1. leads by 
Bonne to Thonon (Rte. K). A little 
beyond the village the road to St. Jeoire 
alsoturns to the 1., and gradually mounts 
over the rising ground separating the 
Arve from the Valley of the Foron. At 
Peillonnex a fine view is gained over 
the latter valley, and thence the way 
lies over an undulating plateau on the 
N. side of the Mole to La Tour, and 
about l£ m. farther to 

St. Jeoii e (Inn : La Couronne), a large 
village (1,886') on a tributary stream 
which soon joins the JRiche torrent. 
For the mule-track to Thonon, see 
Rte. K. In the opposite direction a 
char-road descends along the rt. bank 
of the Riche, passing its junction with 
the Giffre, to Mariyny, and thence to 
Bonneville, a distance of 11 or 12 m. 
The road to Sixt crosses the Riche ^ m. 
from the village, and keeping to the N. 
of the narrow gorge through which the 
Giffre escapes from its native valley, 
'■mounts to Mieussy, and then makes a 
considerable ascent, followed by a still 
longer descent, before reaching the little 
town of 

Tanningcs (Irms: Balances, not good; 
Lion d'Or), a place of some local iin 
portance (2,2 If), picturesquely placed 
in view of the Buet, the most con- 
spicuous object throughout the valley 
of. the Giffre. Other secondary peaks 
come into view, and the scenery assumes 
gradually a more Alpine character as 
the traveller. approaches 

Samoens .'(trius,.: .Croix d'Or, good; 
Couronne; Vill-e de Lyon). The first- 
named, commanding from its windows 
a fine view, is one of the best country 
inns in Savoy ; and this, together with 
the charming scenery of the neighbour- 
hood, recommend this as a stopping- 
place. Two Gurlies (father and son) are 
good guides. Though not so well si- 
tuated as Sixt for mountain excursions, 
several interesting walks may be made 
from Samoens ; the waterfall of the 
Mant Dant, and the ascent of the Mont 
Greyou (8,497'), 5,958 ft. above the vil- 



17. SIXT DISTRICT. 

lage are especially recommended. Mr. 
Wills recommends the pedestrian bound 
fur Sixt to mount the Croix des Portes, 
a commanding point on the way from 
Samoens to the Lac de Gers; a path of 
extreme beauty leads from thence to 
Sixt. 

A short distance from Samoens, the 
Giffre forces its way through a narrow 
defile. The picturesque chapel of Notre 
Dame de la Grace is seen on the 1. bank, 
while the road keeps always to the rt. 
bank. At Tines masses of fallen rocks 
almost block up the passage, and then 
the fine peaks that enclose the valley of 
Sixt come into view. Rather less than 
5 m. from Samoens is 

Sixt (Inns: H. des Cascades, for- 
merly H. du Fer a Cheval, improved, 
but not good, kept by Joseph Bozon, 
who is well^ qualified to act as guide ; 
Couronne; Etoile), beautifully situated 
at 2,513 ft. above the sea. Few places 
in the Alps offer greater attractions to 
the mountaineer for the variety and 
beauty of the scenery in its immediate 
neighbourhood. It has become more 
generally known through a very agree- 
able volume by Mr. Alfred Wills, called 
■ The Eagle's Nest.' This, and a paper 
by the same writer in the 'Alpine Jour- 
nal,' vol. ii., will be read by all who in- 
tend to halt here. 

The guides here, who are not to be 
compared to the first class men of 
Chamouni, are subject to local regula- 
tion, and have a tariff of charges which 
approach to those of their neighbours. 
Thus the charge for the ascent of the Buet, 
returning to Sixt, is 14 fr. ; to theFer-a 
Cheval, 2 fr. 50 c. ; to Chamouni, 15 fr., 
or 18 fr. with a mule. Moccand, a 
shoemaker, and Andre Rannaud, as 
also Clement Gallet of Samoens, have 
been recommended as guides. Letters 
intended for strangers at Sixt should be 
addressed to the hotel, as if directed to 
the Poste Restante they are retained at 
Samoens. 

A short distance below the village is 
the junction of the torrents which flow 
through the two main branches of the 
valley. The stream called the Giffr« 



ROUTE A. VALLEY OF SIXT. 



237 



Bas flows due W. from the grand am- 
phitheatre of precipitous peaks that 
enclose the main branch of the valley, 
called Vallee de la Combe. The Giffre 
Haut descends to the N. from the Col 
dAnterne, receiving one of its chief 
affluents through the Vallee des Fond>, 
which drains the W. slope of the Buet. 
The valley is especially famed for its 
waterfalls, and there are several that 
well deserve a visit which may be com- 
bined with some other excursion. 

Those who may not intend to cross 
any of the rather difficult passes com- 
municating with the head of the 
valley (see Rtes. E and G), should not 
fail to go so far as the Fer-a-Cheval, 
a spot that has a considerable re- 
semblance to the cirques, which are 
the peculiar characteristic of Pyrenean 
scenery. A char-road leads thither 
from the village, a distance of 4^ or 
5 m., passing the hamlets of Nant- Bride, 
where a village was destroyed by a 
bergfall in 1610, and the chapel of 
Entre-deux-Monts, where, by a similar 
calamity, 157 persons perished in 1602. 
Near Nant-Bride a fine waterfall called 
Cascade de Jordane is seen on the 
opposite slope of the valley, and that 
of the Gouille (worth a nearer visit) 
is passed on the rt. bank. The road 
crosses the main stream and many 
minor torrents before reaching the 
Fer-a-Cheval. This is a semicircular 
hollow, surrounded by precipitous walls 
of rock which are surmounted by a range 
of snow-seamed peaks. The highest of 
these, seen on the 1., is the Pointe de 
Tenneverges; the point seen to the rt. is 
called Tete Noire, A series of waterfalls, 
issuing from the small glaciers that lie 
in the depressions of the ridge, descend 
the face of the precipice and add to the 
singularity of the scene. Above the 
first range of precipices, on a shelf of 
the mountain range scarcely noticed 
from below, are Alpine pastures belong- 
ing to the valley of Sixt, but so difficult 
of access on this side that they have 
been leased to the Swiss shepherds of 
the valley of Trient. Beyond the Fer- 
I 4-Cheyal the Vallee de la Combe ex- 

B 



tends for about 4 m. to the NE., enclosed 
between rugged and precipitous moun- 
tains, and leads to the passes described 
in Rte. G. The hay which is cut ou 
the ledges of these mountains, often 
reached by a perilous climb, is com- 
monly made up in a bundle and rolled 
over the precipice to be gathered anew 
on the lower slope, where it may have 
lodged. 

Those who may not wish to under- 
take the rather laborious ascent of the 
Buet are advised to make that of the 
Vaudru, NE. of Sixt, 8,714 ft. in 
height, easily reached in 4 hrs. from the 
village. After reaching the chalets of 
Salvador at the head of a tributary glen 
of the Giffre, the path zigzags up the 
mountain towards the N., keeping well 
to the rt. where the track becomes 
obscure. A guide is scarcely needed. 
But little is seen of Mont Blanc. The 
Pointe de Sambet (reached in 3^ hrs. 
from Sixt) also affords a fine view. 

The ascent of the Buet is described 
in Rte. D, and most of the other ex- 
cursions usually made from Sixt are 
noticed in the other following Rtes. 
The Vallee des Fonds (Rte. D), the 
Cascade de Roget (Rte. C), and the 
Lac de Gers (Rte. B), all deserve a 
visit. The latter may be reached in 2 
hrs. from Sixt, by a steep and rather 
difficult way, considerably shorter than 
the mule-track. 

2. By Bonneville and Chatillon. This 
road, though a little longer than that 
by St. Jeoire, is that followed by the 
post- carriage which plies from Geneva 
to Samoens on Tuesdays, Thursdays, 
and Saturdays, returning on the alter- 
nate days. 

Kilometres Eng. miles 
Bonneville . . '/& 17£ 
Tanninges . 16 10 

Sixt .... 22 13| 

66 41 

The road to Bonneville is described 
in § 16, Rte. A. A gentle ascent along 
the S. base of the Mole leads from thence 
by Ayse to Marigny on the Giffre, about 
2 m. above its junction with the Arve. 
There is a road hence along the rt.. 
2 



238 PENNINE ALPS. § 

hank which joins that leading from 
St. Jeoire to Tanninges, close to the 
former village, but this involves a great 
detour. The direct way crosses the 
Giffre, and ascends diagonally the low 
ridge between Tanninges and the Arve, 
crowned by the village of Chatillon, 
nearly 8 m. from Bonneville. Near the 
top another road, leading from Cluses to 
Tanninges, joins that from Bonneville. 
The summit of the ridge commands a 
fine view of the range S. of the Arve, 
extending the whole length of the valley 
of the Reposoir, § 12, Rte. D. The 
descent to Tanninges, little more than 
2 m., is rather rapid till the road reaches 
a bridge over the Giffre, ^ m. from the 
town. For the sake of the fine view 
from the ridge, this route should be pre- 
ferred in going from Sixt to Geneva. 
For pedestrians a more agreeable way 
from Chatillon to Sixt lies on the 1. bank 
of the Giffre, passing the pretty village 
of Monllon. A curious semicircular 
wooden bridge crosses the river about 
|-bl from Samoens, which is thus reached 
in 3^ hrs. from Chatillon. 



Route B. 

GENEVA TO SIXT, BY CLUSES OR 
ST. MARTIN. 

The lofty range of limestone sepa- 
rating the valley of the Giffre from 
that of the Arve, forms at the sum- 
mit, an undulating plateau dotted 
with small lakes, and surmounted by 
higher peaks, for the most part bold 
and rugged in form, while on both 
sides the ascent to the plateau is rapid 
arid somewhat difficult. The scenery 
of the tract traversed by the three paths 
mentioned below is rather singular than 
beautiful, but to a mountaineer this is 
perhaps the most desirable route for 
approaching Sixt. 

1. By Cluses, and the Col d'Arberon. 
Having followed the high-road from 
Geneva to Sallanehes as far as Magland 
(§ 16. Rre. A), a path is taken to the 1. 
which mounts* by the foot ot the rocks to 



17. SIXT DISTRICT. 

a hollow way called Creux de l'Arche. 
Here the track divides. One path, to 
the 1., leads to the villages of Pernan 
and Arraehe. The other, leading to the 
Col d'Arberon, mounts to the rt. in zig- 
zags, through pine trees, to the village 
of Colonnaz. Extensive pine woods, 
now partly felled, extend thence to the 
col (4,987')» which lies but a short dis- 
tance from the Lac de Flaine, a pic- 
turesque lake backed by some of the 
higher peaks of the range, which is 
drained by a subterranean outlet. Not 
far from the lake are the chalets of the 
same name. The direct way to Sixt 
lies EIS'E. to the Lac de Gers, about 
2^- hrs., and the same direction is f 1- 
lowed throughout the very beautiful 
descent to Sixt, in all about 1\ hrs. 
from Cluses. By a slight detour the 
Giefa, a rounded summit of no great 
height, but commanding a beautiful 
view, may be easily reached. It lie* 
I. of the bridle-path leading from the 
lake to Sixt. 

2. By St. Martin. The easiest way 
from St. Martin to Sixt is to follow 
the high-road towards Cluses till it 
has passed the Nant cCArpenaz (§ 16, 
Rce. A). Here a path mounts to 
the E. to the hamlet of Vein, ami 
reaches a shoulder of the mountain, 
whence is seen, on the opposite side 
of the gorge, the village of Colonnaz. 
Avoiding the path which descend* 
thither, a path to the rt. leads nearly 
direct to the Lac de Flaine, and the 
chalets of the same name where this 
track joins that from Cluses. 

A more interesting and steeper war 
mounts by JRclinges and Preilloz to the 
chalets of Vange, about I hr. 10 min. 
from St. Martin. Here a path turns to 
the rt., ascending through the Vallon de 
Haon, above the torrent which enters 
the valley of the Arve by the Cascade 
d'Arpenaz. An ascent of 40 min. 
through a pine forest leads to the cha- 
lets of Veran (vers Haon ?), surrounded 
by an amphitheatre of steep rocks, from 
which the only exit is by a difficult 
climb through a sort of chimney, leading 
to the Alpme pastures of Monthio' 



ROUTE C. SERVOZ. 



239 



These terminate in the Col de Monthieu, 
between the Croix de Fer on the 1., and 
the Colone on the rt. These eminences 
form the outer margin of the Desert de 
Platei, a very extensive plateau of nearly 
bare rock, traversed by parallel fissures 
recalling the appearance of glacier 
crevasses. From the Col it is easy to 
ascend the Croix de Fer (7,5 13'), which 
may also be reached from the Chalets de 
Elaine. The eocene limestone abounds 
in fossil shells. The Desert de Platei 
extends E. from the Col de Monthieu to 
the Pointe du Griffon, and the Pvinte de 
Salles, and towards the S. to the Degres 
de Platei and the Aiguille de Veran 
v'8.857'), sometimes ascended for the 
t>ake of the remarkable panorama. Mr, 
Wills has given an account ('Alpine 
Journal,' vol. ii.) of the ascent of the 
Pointe de Salles. He shows it to be 
certainly lower than the Buet, though 
M. Alphonse Favre attributes to the 
latter a height less by 269 ft. Mr. 
Wills apparently admits other points 
in the chain des Fys as higher than 
the Pointe de Salles. A lower peak, 
which may be taken in a day's walk 
from St. Martm to Sixt, is the Poin'ede 
Pelouze (8,\53'). To reach Sixt from 
the Desert a guide is necessary. One 
way is to descend to the Lac de Flaine, 
and from thence to follow the route 
already noticed. Another way, more 
direct but steeper, descends by the 
Chalets de Salles— at the head of a 
short lateral valley, Vallon de Salles, a 
tributary of the Giffre Haut — then passes 
several fine waterfalis, and reaches Sixi 
in 2^ hrs. more. (See rite. C.) 

3. By Passy and La Portette. From 
the village, of Passy, about equidistant 
between Sallanches, St. Gervais, and 
Servoz, there lies a route to Sixt which 
is very rarely used by strangers, but is 
described as more striking than that of 
the Gemmi. A path mounts from the 
village through the wooded glen of 
Plane Joux to the base of a range of 
seemingly inaccessible precipices, up 
which it has been carried by the industry 
of the natives. It is in reality quite safe, 
but, especially in descending, the ap- 



pearance of the precipices is somewhat 
formidable. Nearly 3 hrs. from Passy 
are required to reach the summit of the 
steep ascent, near to which stand the 
Chalets of Platei. Those who may be 
induced to make the ascent without 
intending to reach Sixt may, with a 
guide, return to Sallanches by way of 
the Lac de Flaine, taking in the way the 
summit of the Croix de Fer. From the 
chalets the way to Sixt mounts to the 
NE. in about f hr. by slopes of debris 
to La Portette, a notch in the ridge 
connecting the Rochcrs des Fys with the 
Aiguille de Veran. The view from the 
Col, commanding the Desert de Platei 
on the one side, and the valley of the 
Arve on the other, is very remarkable. 
After crossing the limestone plateau, a 
rather steep descent leads to the Chalets 
de Salles, from whence Sixt is easily 
reached in 2^ hrs. by a path passing 
near three waterfalls, and in the midst 
of much beautiful scenery. 



Route C. 

SIXT TO CHAMOUNI, BY SERVOZ. 

Until recently the only way from 
Sixt to Chamouni, easy enough for or- 
dinary tourists, involved a long detour 
by Servoz. Within the last few years 
the French authorities have constructed 
a new mule path (further noticed in 
the next Kte.) so superior in its attrac- 
tions that the way by Servoz will here- 
after be little used Even now there are 
many practicable and highly interesting 
routes between Sixt and Chamouni that 
are scarcely, if at all, known to strangers. 
It may be truly said that, although no 
other spot in the High Alps has been so 
long known and visited as Chamouni, 
it is but quite recently that effectual 
efforts have been made to explore the 
surrounding districts. 



240 



PENNINE ALPS. § 



17. SIXT DISTRICT. 



1. By the Col d'Anterne. About 7 
fcrs.' walking to Servoz. To gain the 
valley leading to the Col the old mule- 
path crosses the Giffre Bas, opposite the 
village of Sixt, mounts to the village 
of Salvagny, and thence reaches the 
Giffre Haut at the Pont de Salles, by 
which it attains the 1. bank. A walk of 
1 hr. leads to the Cascade de Roget, the 
finest of those in this district famed for 
its waterfalls. About 1 hr. farther, 
another pretty cascade, called La Pleu- 
reuse, falls close to the opening of the 
Vallon de Salles, leading to La Portette 
(Rte. B). The mule-path turns sharply to 
the 1., and the ascent continues through 
the wooded glen of the Giffre Haut 
along the E. base of the Pointe de 
Salles. As the track rises above the 
forests the scenery becomes constantly 
wilder, though still beautiful. The bare 
summits of the Rochers des Fys come 
gradually into view. From an emi- 
nence to the 1. of the track there is a 
fine view of the Buet and of the Vallee 
des Fonds. More than 3 hrs. are re- 
quired to reach the chalets d'Anterne, 
iuhabited during the summer by women, 
children, and pigs. Extortionate de- 
mands are here made on travellers fur 
the slight refreshment that is occasion- 
ally supplied to them. In crossing the 
pass hence to Servoz the track traverses 
in succession the cretaceous, jurassic, 
liassic and palaeozoic formations, and the 
geologist will be pleased to find fossils 
in greater abundance than is usual in 
the High Alps. About ^ hr. above the 
chalets the track passes along the E. 
side of the Lac dAnterne (6,808'), and 
an equal distance, but rather less ascent, 
leads to the Col d'Anterne (7.612' ?), 
commanding a noble view of Mont 
Blanc. 

[The Col is now usually reached 
from Sixt by the new track, more fully 
described in the following Rte., passing 
the Chalets des Fonds and those of the 
Montague des Grasses Chevres, and the 
old way, which offers less attractions, 
is rarely used by travellers.] 

The descent to Servoz lies in part 
over a vast pile of debris, the remaining | 



evidence of the fall of one of the crags 
of the Rochers des Fys, and then passes 
the chalets of Avers and the hamlet of 
Le Mont, reaching Servoz in 3 hrs. 
from the col. In fine weather the 
mountaineer will not require a guide. 

2. By the Col du Derochoir. 9 hrs.' 
walking. 

This rte. is rather more direct, but 
much steeper and more difficult, than 
that of the Col d'Anterne. The way 
lies for about 2^ hrs. by the mule-track 
leading to that pass. * The path lead- 
ing to the Vallon de Salles keeps 
to the rt, near La Pleureuse, and in 
about ^ hr. mounts to the Chalets de 
Salles. Here the track to La Portette 
(Rte. B) mounts SW., while that lead- 
ing to Servoz turns due S., passing 
immediately below the peak of the 
Pointe de S:Ules. A long and steep 
ascent is necessary to reach the Col du 
Derochoir, a point in the ridge of tho 
Rochers des Fys, whence it is possiblo 
to descend to Servoz, which is reached 
in 3^ hrs. by a steep and difficult path. 
This pass should not be attempted with- 
out a guide. Further information is 
desired. 



Routb D. 

SIXT TO CHAMOCNI — ASCENT OF THE 
BUET. 

Most mountaineers who visit Sixt 
and Chamouni make the ascent of the 
Buet a portion of their plan, and it is 
now often taken in the way between 
those places. The ascent, considering 
its height, is very easy, and a single 
guide suffices for a party of several 
travellers moderately used to mountain 
expeditions ; but in passing the glacier 
near the top it is not advisable to neglect 
the rope. 

To reach Chamouni from Sixt by the 
summit of the Buet involves a long and 
hard day's work of 14 hrs., which may. 
however, be abridged by passing the 
night at the Chalets des Fonds, about 2 
hrs. above Sixt In taking the way by the 
Col de l'Echaud there is this advantage, 



ROUTE D.— ASCENT OF THE BUET. 



241 



that if the weather should appear un- 
favourable for the ascent, the traveller 
may without loss of time continue his 
route to Chamouni, either by the 
Brevent, the Col de Salenton, or by 
Servoz. 

In the opinion of competent judges 
the Vallee des Fonds, drained by 
the Petit G iff re, an eastern branch of 
the Giffre Haut, is the most beauti- 
ful of all the Alpine glens surrounding 
Sixt. It is reached by way of Salvagny, 
a little beyond which village a path 
bears to the L, mounting in great part 
under the shade of pine forest to the 
Chalets den Fonds (4,541'). A little 
inn (Restaurant du Buet) has been 
opened here ; pretty good, but charges 
unreasonable. In the exquisite views 
hereabouts, the Pointe de Salles is a 
conspicuous feature. From hence the 
summit of the Buet may be attained by 
mounting a slope called Belleface, and 
then by steep ledges of limestone rock, 
until the highest point is reached by a 
rather steep glacier (de Lebaud?). A\ 
hrs.' steady climbing from the chalets 
suffice to gain the top by this route. 
Another way, also difficult, is by a 
gorge called La Guivra. For both a 
good guide is indispensable. The more 
frequented way mounts by a well-con- 
structed mule-path in 3^ hrs. to the Col 
de VEchaud (8,058'), connecting the 
Vallee des Fonds with that of the Dioza, 
and from thence Gains the summit by 
rapid slopes of slaty rock, intermixed 
with patches of snow, in about 2^ hrs. 

The beauty and grandeur of the 
panorama from the Buet can scarcely 
be exaggerated. Now that the chain 
of the Alps has been more fully explored 
than was the case a few years back, 
several other points may be named 
which must be admitted as rivals, but 
there are very few that can claim 
superior attractions. The height of 
the summit, 10,207 ft., raises it above 
the nearer ranges, yet leaves in full 
grandeur the great mass of Mont Blanc, 
rising more than 5,000 ft above the 
level of the spectator. To a moun- 
taineer who approaches Mont Blanc 



from the 3ST., the ascent of the Buet 
from Sixt has the great advantage of 
giving him at once the most complete 
general view of the entire range, 
and if time, weather, and good le<js 
enable him to wind up the day by 
descending to Chamouni over the 
Brevent., which cuts off from the Buet 
the lower zone of the great mountain, 
he will be able to fill up the details of 
a picture that will remain ineffaceably 
impressed on his memory. 

The easiest way for descending from 
the Buet, and that by which the ascent 
is most commonly made from Chamouni, 
is by the SE. side, partly over snow 
and in part along ridges of calcareous 
rock. After descending about 1,800 ft. 
the traveller reaches a curious rock, 
naturally broken into ledges which 
form convenient seats, called Table au 
Chantre. Half an hr. below this, and 
less than 2 hrs. from the summit (3 hrs. 
ascending), is the Pierre a Bfrard 
(7,498'), a huge detached rock, under 
which travellers formerly bivouacked. 
A little chalet inn has been opened 
here for the convenience of those 
ascending from Chamouni. Complaints 
have been made of extortionate charges. 
From hence a mule-path is carried 
down the side of the mountain till, 
after passing a grove of larches, it 
reaches a little grassy plain. Lower 
down the track lies amidst huge blocks 
of protogine, and finally gains the val- 
ley of the Eau Noire, sometimes called 
Val de Berard, passing the hamlet 
of Couteraie, near to the Cascade 
de Poyaz, and joining the frequented 
track from Chamouni to the Tete 
Noire a short way above Valorsine 
(§ 16, lite. H). The point here reached 
is nearly 4-i hrs. from the summit (6^- 
hrs. are required for the ascent), and 
the traveller may find very fair quarters 
for the night at the little inn where the 
path to the Cascade de la Barberine 
turns off a short distance below Val- 
orsine. In the opposite direction Argen- 
tine may be reached in \ \ hr., and 
Chamouni in 3 hrs.' easy walking. 

In ascending the Buet by the Eau 



242 PENNINE ALPS. § 

Noire the practised mountaineer may 
take a nearly direct, but very steep 
course, from the Pierre a Berard. The 
rope and ice-axe are needed in the 
ascent. 

Besides the two ridges already 
spoken of, leading to the summit of 
the Buet, a third descends about due 
S., and connects together the nearly 
parallel ranges of the Aiguilles Rouges 
with that extending from the Roehers 
des Fys to the Dent du Midi. In so 
doing the same ridge divides the waters 
which flow through the Dioza SW. to 
Servoz from those that run NE. through 
the Val de Berard to the Trient. 
There is no difficulty in descending 
along this ridge to the Cul de Salenton 
(8,1 60') leading from Servoz toValorsine. 
This is reached in l£ hr. from the 
summit (2£ hrs. are required for the 
ascent), and 1 hr. more suffices to 
reach the Chalet* de Villy, the highest 
in the valley of the Dioza (6,076'). 
where persons ascending Irom this side 
find tolerable accommodation for the 
night. It is, however, necessary to 
take provisions. 

There are two paths from Villy 
to Servoz, both keeping to the rt. 
of the Dioza torrent. The more 
direct way, passable for mules between 
Servoz and the Col de Salenton, is by 
the Chalets de Moe'de. 3^ hrs. suffice 
for the descent to Servoz, and 4£ hrs. 
for the ascent. The other path, about 
£ hr. longer, passes by the Lac de 
Pormenaz. 

In fine weather, the most interesting 
route from the Buet to Chamouni is to 
follow a faintly- marked path about due 
S. from the Chalets de Villy to the 
ridge of the Brevent, and so combine 
in a single day's walk the two finest 
views of the range of Mont Blanc. It 
is not necessary to gain the highest 
point of the Brevent, as the view is 
nearly as complete from a point in the 
ridge nearer to Planpraz (see § 16, 
Rte. A), which is easily reached in 
3 hrs. from Villy, or 5| hrs. from the 
Buet. In little more than £ hr. the 
traveller may descend to the little inn 



17. SIXT DISTRICT. 

at Planpraz, where, if he be tired or be- 
lated, he will find pretty good but not 
cheap quarters for the night, or else 
may reach Chamouni in 2 hrs. 

The preferable route between Sixt 
and Chamouni, for ordinary travellers, 
who do not attempt arduous ascents, is 
doubtless the new track lately com- 
pleted. This passes by Les Fonds, and 
then, bearing somewhat W. of S., 
mounts to the Col d'Anterne (Rte. C) 
(about 4 hrs. from Sixt) by the pastures 
of the Montagne des Grasses Chevres; 
it then descends SE. to the Chalets de 
Moe'de, traverses the Dioza, and mounts 
by the Chalets of Arlevaz to the sum- 
mit of the Brevent (2f hrs. from the 
Col d'Anterne), whence Chamouni is 
reached by the ordinary route (§ 16, 
Rte. A). 

The torrent of the Dioza flows in 
great part amidst carboniferous rocks, 
lying between the crystalline mass of 
the Brevent and the jurassic strata that 
extend SW. from the Buet to the Col 
d'Anterne. The trias and lias are re- 
presented by two comparatively thin 
bands, whose outcrop is on the steep 
NW. declivity of the valley. Near the 
junction of the carboniferous strata 
with the trias, fossil remains of plants 
are abundant. Mr. Wills, guided by 
Auguste BaJ.nat, found unusually fine 
specimens on the slopes above the 
Chalets de Moede. 

Route E. 

SIXT TO MARTIGNY, BY SALVAN. 

Few portions of the Alps have been 
so imperfectly explored as the chain 
between the Buet and the Dent du 
Midi : the best information respecting it 
is found in a paper by Mr. A. Wills in 
the second volume of the ' Alpine Jour- 
nal.' The principal summits, all formed 
of jurassic limestone, form a range 
parallel to the two principal valleys 
that enclose it on either side — the Val 
dTlliez and the Val du Trient. Several 
tributary glens descend nearly due E. 
from this rauge. One of these is tra- 



HOUTE E. SIXT TO MARTIGNY. 243 



versed by the Salanfe, or Salense torrent, 
and joins the Rhone near Vernayaz ; 
the next descends from the Chalets 
d'Emaney to join the Trient at Trin- 
quent ; while a third, bending S. of E. 
is traversed by the Barberine torrent, 
which joins the Eau Noire — the true 
source of the Trient — below Valorcine 
( § 16, Rte. H). 

The least difficult way from Sixt to 
Martigny lies by the slopes of the Tete 
Noire, which is the prominent summit 
at the centre of the amphitheatre of the 
Fer-a-Cheval. Though appearing very 
steep, it is said that the ascent is not 
difficult. Behind the Tete Noire the 
track traverses the ridge of the Gre- 
nairon, and then descends to the Chalets 
des Vieux Emoussons — about 7g hrs. 
from Sixt. Following the course of the 
torrent until this enters a narrow cleft, 
it becomes necessary to mount on the 
1. to the Col de la Gueula (6,380') an 
obvious opening in the range. A pretty 
well-marked track leads thence to 
Finhaut (§ 16, Rte. H.), and in that 
way Martigny is reached in about 
ll£ hrs. In default of a recognised 
name, we shall call this pass Col de 
Grenairon (height about 8,000 ft.). By 
bearing to the rt. from the top of the 
pass it is possible to descend into the 
valley of the Eau Noire (last Rte.), and 
thus reach Chamouni by Argentiere in 
from 12 to 13 hrs. 

A more difficult and rarely used wa- y 
from Sixt to Martigny is by the Col de 
Tenneverges (8,134'), traversed in 1864 
by the Rev. J. R. King, and the Rev. 
J. Riddell. The former traveller has 
favoured the Editor with notes of the 
expedition. * Guided by Jos. Bozon, 
the landlord at Sixt, who asked 10 fr. 
for taking us to the summit, we left 
the road to the Fond de la Combe, 
about lj hr. from Sixt. Following the 
course of the Pane (Pas Noir?) torrent 
to a waterfall (La Meridienne) which it 
forms as it bursts out from the face of 
the precipice, the ascent commences by 
ledges of slate rock, forming high and 
narrow steps. These are followed by 
steep slopes of grass, whereon crampons 



are sometimes required. Having nearly 
gained the level of the top of the Fer-a- 
Cheval precipices, we turned sharp to 
the rt., and wound round a series of 
rather treacherous shoulders of shale, 
formed of debris from the Pic de Ten- 
neverges, till we came to an open valley 
running upward along the S. side of 
that peak to the Col.' The upper pas- 
tures being inaccessible to cattle from 
the side of Sixt, are always let to Swiss 
herdsmen from the Trient side. The 
Col (8,134') was attained in 5 hi s. from 
the valiey. It is necessary to commence 
the descent by bearing to the rt. to a 
stone man, which is reached in 20 min. 
There is no further difficulty in reaching 
the chalets of Barberine, and thence fol- 
lowing the torrent to those of Les 
Emoussons, where this route joins that 
above described ; 12 hrs., clear of halts, 
are needed to reach the Barberine inn 
from Sixt. From the upland valley on 
the SW. side of the Col, Mr. A. Wills 
made the first ascent of the Pic de 
Tenneverges in 1863. He again reached 
the summit in 1864, with Mr. A. Mil- 
man, from the Col de Sageroux, cross- 
ing the glaciers of Mont Kuan. 

A third way from Sixt to the valley 
of the Trient is by the Tenneverges du 
Buet, mentioned by Mr. Wills, but no 
particulars have reached the Editor. 
The pass from Salvan to Sixt, named in 
the first edition Col de Tenneverges, 
is probahly the Col de Sageroux. 

The mountain mass between the Pic 
de Tenneverges and the Dent du Midi 
is collectively known as Mont Euan. 
It culminates in the Tour Salliere 
( 1 0,587'), the highest of the Savoy Alps 
N. of Mont Blanc, first reached in 1858 
by a Swiss traveller, led by the guides 
< >berhausen and Julien Rey of Val 
d'llliez. Mr. W. H. Lawrence, with 
Oherhausen, started from Bonnavaux 
(lite. H), followed for l| hr. the way 
to the Dent du Midi, then turned to the 
rt., and in 25 min. reached a cleft called 
La Cheminee. Above this they turned 
nearly due S. towards the Glacier du 
Mont Ruan. A long and steep ascent 
(with much step-cutting) led to aplateau 



244 



PENNINE ALPS. § 



17. si xt DisTRier. 



•whence the topmost ridge was attained. 
They descended by the Vieux Emous- 
boijs to the Barberine Inn. Time, 14 
hrs.' actual walking from Bonnavaux. 



Route F. 

SAMOENS TO CHAMPERY AND MONTHEY. 
9 hrs.' walking. 
Next to Sixt the most attractive 
place to a mountaineer in this dis- 
trict is Champery, in the Val d'llliez. 
It has the double advantage of being 
very easy of access, and being pro- 
vided with two pretty good inns. The 
route here described affords an easy 
way for connecting the two together. 
The passes leading directly from Sixt. 
described in the next Rte., are more 
interesting to the mountaineer, but 
not easy enough for ordinary tourists. 
The way from Samoens to Champery 
is by an easy mule-path, and requires 
but 6 hrs.' steady walking. Mules take 
6^ hrs. exclusive of halts. It lies 
through very pleasing forest scenery, 
near to the NW. limit of the cretaceous 
and tertiary rocks of the mountain 
ranges N. of Sixt, which abut uncon- 
formable on the liassic and triassic 
strata forming the head of the valley of 
the Dranse (Rte. L). A char-road 
from Samoens to Thonon, which would 
replace the first part of this route, has 
been for some time in contemplation, 
but little progress appears to have been 
made. The path from Samoens 
mounts a little E. of N. for about ^ hr. 
to Moulins, and then due N. for 1 hr. 
more, through very picturesque scenery, 
to Allamans. From hence two tracks 
lead across the Col de Goleze. That 
usually followed reaches the top in 1^ 
hr., passing by the Chalets de Goleze, 
where wine, bread, and cheese are to be 
found ; the other, a few minutes shorter, 
passes by the Chalets de la Croix. The 
Col de Goleze (about 5,600') overlooks 
the head of the valley of the Dranse, 
which is poured into the Lake of 
Geneva, near Thonon (Rte. I ), and 
another rather higher pass, called Col 



de Coux, leads from the head of the 
same valley to Champery. It is there- 
fore desirable to descend as little as 
possible towards the Dranse, and the 
path accordingly winds round the head 
of the valley, beneath some fine lime- 
stone crags, amidst magnificent timber. 
Rather more than \± hr. is required to 
reach the Col de Coux (about 6,400'). 
marked by a cross. The descent is at 
first rather steep, but after passing, 
about half-way, a streamlet that issues 
from a sulphureous spring, it becomes 
more gentle, and keeping along the 1. 
bank of the torrent it reaches, in 2 hrs. 
from the Col, the village of 

Champery (Inns : H. de la Dent du 
Midi, tolerably good, not quite satis- 
factory — pension b\ fr. a day ; Croix 
Federate, second-rate, not bad — pension 
4^ fr. daily), beautifully situated at 
3,412 (?) ft. above the sea, close to 
the base of the Dent du Midi. The 
ascent of that fine peak is described in 
Rte. H. There are many other less 
laborious excursions suited to ordinary 
tourists. A guide named Joseph Obro- 
zenn (Oberhausen ?), and another, by 
name A. Perm, have been well recom- 
mended. 

The Dent de Bonnavaux is often 
ascended for the sake of the view, 
being much easier of access than the 
Dent du Midi. The excursion, though 
rather long, is free from difficulty, and 
practicable for ladies who are good 
walkers. The ascent lies in great part 
by the track leading to the Col de Sage- 
roux (Rte. G), and is said to require 
6 hrs. An excursion recommended to 
less active travellers is to mount the 
slopes SW. of the Chalets de Bonnavaux 
to a cross on a little col, and then to 
the summit of a knoll to the rt. The 
return may be made by descending on 
the N. side of the same ridge to the 
chalets of Barme. 

A new char-road along the 1. bank 
of the Vieze through the Val d'llliez, 
from Champery to Monthey, has lately 
been completed. The distance is about 
9 m., and the descent so rapid that 
in mounting from Monthey no time is 



ROUTE G. — COL DE SAGEROUX. 



245 



gained by taking a carriage. The valley 
abounds in picturesque scenery, and is 
now deservedly frequented, though 
scarcely known a few years ago. The 
first village, about 1 hr. below Champery, 
is called Vol d'lUiez, and nearly 1 hr. 
farther at the junction of the path from 
Morgin (Rte. M.) is Trots Torrents, 
where the bridge commands a striking 
view. In making the new road, many 
of the famous erratic blocks lying on the 
slope above Monthey (Rte. I) have 
been split up. A foot-passenger wishing 
to go direct to Bex may shorten his road 
by crossing the Vieze opposite Trois 
Torrents, and following a path along 
the S. side of the valley to Chouex, and 
then descending to Massongex opposite 
Bex (§ 18, Rte. A). 

Route G. 

8IXT TO CHAMPERY. 

Two paths lead from Sixt to Cham- 
pery, the best-known and most interest- 
ing of which is that by the Col de 
Snge'roux. It was formerly considered 
difficult, and even dangerous; but the 
way has been improved, and it is now 
quite within the reach of any one used 
to mountain excursions. A guide is 
necessary. 

1. By the Col de Sageroux. A 
charming walk of 2 hrs. up the valley of 
Sixt, and through its upper end, called 
La Combe, brings the traveller to the foot 
of a steep path cut in the rocky wall to 
the 1., known as the Pas du Bore. 
During the ascent the grandest views 
are obtained of the mountains to the 
8. of the valley of Sixt, the Pic de 
Tenneverges on the opposite side of the 
Combe being the most conspicuous. 
After a steep climb of 30 to 45 m. the 
Chalets du Bore are reached, and 30 m. 
above them, after traversing a succession 
of beautiful pastures and another rocky 
track, a second mountain shelf is gained, 
marked by a huge fragment of rock 
called the Pierre du Dard. Turning 
to the rt. the path passes first through 
pastures interspersed with rocky surfaces, 



some of the latter showing apparent 
traces of glacier action, and in less 
than 30 m. after quitting the Pierre du 
Dard, the chalets of Vauzalle are 
reached. These are situated in an exqui- 
site little amphitheatre of green, set in a 
framework of the most rugged rocks. 

'The way to the col now passes over 
a succession of hillocks and ravines of 
slaty debris, but the track is very ill- 
defined, though in clear weather there 
is no difficulty in maintaining the direc- 
tion. Looking back, the Buet and Mont 
Blanc successively appear above the 
lower intervening ridges, and in 1 hr. 
the summit is reached. The view in 
all directions, except the immediate 
foreground, is striking and beautiful. 
The valleys of Sixt and Illiez are seen 
far below on either hand, and around 
them rise the noble summits of Mont 
Blanc, the Buet, the Pic de Tenneverges, 
the Dent du Midi, and the mountains on 
the other side of the Rhone. The rocks 
on the E. side of the pass present some 
mauvais pas, as the debris is shifting, 
and the footing consequently insecure, 
especially after a recent fall of snow. 
It is necessary to keep at first to the 1., 
and then zigzag down the steep shaly 
slopes. A bar of iron has been planted 
to give a firm grasp in one awkward 
place. Prom 20 to 30 min. suffice for 
the descent into a desert and unattrac- 
tive upland valley, at the lower or E. 
extremity of which are the Chalets tie 
Sesanfe, or Susanfe (6,398'). 

'A magnificent glacier is seen in front, 
descending from between the Mont 
Ruan(?) and the Tour Salliere. A few 
min. farther on, and turning to the 1., a 
spot called the Pas d'Enferne is reached, 
commanding a most beautiful view of 
the course of the Val d'llliez. 

'A steep path now leads down through 
a ravine beneath the magnificent preci- 
pices of the Dent du Midi, then turns 
to the 1., and, in less than 1 hr. after 
quitting the Chalets de Sesanfe, reaches 
the hamlet of Bonnavaux, and, travers- 
ing a fine pine forest, in 30 min. more 
this route rejoins that of the Golette 
d' O ulaz. A good char -road leads thence 



246 fenhhie alps. § ; 

t \ Champery in f hr., crossing the main j 
stream about 10 min. from the village. < 
The enthe way from the Chalets de 
Sesanfe is a succession of scenes of the 
utmost grandeur combined with the 
richest and softest beauty ; and I know 
few excursions more to be recommended 
ihan the passage of the Col de SaL r e- 
rcux.' — [F. F. T.] 

Time, not including halts, 8 to 9 hrs. 

In ascending from Champery, a notch 
in the rocks above the waterfall of B m- 
navaux marks the point where the track 
has been earned. The ascent on that 
side is in part a rather steep scramble. 
In one place a wire rope has been fixed 
to assist the traveller. 

2. By the Golette (TOulaz. The track 
lies by the same way as that just de- 
scribed as far as the Chalets de Yauzalle. 
nearly 4 hrs. from Sixt. At the chalets 
a path turns off to the L, passing near 
io a little lake, and mounts through a 
w ild glen leading to a sort of chimney 
in the rock, called Golette dOulaz. 
Keeping nearly due N., the summit of 
the pass (known at Champery as Col de 
la Bedaz ?) is reached by steep slopes oi 
snow. The descent also lies over suow- 
siopes. A short way from the top a track 
to the L leads down a lateral valley to 
Allamaas and Sarnoens (Kte.F). The 
descent to Champery is said to be at 
least as difficult as that from the Col de 
>ageroux, and the way is longer by 1 
hr. At the Chalets de Bar me the track 
reaches one of the principal branches 
into which the Val d'illiez divides 
above Champery, about 2 hrs. from 
that place. 

Both in this and the route by the Co' 
de Sageronx it is possible to avoid the 
steep and rather slippery staircase of 
the Pas ce Bore by a circuitous path 
used for driving cows up the higher 
pastures. This way is said to be longer 
by i hr. 



17. SIXT DISTRICT. 

i 

Route H. 

CHAMPERY TO MAETIGNT — ASCENT OF 
THE DENT DU MIDI. 

An active mountaineer may combine 
the ascent of the Dent du Midi with the 
way from Champery to Martigny in a 
single long day. But however the 
ascent may be made, it is advisable to 
make an early start, as the distance is 
considerable. 

The most direct way to the summit 
of this remarkable peak is by the Croix 
de Zeleze ; in all, about 5h hrs. It is 
said to require a very steady head, as it 
traverses the face of precipices. The 
way usually taken is longer, but quite 
free from danger. The traveller mounts 
in 1^ hr. from Champery to the hamlet 
of Bonnavaux, where tolerable quarters 
may be had for the night. A sort of 
staircase, called l'Echelle, leads up steep 
rocks to an elevated glen, wherein the 
stream from the Col de Sageroux, to 
the WSW., meets the stream from the 
Col de Sesanfe, lying EKE., at the 
Chalets de Sesanfe. Here grows the 
rare Eryngium alpinum. The traveller 
now mounts to the last-named Col about 
due S. of the Dent du Midi, and the last 
part of the accent lies in great part over 
steep slopes of debris. By this way atleast 
a hrs. are required to reach the highest 
peak from Bonnavaux. The view is one 
of the finest in this part of the Alps, 
having the advantage of immediately 
overlooking a great part of the valley of 
the Rhone, and the E. end of the lake 
of Geneva, along with the noble pano- 
rama of the Pennine and Bernese Alps. 
The height, according to the Federal 
Survey, is 10.450 ft. 

The Col de Sesanfe (7,940 ) connects 
the Dent du Midi with the Tour Sal- 
liere, and offers the only easy way for 
passing from the head of Yal d'illiez to 
that of the Trient. On returning to 
the Col from the Dent da Midi, 
the traveller may reach Martigny in 
little more time than is required to 



ROUTE I. SOUTH SIDE OF THE LAKE OF GENEVA. 



247 



get back to Champe'ry, but the. descent 
is considerably steeper on this side. 
The first chalets reached are those of 
Salanfe. The traveller may either follow 
the stream of that name down to the high- 
road between St. Maurice and Martigny 
(§ 18, Rte. A), close to the Vernayaz 
station on the railway, or, by bearing to 
the rt., he may reach in 2 hrs. Salvetit, in 
the valley of the Trient (§ 16, Rte. H). 
To reach St. Maurice, he may follow a 
path from the Chalets oe Salanfe to the 
Col de'Zora (?), leading by the Vallee 
de St. Barthelemi to the valley of the 
Rhone near Evionnaz (§ 18). 

A traveller bound from Champery to 
Chamouni may avail himself of the Col 
de Sesanfe to reach the inn of the Tere 
Noire, or that of the Barberine in a long 
day's walk. Having crossed the col, he 
will find a path to the rt., a little above 
the chalets of Salanfe, leading to the Col 
iVEmaney. This gives access to a 
steep and wild glen that descends 
from the Mont Ruan to join the 
Trient. The writer is informed that 
a track leads in 2% hrs. to Finhaut, 
nearly opposite the Tete Noire; but 
to judge from the map, the distance 
must be considerably greater. It is 
said to be a better course for a traveller 
bound for Chamouni to traverse a third 
pass — Colde Barberine — connecting tlie 
head of the Einaney glen with that of 
the Barberine torrent, and to descend 
to the inn below Valorsine, passing 
by the chalets of Emoussons. This 
•would, however, be a long walk, pro- 
bably not less than 14 hrs., exclusive 
cf halts. 

A new pass, effected by Mr. Contts 
Trotter with Peter Bohren, is notieed 
in the 4th number of the ' Alpine 
Journal,' under the questionable name 
4 Col des Tours Sallieres.' According 
to the present standard of mountaineers 
it does not seem to be a difficult pass, 
though rather long and steep on both 
sides. From the col, between the Tour 
Salliere and Mont Ruan, the descent 
on the S. side -is by the Glacier des 
Fonds. There is some difficulty in 
finding a very rough and steep hunters' 
path that descends along the r v . bank 



of the Barberine torrent to the valley of 
Eau Noire, and it is probably a better 
plan to follow the ordinary track by the 
Col de la Gueula (Rte. E). 



Route I. 

GENEVA TO ST. MAURICE, BY THONON. 

Kil i< etres Eng. mile* 

Douvaine . .Is II | 

Thonon ... 16 10 

Evian ... 10 6J 

St. Gingolph . 17 10* 

Bouveret. . 4 2£ 

Vionnaz . . 10 61 

Monthev 8 5 

St. Maurice . 5 3 



In the extensive tract of hilly or 
mountainous country lying between the 
Giffre and the Lake of Geneva the only 
frequented road is that which, sweeping 
in a semicircle round the N. boundary 
of this district, connects Geneva with 
St. Maurice in the valley of the Rhone. 
This formed a portion of the original 
road of the Simplon, being the shortest 
way between Geneva and that pass. It 
has, however, been less frequented than 
the road by the N. shore of the lake, 
described in § 18, partly because of the 
attractions of Lausanne and Vevey on 
that side of the lake, and in part be- 
cause travellers dislike the formalities of 
the custom-house and passport offices en- : 
countered in entering Savoy near Geneva, 
and returning to Swiss territory at St. 
Gingolph. At present the railway along 
the N. shore carries most passengers 
who are pressed for time; but a rival 
and shorter line is in progress along the 
Savoy side of the lake. Passengers 
reaching Bouveret by steamer, or by the 
road here described, may continue their 
way to St. Maurice by the railway con- 
necting those stations on the Ligne 
dTtalie railroad. 

After leaving the city, the road lies 
for about 7 m. through the Canton of 
Geneva, passing many villages and scat- 
tered villas, of which the Villa Diodati, 
at Cologny, is remembered as the resi- 
dence of Byron. Here the road com- 
mands views of the lake and the Jura 



248 



PENNINE ALPS. § 



17. tiixr DISTRICT. 



on one side, and on the other extends 
along the valley of the Aire to Mont 
Blanc. A stream named Herwance 
forms the boundary between Switzer- 
land and Savoy, and the road, here 
separated from the lake by a projecting 
tract, of hilly ground, traverses a low 
and uninteresting district, in the midst 
of which lies 

Douvaiue (Inn : Lion d*Or). The 
higher Alps are shut out by the range 
of the Voirons (Rte. K), and a little 
farther on the hill of Boisy, rising about 
1,100 ft. on the rt. of the road, covered 
with vineyards, commands a fine view, 
and exhibits an undulation of the mo- 
lasse,here breaking through the diluvium 
which covers all the low country near 
the lake. About 13 m. from Geneva, at 
Massongy, the road regains a view of 
the lake and the surrounding heights, 
which remain in view from hence to 
Bauveret. About 8 m. farther is 

Thonon (Inns: Europe, bad and 
iirty; Ville de Geneve, closed in 
1865), the ancient capital of the provirce 
of Chablais. The upper town contains 
the chief buildings, and a terrace-walk 
planted with trees and commanding the 
lake and the mountains. Near at hand, 
on the alluvial deposits thrust into the 
lake by the impetuous torrent of the 
Lrause, are the remains of the castle, 
afterwards monastery, of Ripaille, twice 
the retreat of Amadeus VIII, forty 
years sovereign Connt and Duke of 
Savoy ; then, after a retirement of five 
years, elected Pope as Felix Y., who 
died here after renouncing that dignity 
as well as his dukedom, leaving a rare 
reputation for wisdom and moderation. 
The French sold the castle to a farmer 
in 1793, and little remains to attest its 
former splendour. 

About 2 m. beyond Thonon the road 
crosses the Dranse by a long bridge of 
24 arches, leaving on the rt. the road to 
St. Jean d'Aulph and Morzine (Rte. L). 
Passing some magnificent chestnut trees, 
which have been partly cut down of late 
years, the road soon reaches Amphion, 
where a good hotel (Casino), chalybeate 
waters, aud gambling, attract SwiiS 



visitors during the summer. Omnibusei 

ply between this place and 

Evian (Inns : H. des Bains, very 
good ; Nord ; France ; H. des Alpes ; 
Cheval Blanc), a small town jnst oppo- 
site to Lausanne, and on one of the finest 
sites on the lake. A mineral spring 
whose water is nearly tasteless enjoys a 
considerable reputation, and a hydro- 
pathic establishment also attracts visi- 
tors during the summer months. The 
climate is coolei than that of Vevey, but 
more variable, being much exposed to 
winds from the lake. An enormous 
chestnut tree at Neuvecelle, |- m. from 
the town, is visited by strangers. The 
ascent of the Dent dTOcht (S,010 ; ) may 
be made from hence in about 6 hrs., but 
St. Gingolph is a better starting-point. 

The high-road beyond Evian passes 
close to the lake, which on this side 
presents lar bolder scenery than on the 
opposite shore. After about 6 m. it 
reaches Meillerie, familiar to the readers 
of the 4 Nouvelle Heloise,' where the 
rocks plunge directly into the lake, 
hu-e about 800 ft. in depth. The 
hamlet of Bret, 2§ m. beyond Meillerie, 
is said to occupy the site of TauretunuTii, 
destroyed in the 6th century by the 
fall of a considerable mass of moun- 
tain, which is said to have caused ex- 
tensive havoc on the shores of the l&ka 
by the massive waves which arose be- 
yond their accnstomed limits. 

St Gingolph (Inn : La Poste, in- 
different), is a village divided into two 
by the Morges torrent, here marking the 
frontier between Switzerland and Savoy. 
This stream rises from a group of 
mountains, the highest in the immediate 
neighbourhood of the lake, which go 
by the collective name Lents d'Oehe. 
The highest summit may be reached in 
about 5 hrs. The more massive range 
of the Grammont, immediately S. of 
St. Gingolph, is even better worth a 
visit, as it mure immediately overlooks 
the lake and the valley of the Rhone 
as far as St. Maurice. The highest 
point, sometimes called Signal de Votryi 
(7,176'), commands, in addition, a 
flue Alpine panorama. The most 



ROUTE K. BONNEVILLE TO THUNON. 



2 49 



pleasing route for the descent is by the 
glen and lake of Taney to Vouvry. The 
following note recommends another 
interesting excursion, connecting St. 
Gingolph with Vouvry. 

' Ascend by the banks of the Morges, 
through a wood of splendid chestnut and 
walnut trees, at the back of St. Gingolph, 
as far as Novel. Here take a southerly 
direction towards a col, passing under 
the Chat d'Oche, and having crossed it, 
proceed until you have the Cornettes 
to the SE. ; ascend a pasture valley to 
the Chalets of Bise, and from thence 
the summit of the Cornettes is easily 
gained. The view is magnificent, and 
is scarcely surpassed by any lake-view 
in Switzerland. Descend nearly due 
E., by the pretty little Lac de Taney, 
and you will be quite prepared to enjoy 
a good supper and comfortable bed 
at the modest inn at Vouvry.' — 
[R. W. E. F.] 

Bouveret (Inn : La Tour), 2^ m. 
from St. Gingolph, is close to the 
mouth of the Rhone, and is a place of 
somo traffic, being the station for the 
lake steamers, and the present terminus 
of the Ligne d'ltalie Railroad. This 
line is carried SSE. along the 1. bank, 
or Valais side of the Rhone, being 
joined at St. Maurice by the W. Swiss 
line, which traverses the opposite or 
Vaudois side of the valley. 

About l£ m. from the lake is Porte 
Valais, which, fourteen centuries ago, 
stood on the shore. Skirting the base of 
the mountain, where a fort and draw- 
bridge formerly guarded this entrance 
to the Valais, the road is carried to 

Vouvry (Inn: La Poste, fair), near 
which is the outlet of the Stockalper 
Canal, excavated in the last century by 
an individual of that name, to drain 
the marshes that occupy a large portion 
of the valley. Besides the Grammont, 
mentioned above, an excursion may be 
made from hence to the Pic de Linleux 
(6,181')» also said to command a noble 
view, and to the lakes of Arcon and 
Arvin, reputed for their trout. 2 m. far- 
ther is Vionnaz, and several other small 
villages are passed before reaching 



Monthey (Inn: La Croix d'Or, tole- 
rably good), at the opening of the 
Val d'iliiez (Ete. F), well known to 
geologists for the erratic blocks to 
which attention was first called by M. 
de Charpentier. On the slope above 
the village a vast assemblage of huge 
blocks of protogine granite, exactly 
similar to that found in the Val Ferret 
on the E. side of Mont Blanc, remain 
in the site where they were left by the 
retirement of the great glacier that 
once traversed the valley of the Ehone. 
Similar blocks recur at intervals above 
Vionnaz, and at several oth.r places on 
the W. slope of the valley, but they 
are nowhere seen on so great a scale as 
here. One block is about 70 ft. long, 
36 ft. broad, and 33 ft. high. 2 nu 
beyond Monthey is Massougex, con- 
nected by a new bridge with Bex. 
The valley rapidly contracts between 
the opposite bases of the Dent du Midi 
and the Dent de Morcles, as the railway 
reaches 

St. Maurice (Inns: Union; Ecu du 
Valais), described in § 18, Ete. A. 



Eoute K. 

BONNEVILLE TO T HON ON. 

The N. part of Savoy, forming the 
ancient province of Chablais, and lying 
between the Arve and Giffre and the 
Lake of Geneva, contains much pleasing 
scenery, though none that can be called 
grand. The district might well be visited 
early in the season, before the higher Alps 
of Savoy are conveniently accessible. 
The prevailing direction of the ridges 
and the minor valleys is parallel to that 
of the Mont Blanc range— SW. to NE. 
Three roads are here indicated, but the 
country is easily accessible in every 
direction, and a pedestrian may choose 
his own course without meeting serious 
obstruction. 

L By Bonne and Machilly. Post- 
road— 26^ m. Following for about 7$ 
m. the high-road from Bonneville t» 



250 



PENNINE ALPS. § 



17. SIXT DISTRICT. 



Geneva (§ 16, lite. A), the traveller 
turns to the rt. before reaching Nangy, 
and in about 2 m. arrives at Bonne, a 
village on the Menoge, lying im- 
mediately S. of the Voirons. a range 
of hills formed of tertiary rock, often 
visited from Geneva for the sake of the 
view over the lake and the Jura on one 
side, and the snowy Alps on the other. 
There is now an hotel and pension, near- 
ly 4,000 ft. above the sea, affording good 
accommodation and very fine views. 
It is reached by road (carriage daily) 
from Geneva, and also from Boege. 
The finest point of view, though not 
the highest summit, is said to be a 
conical eminence above the Chalet de 
Pralaire, immediately N. of Bonne, 
4,613 ft. above the sea. This may be 
easily reached in about 2| hrs. from the 
village. The road sweeps round the 
W. base of the Voirons, passing near 
to, but not crossing, the bounds of the 
Canton of Geneva, and at Machilly 
joins a carriage-road from that city, 
about 10 m. distant. From hence, or 
from Langin, the N. end of the Voirons 
is easily accessible. The ruined tower 
of Langin, on the rt. of the road, com- 
mands a noble view. Passing through 
JBons, Brenthomme, and Lully, and 
within sight of many other villages 
lying on either side, the road leaves on 
one hand the ruins of the castle of La 
Roehette, and soon after approaches the 
more extensive remains of the castle of 
Alliums. To reach the ruins it is 
shorter to turn to the rt. from the post- 
road some time before reaching the 
cross-road which mounts to the village 
of the same name. Though long 
abandoned, the chapel is still in tole- 
rable condition, and the roof shows 
traces of very early fresco painting. 
The castle stood at about 1,100 ft. above 
the lake, and, like every eminence in 
this beautiful district, enjoyed a noble 
view. About \\ hr. from the castle is 
Thonon (Rte. I). 

2. By Boege. Char-road — about 34 
miles Instead of following the road 
from Bonne to Machilly, this road issues 
from the first-named village in - the 



opposite direction, ascends along the 
rt. bank of the Menoge stream, passing 
fir>t along the S., then by the W. flank 
of the Voirons, and in about 16 m. 
from Bonneville, reaches Boege (2,294'), 
a small town with several country inns. 
The road now crosses to the rt. bank of 
the stream, which it follows nearly to 
its source, passing the villages of 
Habere Lullin and Habere Pocbe. 
From hence the shortest way for a 
pedestrian is by a path nearly due N 
to the Castle of Allinges (see above), 
which is reached in about 3 hrs. The 
rough char-road mounts NE. to the 
Col des Fourches dHubere (4,685'). a 
slight depression in a range of wooded 
hills. From the col the road descends 
to Lullin, and about 2 m. farther to 
Vailly, close to the junction of the 
Fulaz with the Brevon. Keeping along 
the slope at some height above the 
united streams which are soon merged 
in the Dranse, the way follows the 
course of the latter stream by the old 
road, passing l'Epine and Armoy, noted 
lor its extensive gypsum quarries, 
which are connected by a tram-way 
with Thonon. 

3. By St. Jeoire and Megevette. 
About 30 m. Char-road to Megevette. 
Mule-ti-ack thence to Vailley. The 
conical peak of the Mole lies be- 
tween Bonneville and St. Jeoire, and a 
pedestrian in fine weather should take 
that mountain in his way from one 
place to the other. Vehicles follow the 
old road to Sallanches, and, instead of 
crossing the Giffre by the bridge beyond 
Marigny, follow the rt. bank of that 
stream to its confluence with the Riche, 
and then mounting along the banks of 
the Riche, reach St. Jeoire (Rte. A) in 
about 8 m. from Bonneville. A char- 
road is carried up the valley of the 
Riche to Onion, the principal village, 
and thence to Megevette, about 3,000 
ft. above the sea. Nearly due N. of 
the latter village is the Col de Jain- 
baz, reached by a gentle ascent in about 
1 hr. From the summit a path to the 
1. leads to Lullin, in the glen of the 
Fulaz . (see above), .and another to tha 



EOUTE L. THONON TO SAMOENS. 



2.11 



rt is the way to the upper part of 
the vallt-y of Bellavaux, whence vari- 
ous paths lead to Tanninges, in the 
valley of the Giffrc. The mule-track 
descends from the col directly to Bella- 
vaux, also calls d Contamines, the chief 
village in the Val de Bellavaux. This 
is traversed by the Brevon, or Dranse 
d'Enfer, descending from the Mont Som- 
man and the Roc d'Enfer (7,435') to 
join the main stream of the Dranse 
(Rte. L), about 7 m. above Thonon. The 
Brevon receives the minor torrent of 
the Fulaz about 4 m. below Bellavaux, 
and the way to Thonon descends along 
the 1. bank till near the junction, when 
it bears to the left, and joins the char- 
road from Luliin at Vailly, nearly 9 in. 
from Tnonon. 



Route L. 

THONON TO SAMOENS. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. mTes 
La Vernaz 3 9 
Biot ... If H 
Montrinnd If 5? 
Samoens . . 4 12 

The old road by which country car- 
riages ascended the valley of the Dranse 
lay along the 1. bank of the stream, 
passing Armoy. This involved several 
ascents and descents, and a new road, 
easier and more picturesque, is partly 
completed by the right bank. The 
Dranse is reached about 1 m. from 
Thonon, and as the valley enters the 
hills the slopes become very steep, and 
the scenery varied and interesting. 
After about 5 m. the road approaches 
the point where the main stream re- 
ceives from the SW. the Brevon, or 
Dranse d'Enfer, and a little higher up 
is joined by the Dranse d'Abondance, 
flowing eastward from the N. side of 
the Dents d'Oche. The road here 
crosses to thel. bank, and mounts to the 
village of La Vernaz. This is con- 
nected with the smaller village of For- 

PAKT L 8 



claz, on the rt. bank of the Dranse. by 
a natural rock-bridge. The road con- 
tinues along the 1. bank of the main 
stream for about 3 m., and then returns 
near the hamlet of Gy to the rt. bank. 
Two m. farther is Bint, the chief vil- 
lage of the valley (2.684'). Here the 
stream flows nearly at a level for a con- 
siderable distance, and the green basin 
was formerly chosen for the site of the 
Abbey of Aulpb, the ruins of which are 
passed on the rt. bank, while the village 
of St. Jean d'4ulph remains on the op- 
posite side of the Dranse. There is a 
tolerable inn (a PUnion) on the rt. banlc 
at Les Plans, and there is, or was, 
another (Chez Doller). Fully 3 m. 
farther is the village of Montriond 
(3.051'), made up of several scattered 
hamlets, where the Dranse is formed by 
the union of three mountain torrents. 
The E. branch descends from the CoJ 
de Chesery (Rte. M); the S. branch, 
scarcely 3 m. in length, is traversed by 
a char-road, which, avoiding Montriond; 
mounts to the rather large village of 
Les Gets, formed of several hamlets 
lying one above the other on the slope 
of the mountain, and then passes a low 
col (about 4,300') to gain the valley of 
the Foron, by which Tanninges is ac- 
cessible in about 5| hrs. from Biot, or 
10 hrs. from Thonon. The midd'eone 
of the three torrents meeting near Mont- 
riond descends from the SE. About 2 
m. above the junction is Morzine, and 
here the most direct way to Samoens, 
said to be practicable for chars (?), 
mounts by a short lateral glen to the 
Cut de Jouxplant (6,684'), commanding 
an exquisite view, and winding by the 
mountain slopes above the glen of the 
Valentine, joins the road leading to 
Samoens by Les Gets. It is not a 
much longer rte. to follow the main 
stream from Morzine to its head, where 
a track to the rt. leads to Samoens by 
the Col de Goleze (Rte. F), and another 
to the 1. reaches Ghampery by the Col 
de Coux. 



252 PENNINE ALPS. § 15. ST. BEENARD DISTRICT. 



Route M. 

THON02T TO CHAXPEET, OR TO 
MONTHET. 

Several routes may be taken between 
Thonon and the Val d'llliez, all of 
them passing through agreeable scenery. 
The chief of them are here briefly 
noticed. 

1. By the Col d'Abondance. Fully 13 
hrs. to Champery. This was formerly 
approached by a hilly road that links 
Together several of the villages scattered 
on the heights E. of the Dranse. Since 
the completion of the new road on the rt. 
bank it is much better to follow this to 
a point below La Yernaz, near to the 
junction of the Dranse d'Abondance 
with the main torrent. Following the 
1. bank of the former, a rough road 
leads in 4^ hrs. from Thonon £o La 
Vacheresse (Inn : La Croix), 2,730 ft. 
in height. From hence the higher 
summits of the Dent d'Oche may all 
be conveniently attacked. The road 
mounts fur nearly 2 hrs. along the rt. 
bank to Noire Dame d'Abondance (Inns: 
Chez Cretin ; La Croix), with the re- 
mains of an abbey (3,051'). The ascent 
is more rapid for another hour at least, 
when the traveller reaches La Chapelle 
( Inn : La Croix), the highest village 
',3,612'). Numerous hamlets occur in 
the upper part of the valley above La 
Chapelle, and 2 hrs. are required to 
reach the Col d'Abondance (4,629'), also 
called Pas de Morgin, here forming the 
frontier between Savoy and Switzerland. 
The Baths of Margin, with a tolerable 
inn, lie but a short distance below the 
col, and may be reached in ^hr. or less, 
fully 9f hrs. from Thonon. The valley 
of .Morgin, which above the baths de- 
seends to NXE., here turns about due 
E , and leads in ]^ hi'., through very 
line scenery, to Trois Torrents (Kte. F), 
about 2 hrs. from Champery, or 1 hr. 
above Monthey. 

2. Bp the Col de Chesery. 14^- hrs. 
to Champery. A circuitous but very 
picturesque route, following the way from 



j Thonon to Samoens for 6£ hrs. as far 
! as Mcntriond (Rte. L). Mounting the 
J E. branch of the valley, in less than 2 
I m. the traveller comes to the pretty Lac 
' de Montriond, about ^ m. long (3,445'). 
Between bold rocks and cascades and 
through pine fore;ts the path mounts to 
the Col de Chesery, about 9 hrs. from 
Thonon. The descent leads through 
the Vallee de Morgin, a wild glen, where 
some caution is necessary to avoid being 
caught in marshy places, and in 2 hrs. 
reaches the baths. (See above.) 

3. By the Col de Champery. About 
12 hrs. This way is better fitted for a 
traveller wishing to make the whole dis- 
tance in one day, being shorter than 
those above noticed, but it offers no 
halting -place so good as Morgin. At 
Morzine (Rte. L), rather more than 7 
hrs. from Thonon, a glen opens to the 
E., which leads directly to this col, lying 
on the S. side of the Pointe de Mossetta 
(7.536'), and immediately W. of Cham- 
pery. Further information is desired. 

4. By the Col de Ccux. It is. pro- 
bably, a shorter course than that last 
suggested, to follow the middle stream 
of the Dranse quite to its source above 
Morzine, and then cross the Col de Coux 
(Rte. F) to Champery; 11^ hrs., ex- 
clusive of halts, would probably suffice 
to reach Champery. 



SECTION 18. 

ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 

The division of the Pennine Alps be- 
tween the Col de Ferrex and the Sim- 
plon Pass into subordinate groups is a 
purely arbitrary process, dictated by 
convenience, but not resting on oro- 
graphic or geological grounds. The 
range of Mont Blanc is on the contrary 
completely distinct, and terminated to 
the NE. by the valley of the Dranse, 
The great group whose culminating 
point is Monte Rosa, may be con- 



§ 18. ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



2,53 



eidered to have its west termination in 
tiie range SE. of the Val Perrex, whose 
last summit is the Mont de la Saxe over 
Counnayeur. In the present section 
we include the western portion of this 
group, whose eentral point is the famous 
Hospice of the Great St. Bernard. On 
the N. side of the range this comprises 
the main valleys of Entremont and 
Bagnes, with their tributary streams 
and glaciers, all drained by the Dranse, 
and on the S. side the basin of the But- 
tier, with the ranges which separate its 
eastern and western branches from the 
Dora Baltea. The eastern limit of this 
district is formed by the Val Tour- 
nanche, the Col de Vacornere connecting 
the head of that valley with the head of 
the Val Pellina, and the Col de la 
Reuse de l'Arolla from Prerayen to the 
head of the Glacier of Chermontane. 

Although the Pass of the Great St. 
Bernard has been known from the 
earliest times, and has been annually 
passed by hundreds of tourists, it is only 
of late years that the neighbouring 
valleys, which contain some of the 
grandest scenery in the Alps, have been 
explored. As in many other parts of 
the Pennine Alps, Professor J. D. 
Porbes was amongst the foremost, 
and his footsteps were soon followed by 
several other English travellers. Mr. 
Gottlieb Studer and Mr. King respect- 
ively contributed to direct increased 
attention to the beauties of the neg- 
lected district E. of the St. Bernard, but 
it is mainly since the formation of the 
Alpine Club that most of the great 
glaciers which feed the Dranse and the 
Buttier have now been thoroughly ex- 
plored. The papers published in the 
first and second series of ' Peaks, Passes 
and Glaciers ' bear witness to the energy, 
intrepidity, and perseverance of the 
writers whose names are referred to in 
the following pases. The object of dis- 
covering a continuous route along the 
main range of the Pennine Alps between 
the two head-quarters of mountaineer- 
ing ac:ivity, Chamouni and Zermatt., 
has been completely accomplished 
and there is offered to future travel- 



lers a choice between several different 
glacier routes whose attractions and 
d'fficulties compete tor his preference. 
Under ordinary circumstances 5 days 
should be allowed, even by the trained 
mountaineer, who would perform this 
feat, the second day from Chamouni 
being one of comparative rest. On the 
first day the traveller, starting from the 
Chalet des Ognons, may reach the cha- 
lets of La Foliaz by the Col dArgen- 
tiere, and on the following day traverse 
the Col des Planards to Sr. Pierre. An 
easier route is by the Col de Chardonnet 
and the Col du Tour, or else the latter 
pass may be taken directly from the 
Col de Balme; in either case Orsieres 
will be reached on the first day. Having 
slept on the second day at St. Pierre, or 
at the chalets near the foot of the Val- 
^orey Glacier, the traveller will on the 
third day cross the Col de Sonadon 
(Rte. G) to the Chalets de Chermontane. 
On the fourth he may easily reach Pre- 
i ayen by the Col de la Reuse de l'Arolla 
(Rte. L), and on the fifth, the Col de la 
Val Pellina (Rte. H), leads direct to 
Zermatt, or, as an alternative, he may 
reach the Arolla Chalets on the fourth 
day, and pass the Col du Mont Brule 
and that of Val Pellina on the following, 
day. It should, however, be remem- 
bered by those who meditate such an 
expedition, that it can be undertaken 
with safety, or with satisfaction, only 
under unusually favourable conditions 
of steady fine weather, and that none 
but thoroughly trained mountaineers, in 
good strength and health, can bear such 
prolonged exertion without risk of future 
mischief. 

In 1863 Mr. E. N. Buxton, one of 
the most successful explorers of this 
district, with Mr. Digby, and Franz 
Biener, of Zermatt, achieved the dis- 
tance from the Chalets of Zmutt, above 
Zermatt, to those of Chermontane in a 
single day of little more than 10 hrs., 
keeping throughout near to the crest of 
the main chain, by the passes of Val 
Pellina, Mont lirule, and a new col on 
the S. side of the Mont Collon. It is 
obvious that an expedition lying for so 



s 2 



254 



PENNINE ALPS. § IS. ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



great a distance at so high a level, and 
almost altogether over neve, will br 
found practicable only under unusually 
favourable conditions. In following 
Mr. Buxton's route there is. however, 
the advantage that the traveller may 
easily descend to the Chale's or' Arolla, 
and resume his journey on the following- 
day The above-named party erossed 
the Col de Sonadon on the second day 
and reached Chamouni on the third day 
from Zmutt, by the Col d'Argentiere. 
The mountaineer mu>t be in first-rate 
condition, and favoured by a rare com- 
bination of amspieious circumstances, 
who will repeat this performance. 

Although the whole route between 
the Val Ferrex and Zermatt is included 
in this section, the passes are sepa- 
rately described, under the belief that 
the continuous route is scarcely to be 
recommended to average mountaineers. 

For details respecting the Grand 
Combin, the highest summit ot this 
portion of the Pennine chain, the reader 
is referred to Rte. F. 

The recent publication of Mr. A. 
Beilly's excellent map of the South 
side of the Pennine chain between the 
Monte Moro and Grand Combin has 
placed in the hands of travellers a neces- 
sary guide to the least known parts of 
this district, very ill represented on the ] 
Piedmontese Government map. Moun- 
taineers will also derive much benefit 
from the maps, on a scale of 50000 ac- 
companying the third and fourth annual 
volumes of the Swiss Alpine Club. 



Route A. 

UEXEVA TO AOSTA, BT MART1GXT AND 
THE GREAT ST. BERNARD. 

Eng. miles Hrs. railway 

Conpet (by railway) 8 — 

Bo'lle ... 121 _ 

Morses . i>i — 

Lausanne — 

Vevey . 11* — 

Viileiieuve ... — 

Bex. ... 12 — 

St. M;iurice 3 — 

Mai'Cigu/ . . . 1 ! — 



Eng. miles Hrs.' walking 



St. B-anchier (by rd.) 7£ 




Orsieres . 


. 4 




Liddes 


• 4 i 


if 


St. Pierre 


. 3J 


IX 


Cantine de Proz 


. 3| 


if 


Hospice . 


• 5| 




St. Remy. 


. 4 


1! 


E troubles 


• 4* 




Aosta 


. 10 






47 


16~ 



The traveller going from Geneva to 
Martigny has the choice of many 
different modes of conveyance. He 
may proceed by railway along the N. 
shore of the lake to Villeneuve, and 
thence to St. Maurice, where this line, 
part of the Chemin de Fer de 1'One.o.t 
Suisse, joins the Ligne d'ltalie, which 
goes from Bouveret to Martigny and 
Sion, or, if indifferent to delay and the 
French custom-house, he may travel by 
diligence or hired carriage from Geneva 
to Bouveret, and from thence take the 
railway to Sr. Maurice and Martigny. 
More agreeable than either of these, to 
one who does not wish to loiter by the 
way, is the passage by steamer from 
Geneva to Villeneuve or Bouveret, from 
either of which places he may proceed 
by railway to Martigny. There are 
two lines of steamers on the lake. Those 
corresponding with the Ouest Suisse 
Railway touch only at the places on the 
Swiss shore. The steamers connected 
with the Ligne d'ltalie, which are very 
small and unpunctual, call at places 
on the Savoy (now French) shore, and 
also at Ouchy, Vevey, and Montreux. 
The fares are somewhat lower by this 
line when places are taken to Bouveret. 
Time by train from Geneva to Ville- 
neuve 3 to 3tt hrs. Fares: 1st class, 9 
r. 70 c. ; 2nd class. 6 fr. 70 c. Fares 
f om Villeneuve to Martigny : 1st class, 
4 fr. ; 2nd class, 2 fr. 70 c. 

The road along the S. bank from 
Geneva to St. Maurice is described in 
§17, Rte. I. We shall here give a 
brief description of the lake, with some 
notice of the principal places on the 
Swiss shore traversed by the railway to 
Martigny. 

The Lake of Geneva, or Lac Leman 
(Lacus Lemauus of the Romans), is tho 



ROUTE A. MORGES. 



255 



largest in Switzerland, and greatly 
exceeds in dimensions all those which 
are equally closely connected with the 
main valleys of the Alps. Its form is 
that of a crescent with the horns 
pointing to S., the N. shore being about 
56 m., the S. shore about 44 m. in 
length. The crescent form was more 
regular at a recent geological period, 
when the lake extended to Bex, about 
11 m. S. of Villeneuve. The detritus 
of the Rhone has filled up this portion 
of the bed of the lake, and it appears 
that within the historical period the 
waters extended about 1^ m. beyond 
the present E. margin of the lake. The 
height of the surface varies, according 
to the season, from 1,228 to 1,234 ft. 
above the sea level, being usually about 
1,230 ft. The level is subject to 
occasional oscillations, amounting to 
2 ft. or even more, which last for a 
short time, from 15 to 30 min., after 
which it returns to its previous condi- 
tion. These curious fluctuations, called 
seiches, appear independent of the 
direction of the wind, but connected 
with changes of weather. They are 
probably caused by the unequal pressure 
of the atmosphere on different portions 
of the surface at times when its equili- 
brium is disturbed. The greatest 
depth of the lake, in the broad portion 
between Evian and St. Sulpice, near 
Lausanne, where it is just 8 m. in 
width, has been usually stated as 984 ft., 
but other measures give more than 
1,200 ft., making the bottom of the lake 
about coincide with the level of the sea. 

The beauty of the shores of the lake 
and of the sites of many of the places 
near its banks has long been celebrated, 
and can scarcely fail to strike the least 
susceptible traveller. It is well, how- 
ever, to mention that it is only from the 
E. end of the lake, between Vevey and 
Villeneuve, that the scenery assumes 
the character of grandeur. The hills 
on the Savoy side are for the most part 
rugged and sombre, while those of the 
Swiss shore fall in gentle vine-covered 
slopes, thickly set with villages and 
chateaux, Mont Blanc and the snowy 



of the Savoy Alps are scarcely 
seen except from Geneva, and between 
Nyon and Morges. From Vevey to 
Bex, where the lake originally ex- 
tended, the shores are enclosed by 
comparatively high and bold mountains, 
and the vista terminates in the grand 
portal of the defile of St. Maurice, cleft 
to a depth of nearly 9,000 ft. between 
the opposite peaks of the Dent du Midi 
and the Dent de Moreles. 

The first place of any note on the 
Swiss shore is Coppet (Inn : Ange), 
sometimes visited from Geneva for the 
sake of the chateau once inhabited by 
Necker, and afterwards by his daughter, 
Madame de Stael. Some souvenirs of 
the latter are shown to strangers. [Less 
than 5 m. distant, on a lower slope of 
the Jura, is the frequented hydropathic 
establishment of Divomie, with a large 
and handsome house.] About 6 m. 
farther is 

Nyon (Inns : Couronne ; Soleii), 
whence the ascent of the Dole may 
be made in 3 or 4 hours (see § 16, 
Rte. A). Near to this is Prince Na- 
poleon's beautiful park and farm of 
Prangins. The next little town is 
Rolle (Inns : Tete Noire ; Couronne), 
opposite to Thonon and the broad 
opening of the valley of the Dranse, 
through which the chain of Mont Blanc 
comes into view, and is seen for several 
miles to the E. On a hill about 5 m. N. 
of liolle is Aubonne (Inns: Couronne; 
Lion d'Or), a curious little town, finel; 
situated, and commanding one of the 
best views over the lake. The castle 
was built or altered by Tavernier, the 
Eastern traveller, in recollection of that 
of Erivan, on the frontier of Persia. The 
view is still more extensive from the 
Signal de Bougy (2,730'), near the 
town. 

Morges (Inns : II. des Alpes ; II du 
Port ; Couronne), a town with a little 
port, has a picturesque and tolerably 
well preserved castle, standing close to 
the lake, said to have been built by 
Queen Bertha in the 10th century. 
The high-road keeps near the shore, 
I but the railway turns inland to the 



256 



PENNINE ALPS. § 18. ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



Bussigny station, where the branch of 
the Ouest Suisse Railway from Yver- 
dun and Neuchatel joins that to St. 
Maurice. Travellers proceeding by that 
line change carriages here. A few miles 
farther is 

Lausanne (Inns : Faucon ; H, Gib- 
bon, both good ; H. Bellevue, well 
situated, quiet, and reasonable ; H. 
Richemont, near the railway station, 
weil spoken of ; H. de la Poste, small, 
but well conducted ; H. du Grand Pont, 
commercial), the chief town of the 
Canton Vaud, picturesquely but incon- 
veniently situated on the lower slopes 
of the Mont Jorat, several hundred feet 
above the lake, and divided by ravines 
which make the old streets hilly and 
inconvenient. A causeway and lofty 
stone bridge spanning the chief channel 
have done much to remedy the defect. 
Omnibuses ascend from the rly. station 
to the town, and descend to Ouchy. 
Many English and other strangers re- 
side here for the sake of the climate, less 
cold in winter than that of Geneva, the 
beauty of the site, or for comparative 
cheapness of living. 

The upper part of the town, once sur- 
rounded by walls, and still called the 
Cite, contains the Cathedral, architectu- 
rally one of the most remarkable build- 
ings in Switzerland. There are some 
traces of the original church, founded 
a.d. 1000, but the greater part of the 
building dates from 1275. It contains 
several interesting monuments, and 
although somewhat defaced by modern 
alterations and whitewash, well deserves 
a visit. The view from the terrace at 
the W. end of the church alone suffices 
to reward the trouble of the ascent. 
The chateau, formerly the residence of 
the bishops, is a picturesque pile. 
The Musee Cantonal may deserve the 
notice of a naturalist. A collection of 
pictures — Musee Arlaud — is shown on 
Sundays and Thursdays, from 1 1 fill 2 
o'clock. The public library, containing 
46,000 volumes, is rich in works con- 
nected with Switzerland, and a circu- 
lating library, chez Hignou & Cie., 
is supplied with English books and 



newspapers. M. Troyon has a very 
rich collection of Swiss and other 
antiquities illustrative of recent dis- 
coveries as to the early existence of 
the human race. 

' The neighbourhood of Lausanne is 
famous for the number and beauty of 
the walks which it presents. Here, and 
throughout the wir:e-grow r ing districts 
bordering the lake, strangers must 
beware of the alleys and narrow walks 
between walls or high hedges, which 
abound in every direction. Appearing 
to lead up a hill, or to some favourable 
point of view, they are constantly 
closed at the end by a gate, with a 
notice against trespassers. The law is 
severely enforced against anyone enter- 
ing a vineyard without the owner's per- 
mission.' — [M.] 

About \h m. from the town is the 
little port, where the steamers call on 
the way to and from Geneva, at the 
village of 

Ouchy (Inns : H. Beaurivage, a fine 
I house, very well kept, one of the best 
I in Switzerland ; H. de l'Ancre, good 
and cheap ; Pension Bachoffner, well 
recommended). Families may lodge 
and board here at from 30 to 40 fr. 
a week for each person. 

About ^ hr. from Lausanne, on the 
slope of the Mont Jorat, is a point 
called the Signal, accessible in a 
! carriage, which commands a fine view 
, over the lake, which does not include 
I Mont Blanc. 

Beyond Lausanne the branch of the 
rly. going to Fribourg and Berne (§ 
; 22, Rte. K) separates from that to 
i Vevey and Sion. It mounts along the 
slopes above the lake, while the latter 
descends gradually to Vevey (Germ. 
Viois) (Inns: Grand Hotel, very large, 
first-rate, \ m. from the town, sur- 
rounded by a garden, close to the lake 
— the steamers call there for passen- 
gers ; Trois Couronnes, excellent, not 
dear, families received en pension from 
15th Oct. to 1st May; H. du Lac, 
handsome new house, good and reason- 
able ; H. Stnn, well spoken of ; all 
these on the lake, enjoying the beautiful 



ROUTE A. EAST END OF THE LAKE OF GENEVA. 



257 



views ; in the town are the Trois 
Rois, very fair and cheap ; Croix 
Blanche ; H. du Pont. The Chateau 
de Vevey in the town, and the Bellevue 
on the slope above it, are recommended 
as boarding-houses, or pensions. 

Few spots in the neighbourhood of 
the Alps offer such attractions to 
strangers as Vevey, and the strip of 
land along the shore of the lake ex- 
tending from thence to Villeneuve. It 
enjoys the mildest winter climate in 
Switzerland, and is better sheltered from 
cold winds than the shores of the 
Italian lakes. It is easily accessible, 
living is cheap, and the inhabitants are 
usually courteous to strangers. It is 
not surprising, therefore, that the hotels 
and pensions are full throughout the 
summer, and that many persons remain 
here even through the winter. • The 
convenience of living in or near a town 
is counterbalanced by the want of 
agreeable walks in the immediate 
neighbourhood of Vevey. These are 
nearly confined to the carriage-roads, 
rather hot and dusty, whereas about 
Montreux and the neighbouring ham- 
lets, where the mountains rise nearer at 
hand, the pedestiian finds abundant 
variety of agreeable excursions. Boat- 
ing on the lake is a constant source of 
enjoyment. Fares : hire of a boat per 
hour, without a rower, 1 fr. ; with one 
man, 2 fr. ; to Chillon or "St. Gingolph, 
with one rower, 6 fr. ; with two men, 
10 fr. 

There is not much to engage the 
sight-seer at Vevey, but every rising 
ground produces in new combinations 
the glorious views over the lake. The 
church of St. Martin, just above the 
town, is visited for the sake of the view. 
It contains the tombs of Ludlow, the 
regicide, and his companions in exile, 
Broughton, Love, and Cawley. Near 
the landing-place of the steamers is a 
large new building, in modern tham- 
gothic style, called Palais Couvreu, 
which is opened to the public by it's 
owner on two or three days of the week, 
and seen at other times with a fee to 
the servant. Once in every 15 or 16 



years a curious festival, dating from a 
remote antiquity, is held here at the 
vintage season. Greek myth and 
sacred history have been laid under 
contribution to supply the personages 
represented by the guild of vintners, 
styled Abbaie des Viynerons. On a hill 
NE. of Vevey is the Chateau de 
Blonay, said to have remained in the 
family of its present owners for 700 
years, commanding a noble view, and 
farther E. towards Montreux is another 
castle called Chatelard. The beautiful 
pass of the Plan de Jaman, between 
Chateau d'Oex and Vevey, is described 
in § 22. 

In travelling by railway from Vevey 
to Villeneuve most of the beautiful 
scenery is lost, and those who have but 
little time to visit the neighbourhood 
should at least prefer the steamer. The 
narrow space between the mountains 
and the lake is populous with many 
hamlets, and a large number of separate 
country houses and villas. The names 
of Clarens and Montreux have been 
constantly celebrated both in prose and 
verse, but there are several other ham- 
lets not inferior in position. The num- 
ber of pensions opened here for the 
reception of strangers is so great, and 
changes so frequently occur, that a 
person intending to spend any time 
here should endeavour to obtain recent 
local information from some trust- 
worthy quarter. The first point to be 
decided, according to the season and 
the taste of each visitor, is between the 
pensions which stand near the level of 
the lake and those that have been opened 
on the slopes of the mountain or in the 
little valley which mounts towards the 
Plan de .Jaman. Of those below, the 
Hotel Bonivard, a new house, the H. 
de la Cygne, and Pension Vaultier, in 
the village of Montreux, the Hotel des 
Alpes at Veytaux and the Pension 
Penet at Clarens, have been well recom- 
mended. At least twenty others might 
be named. The finest site for those who 
seek mountain air is Glion, about f hr. 
above Montreux. There are several 
pensions here, of which the largest is 



258 



PENNINE ALPS. § 18. 



ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



called Righi Vaudois. It was formerly 
well kept, but is said to be much fallen 
off. A little higher up is the Hotel du 
Midi, a poor house, but well kept by 
very civil people ; food good. The pen- 
sion of E. Dufour-Delarottaz at Avant, 
about I hr. above Montreux, is finely situ- 
ated, but the quarters are rouj;h. A pass- 
ing traveller, wishing to remain a few 
days, may find very fair accommodation 
at the Hotel du Cygne, or H. de Mon- 
treux, at Vernex, near the shore of the 
lake. 

Rather more than halfway from 
Montreux to Villeneuve is the celebrated 
castle of Chillon, little altered from the 
form in which it is represented by some 
early German master in a picture in 
the Munich Gallery. The architecture 
is no way striking ; but the extreme 
beauty ol the site, and the many asso- 
ciations linked with the place, make it 
an object of interest to almost every 
traveller, and few fail to pay it a visit. 

Quite at the end of the lake, but on 
the E. side of the Rhone, is 

Villeneuve (Inns : H. du Port, clean 
and reasonable ; Aigle Noir), lying at 
the N. extremity of a tract of flat 
alluvial soil, extending from near Bex 
to the present border of the lake. The 
belief that the ancient bed of the lake 
has to this extent been filled up by the 
detritus of the Rhone, which needs no 
external evidence to the mind of the 
geologist, is confirmed by the identifica- 
tion of Port Valais, a place now l^m. 
from the lake, with the Portus Valesiye 
of the Romans. Drainage has done 
much to correct the unhealthy character 
of the place; but persons sleeping here 
should abstain from open windows. 

On rising ground near the lake, and 
about ^ m. from Villeneuve, is the Ho- 
tel Byron, a handsome house, one of 
the most agreeable stopping-places in 
this beautiful neighbourhood, not quite 
equal to the great hotels at Ouchy and 
Vevey. Passing travellers pay hotel 
prices ; those who remain more than a 
week, en pension, pay 1\ fr. a day in 
Bummer, 5^ fr. in winter. Many agree- 
able walks and drives may be made 



from hence or from Montreux. Among 
the longer excursions may be recom- 
mended the ascent of the JRocher de 
Nuye, or that of the Dent de Jaman, 
the drive to Sepey in the valley of 
Ormond Dessous, both described in § 22, 
or on the S. side of the lake the ascent 
of the Dent d'Oche from St. Gingolph 
or Bouveret, reached by boat. 

Throughout the way from Villeneuve 
to Bex, the opposite peaks of the Dent 
de Morcles and the Dent du Midi con- 
tinue to attract the attention of the 
mountaineer. The former, rising 9,000 
ft. from the level of the valley, is one 
of the most imposing in the Alps. (See 
§ 17, lite. H.) At Aiyle (Inns : H. 
Beausite, at rly. station ; H. du Midi ; 
Croix Blanche) the road to Sepey and 
the Col de Pillon turns off to the 1. 

Bex (pronounced Be) (Inns: H. de 
FUnion, pretty good ; H. des Bains, 
tolerable) is a large village, frequented 
by strangers in summer-time, on aceount 
of brine baths derived from the exten- 
sive salt mines about 2 m. distant, whose 
annual produce was largely increased 
under the management of the late M. 
Ch arpentier, the eminent S wiss geologist, 
to whose writings, at first received with 
ridicule, we mainly owe the recogni- 
tion of the important part played by 
glaciers in the past history of tne 
earth. The mode of extracting the 
salt from tlje solution in which it is 
associated with gypsum is similar to 
that employed at Salins (§ 11, Rte. A). 
Tickets to visit the mines are procured 
at an office in the village. About 
4 hrs. are required for the visit. Some 
rare minerals from the salt mines may 
be purchased at Bex. A family of 
naturalists, named Thomas, has long 
resided here, whose members made 
large collections of dried plants (and 
insects ?) throughout the Swiss Alps, 
and in different parts of Italy, which 
were disposed of on moderate terms. 
One of the family survives, and keeps 
collections for sale, which are far better 
worth the attention of the botanist than 
those sold at Chamouni, Interlakea, 
and other places of general resort. 



ROUTE A. EVIONNAZ. 



259 



• The neighbourhood of Bex abounds 
in pensions and little mountain inns, 
where fine scenery, pure air, and 
tolerable living are obtained at a very 
cheap rate. That of Madame Bernard 
above Frenieres, the Chalet Amiguet 
Chesieres, and the house of Madame 
Rosen at Ollen, all deserve to be men- 
tioned ' — [M.] Other stopping-places 
more attractive to the mountaineer are 
noticed in § 22, where the chief ex- 
cursions from Bex are incidentally de- 
scribed. 

Immediately S. of Bex the Rhone 
valley is contracted to a mere defile, 
which extends for several miles between 
the Dent du Midi and the Dent de 
Morcles. At the N. end of the defile 
is a fine bridge, said to rest on Roman 
foundations, which spans the Rhone by 
a single arch of 70 ft., marking the 
spot where the road and the river, here 
carried through the rock, are forced to 
quit the rt. bank, and seek a further 
passage through the little town of 

St. Maurice (Inns : Ecu du Valais ; 
Dent du Midi ; both bad and dirty), 
the Roman Agaunum, a poor-looking 
place, squeezed into the narrow space 
between the mountain and the river. It 
owes its name to the tradition which 
fixes this as the site of the martyrdom of 
Sc. Maurice and his companions of the 
Theban Legion in 302. The Augustinian 
Abbey, said to be the most ancient 
N. of the Alps, was for centuries one 
of the most famous in Christen- 
dom, having been richly endowed in 
the 6th century by Sigismund, King 
of Burgundy. The treasury contains 
several very curious objects. A sold 
crozier of most elaborate workmanship, 
an agate cup of ancient Greek work, a 
chalice given by Queen Bertha of 
Burgundy, a copy of the Gospels, and 
an ampulla of Saracenic handiwork, 
both given by Charlemagne, are among 
the articles shown to strangers. At 
St. Maurice the branch of the Ouest 
Suisse Railway from Lausanne joins 
the Ligne d'ltalie from Bmveret to 
Sion, and those who pass from one line 
to the other must change carriages here. 



On the oprosite side of the Rhone, 
in a picturesque position under the 
Dent de Morcles, are the baths of Lavey. 
The waters are said to owe their 
medicinal effects to the presence of 
free nitrogen. On the 1. bank, after 
quitting St. Maurice, the hermitage of 
Notre Dame du Sax is seen at a great 
height on the face of the rock. It is 
not easy to guess how access to it was 
originally gained. The chapel of 
Veriolaz, covered with frescoes, is sup- 
posed to mark the exact spot of the 
massacre of the Theban Legion. On 
the way to Evionnaz, the high-road 
traverses the site of the great mud 
avalanche of 1835. A violent thunder- 
storm, in which the lightning is said to 
have struck the peak of the Dent du 
Midi several times, accompanied by 
heavy rain, seems to have detached a 
considerable mass near the summit of 
the ridge. This descended towards the 
E., accompanied by a mass of glacier. 
The rock, composed of a soft shaly 
limestone, probably saturated with water, 
seems to have broken up rapidly into 
a sort of coarse mud, in which huge 
blocks of harder stone were carried 
along. After passing through a pine 
forest, which yielded as if the trees 
were straw in a stubble field, the 
current, moving very slowly, advanced 
through the cultivated district at the 
foot of the mountain, carrying houses 
and trees before it, and finally reached 
the high-road, which it covered for about 
a furlong, interrupting the communica- 
tion for some time. 

Evionnaz, a poor village and railway 
station, stands on the site of the Roman 
Epaunum, which was destroyed in the 
6th century by a similar mud avalanche. 
Among the causes which have con- 
tributed to give the population of the 
Valais an appearance of marked in- 
feriority to that of the Canton de Vaud, 
it is fair to reckon the poverty of the 
soil and the exposure of the main 
valley and its chief tributaries to visita- 
tions of the elements that in a brief 
space destroy the fruits of human 
industry. One of the latest of these 



260 



PENNINE ALPS. § 18. 



ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



was the flood of September, 1852, 
which laid under water all the low 
ground between Martigny and St. 
Maurice, covering the fields with sand 
and gravel. Between the Evionnaz 
station and that of Vernayaz is the 
waterfall of the Salanfe, called Pis.se- 
vache. It is a fine fall, especially after 
rain, and very easy of access, being 
close to the high-road; but those who 
attempt a near approach are liable to 
be wet by the fine spray, which forms 
a brilliant iris when seen on a fine 
mor.iing. About 1 m. farther S., at 
Vernayaz, the path leading to Salvent 
and the Tete Noire turns off to SW. 
The Trient torrent here issues from a 
narrow cleft of great depth. A wooden 
gallery has been built to enable 
strangers to gain a good view of this 
remarkable gorge : charge for entrance, 
1 fr. A rocky eminence crowned by 
the ruined castle of La Batie, built by 
Peter of Savoy in 1260. and burnt by 
George Supersax in 1518, overlooks 
the town of 

Martigny (Tnns : Hotel Clerc, very 
good ; Grande Maison, good ; Belle vue, 
near the rly. ; H. de la Tour, fallen 
off ; Cygne, very fair, but second rate), 
near to the right angle formed by 
the Rhone, flowing WSW. from 
Brieg, and NNE. from hence to the 
Lake of Geneva. Standing at the con- 
fluence of the Dranse, which descends 
towards ISINE. from the Great St. 
Bernard, and at the junction of the 
most frequented route from Chamouni, 
Martigny is necessarily a place of great 
resort to Alpine travellers. It possesses 
however, few attractions of its own ; 
its position is low and hot, and the 
tract of marshy ground N. of the town, 
at the junction of the Dranse with the 
Rhone, cannot contribute to make it 
more healthy. An excursion which 
may be recommended to any one in- 
voluntarily detained here is the ascent 
of a mountain called Pierre a Voir 
(8,124'), in the range between the Val 
de Bagnes and the Rhone. A horse 
or mule may be taken as far as the 
base of the highest ridge ; charge 



from Martigny, 8fr. ' Keeping a little S. 

i of E.. the summit of the hill visible from 
Martigny iu reached in about 2 hrs. (by 
foot-path), and then following the same 
direction through woods, over undula- 

I ting ground, a fair horse-path is carried 
along the dividing ridge between the 
Rhone valley and the Val de B:ignes, 
commanding splendid views on both 
sides.' The summit is reached in 5 hrs., 
excluding halts. After the snow has 
disappeared in summer, little or no wa- 
ter is found on the mountain. 

There is now a good carriage-road 
from Martigny to St. Pierre, nearly 
20 m., and a rough road, practicable 
for chars, for 3 or 4 m. farther to tha 
Cantine de Proz. From thence to St. 
Remy, where chars are found to con- 
tinue the way to Aosta, the pass must 
be made on mules or on foot. The 
lower part of the way lies through a 
hot valley, and pedestrians will do 
better to hire a vehicle or else avail 
themselves of the diligence or omnibus 
which starts daily from Martigny for 
Liddes at 9 a.m. A cnar holding three 
persons costs 15 fr. to Liddes. Those 
who visit the hospice, and return to 
Martigny, may engage a char to the 
Cantine, use the horse to ride from 
thence to the hospice, and return on 
the following day — charge, 30 fr. ; 
charge for a char from St. Remy to 
Aosta, 10 fr. for one — 14 fr. for two 
travellers. Guides are not required, 
except in bad weather, unless it be to 
cany the traveller's knapsack. The 
Martigny tariff fixes the following 
charges : to Orsieres, 5 fr. ; to Liddes, 
6 fr. ; to St. Pierre, 9 fr. ; to the 
Hospice, 12fr. ; to St. Remy. in one 
day, 12 fr., or if reached early on the 
second day, 15 fr. ; if taken for several 
days, 6 fr. per day, including the num- 
ber of days necessary to return to 
Martigny. 

About 1 m. from the town, which is 
called for distinction Martigny la Ville, 
is Martigny le Bourg, where the road 
crosses the Dranse, and the path to 
Chamouni by the Forclaz (§ 16, Rte. H) 
turns off to the rt. The road, following 



ROUTE A. VAL 



d'entremont. 



261 



the bend of the river, soon comes in sight 
of the MontCatogne (8,46 I'), lying in the 
direct way to Orsieres and the head of 
the valley. The road and the river 
wind round its E. base, while a path 
mounting from a group of houses called 
Valettes, about l| m. beyond the Bourg, 
passes on the W. side of the mountain, 
and leads by an easy Col to the Lac de 
Champey and Orsieres (§ 16, Rte. I) 
This way is to a pedestrian far prefer- 
able to the high-road, but it is quite a 
mistake to suppose that, as stated in a 
recent guide-book, time is saved by it, 
the contrary being the case. After 
passing the poor village of Bovernier, 
the road returns to the rt. bank, and 
proceeds through a wild defile at the 
base of the Mont Catogne, where at 
one point it is carried through a 
tunnel 215 ft. long. This part of the 
valley still exhibits traces of the terrible 
inundation of 1818 (see Rte. D), and 
immediately beyond the tunnel the 
traveller may notice the remains of a 
convent which was destroyed by the 
flood. The road again crosses to the 
1. bank to 

St. Branchier (Inn : La Croix), a 
poor village at the meeting of the E. 
branch of the Dranse, flowing from the 
Val de Bagnes, with the W. branch 
descending from the St. Bernard pass 
through the Val d 'Entremoni. The 
scenery from hence to Liddes is pleas- 
ing, but not of a striking character. 
The ruins of several castles are seen 
near St. Branchier, and it is told by 
some annalist that one of them was 
considerable enough to lodge the 
Emperor Sigismund with a suite of 
800 knights. The road again crosses 
the Dranse, and returns to the 1. bank 
before reaching 

Orsieres (Inns : H. des Alpes, clean 
and comfortable ; Couronne ; Lion), 
the chief village of the valley (2,894'), 
close to the junction of the Dranse de 
Eerret with the Dranse d'Entremont, 
and at the meeting of the routes to 
Courmayeur, by the Col de Ferrex, and 
those to Chamouni, by the Lac de 
Champey and Trient, or by the Glacier 



du Tour. Throughout the lower part 
of the Val d'Entremont the botanist 
will be interested by observing the 
presence of many plants usually 
characteristic of a warm climate, along 
with sub- Alpine species that have 
descended from the neighbouring moun- 
tains. Thus he may find Vesicaria 
utriculata. Ononis natrix, and O. rotun- 
difolia, Astragalus onobrychis, Vicia 
onobrychoides, Caucalis grandiflora, 
Onosma montanum, Antirrhinum Bau- 
hini, Euphrasia lutea, Campanula 
bononiensis, Stipa capillata, Bromus 
squarrosus, and B. tectorum, along wilh 
Sempervivum arachnoideum, Scutellaria 
alpina, Juniperus sabina, Goodyera 
repens, Poa alpina, &c. 

Erom Orsieres the road begins to 
ascend more rapidly, winding up the 
E. slope of the valley, where the 
pedestrian may make several short cuts 
to 

Liddes (Inns : H. d'Angleterre, tole- 
rable ; L'Union, indifferent, dear ; and 
several small unattractive houses fre- 
quented by guides and char-drivers), 
4,390 ft. above the sea; but the valley 
is warm, and cultivation does not seem 
to suffer. The omnibus from hence to 
Martigny starts, or did start, at 2 f.m. 
Return chars may generally be had for 
about 8fr , but more is demanded. A 
mule from hence to the hospice costs 
6 fr. The ascent continues rather steep to 

St. Pierre, also called Bourg St. 
Pierre (Inn: Au Dejeuner de Napoleon, 
improved), a miserable-looking village 
(5,358'), where the road formerly 
ceased, and where, in the famous 
passage of Napoleon's army in May, 
1800, the formidable difficulties of the 
route were first experienced. The 
little village contains various records of 
the early importance of the pass. A 
Koman column cf the reign of the 
younger Constantine, still standing 
near the church, was perhaps merely a 
milestone. An inscription by Bishop 
Hugo of Geneva, who built the present 
church in 1010, records the repulse of 
the Saracens, who had crossed the pass 
fifty years before. 



2G2 



PENNINE ALPS. § 18. 



ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



The brothers B.illay, of St. Pierre, 
are good guides for the Combin, and 
have accompanied elsewhere several 
English travelleis. Auguste Dorsaz has 
less experience, but is well recom- 
mended. Alexander Riehe, of Liddts, 
is unfit for difficult expeditions. 

Above St. Pierre the. road crosses a 
deep gorge, through which the torrent 
from the Valsorey glacier descends to 
join the Dran.se. A little higher up on 
the 1. it forms a fine waterfall. The 
old tortuous and uneven track lay 
through a pine forest; but the new road, 
partly cut in the rock, mounts by 
a gradual ascent, at a great height 
above the Drause, to the Cantine de Proz 
(5,912'), where tolerable night- quarters 
may be found by those who would 
make the ascent of the Velan. The 
former landlord, Andre Dorsaz, a well- 
known guide, died of fever in 1857 ; 
his son is said to be also a good guide 
(see Kte. D). The Cantine stands in a 
little stony plain, above which, on the 
1. hand, is seen a part of the Glacier de 
Proz. When this plain is traversed, 
the mule-track winds up the rugged 
but not very steep face of the mountain, 
keeping about due S. The scenery is 
rather wild than grand, as the path is 
lor the most part shut in among 
rocks, often interspersed with patches 
of snow. A cross by the wayside marks 
the spot where one of the brethren and 
three servants were lost in an avalanche, 
in Nov., 1845. The most considerable 
snow-patch, lying in a hollow where it 
scarcely ever melts, is passed, and a 
few minutes farther the traveller finds 
himself on the crest of the pass, and close 
to the Hospice of the Great St. Bernard. 
The pass lies in a depression between 
the Mont Chenalettaz and the Mont 
Mort (9,403'), directed from NE. to 
SW. The massive stone building is 
therefore exposed to the full force of 
the wind from those opposite quarters, 
while partially sheltered in other 
directions. It consists of stabling and 
store-houses on the ground floor ; the 
first floor is occupied by various offices 
and by the chapel ; on the second floor 



are the refeciory, drawing-room, and 
the rooms in which 70 or SO strangers 
can be lodged. An adjoining house, 
called Hotel St. Louis, is chiefly intended 
as a refuge in case of need, the hospice 
having twice been partially destroyed 
by fire. Near at hand is the Morgue, 
a low building, the ghastly contents of 
which may be inspected through a 
grated window. Here the bodies of 
travellers who have perished on the 
pass are kept until claimed by their 
relatives. Formerly the number was 
considerable ; but of late years all those 
who have died have been claimed, so 
that no addition has been made to the 
repository. At this height the dryness 
of the air and the severe cold cause 
the bodies to shrivel without decomposi- 
tion. 

To attempt a sketch of the history of 
the pass and of the hospice, from the 
period of the Celtic Veragri, w r ho built 
here a temple or sanctuary, to that of 
the passage by Napoleon's army in 
1800, does not enter into the plan of 
this work. The site of the Roman 
temple to Jupiter Penninus is still 
marked by stone steps cut into the 
rock, but no part of the building 
I remains. The foundation of the present 
hospice, under the care of ecclesiastics 
resident throughout the year, by St. 
Bernard of Menthon, in 962, was pre- 
ceded by some earlier refuge for 
travellers annexed to a chapel or 
hermitage, which existed as early as 
H51. In King's 'Italian Valleys of the 
Pennine Alps,' and Brockedon's ' Passes 
of the Alps,' the reader may find much 
interesting information. 

The community consists of 40 Au- 
gustinian canons, of whom 10 or 12 
reside here, others are placed at the 
hospice on the Simplon, and those 
whose health no longer permits them to 
face the severe Alpine winters, a result, 
which commonly happens after 12 or 
15 years' residence at the hospice, remain 
in a branch house at Martigny. The 
number of travellers annually crossing 
the pass varies from 16,000 to 20,000, 
and a large proportion of the poorer 



ROUTE A. HOSPICE OF THE GREAT ST. BERNARD. 



263 



class go by in winter or early spring, 
when, without the shelter and assistance 
obtained at the hospice, the pass would 
be practically impossible. The large 
majority are sheltered and fed gi'atui- 
tously, and no demand is made from 
any traveller; but it is understood that 
those who can afford it should give 
at least as much as they would in a 
regular hotel. The property of the 
community has been very much reduced 
during the present century, and their 
means of relieving poor travellers pro- 
portionately restricted. 

Visitors are received by the Clavan- 
dier, or Bursar, who presides at the 
table, which is laid in a separate room 
for ladies and for gentlemen travelling 
in their company. Others dine and 
sup with the monks in the refectory. 
The food is plain, but quite sufficient, 
and the beds are clean, and as comfort- 
able as can be expected in so exposed 
a situation. Travellers all acknowledge 
the courtesy av.d attention with which 
they are received. The albums, con- 
taining the names of many distinguished 
persons, a small assortment of books, 
and some collections of natural history, 
including the plants and minerals of 
the neighbourhood, will help to pass 
some hours, in case travellers should 
be detained by bad weather. 

Irrespective of its primary mission of 
charity, the community has incidentally 
performed some services to science, 
especially by the maintenance of a re- 
gular series of meteorological observa- 
tions, continued for many years, and 
published in the Bibliothcque Urtiverselle 
of Geneva. Besides their importance 
as throwing light upon the physics of 
the Alps, these are of peculiar value to 
all persons engaged in hypsometrical 
enquiries in the central region of the 
Alps. There is reason to believe that 
the main source of error in the deter- 
mination of heights by the barometer, 
arising from the disturbing influence of 
the soil upon the indications of the ther- 
mometer is far less sensible when com- 
parisons are made with this station 
rather than with places at a low level, 



such as Geneva, Aosta, Turin, &c, 
and on this account M. Plantamour 
contends that the best approximation 
to the height of Alpine peaks in this 
region is obtained by attributing to the 
measurement ascertained by comparison 
with the St. Bernard four times the 
value of those derived from comparison 
with Geneva or Aosta. The exact height 
of the cistern of the barometer at the 
hospice, found by M. Plantamour after 
careful levelling from Geneva, is 8,131 
ft. This may be taken to agree within 
a few ft. with the height of the pass. 
The mean temperature of the year at 
the hospice is somewhat below freezing 
point. That of the three winter months 
is 15° Fahr., that of summer, 48°. The 
greatest cold recorded is — 29°, and the 
greatest heat 68°. The snow usually 
lies for 9 months ununited, but there 
have been seasons when not a week has 
passed without fresh snow. 

Travellers intent upon Alpine expedi- 
tions should be aware that it is not 
possible to obtain breakfast until after 
mass, which is not over until about 

6 A.M. 

It has at various times been proposed 
to continue the carriage-road from 
St. Pierre to Aosta by the hospice. 
The chief objection to this project 
arises from the steepness of the descent 
from the summit to St. Remy, and a 
rival plan was adopted a few years ago 
which would make the road pass by the 
Col de Menouve, between the present 
pass and the Mont Velan. This is 
about 1,200 ft. higher than the St. 
Bernard, but it was proposed to avoid 
the upper part by a tunnel H m. in 
length, to be opened at 7. 145 ft. above the 
sea. The works were commenced some 
years ago, but were suspended owing to 
financial difficulties (see Rte. D). 

Before leaving the Hospice travellers 
will enquire for the celebrated dogs, 
of which two or three a^e often to bo 
seen about the entrance. They are very 
powerful irtumals; but it is said that 
since the loss of several in 1825, the 
purity of the race has not been main- 
tained. The chief use of the dogs ia 



264 



PENNINE ALPS. § 18. 



ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



to find the way in the midst of the 
deep snow, when, during the winter, 
two or three lay-brethren descend daily 
a certain distance on either side of the 
pass, to guide and assist poor travellers 
who are forced to make the passage in 
that season. 

For those who spend a fine afternoon 
or morning at the Hospice, the ascent 
of the Chenalettaz or the Mont Mort 
is to be recommended. Either may be 
reached in less than an hour. The view 
of the Mont Blanc range, in which the 
peak of the Grandes Jorasses is here 
the most conspicuous, well rewards the 
slight trouble of the ascent. The view 
from the Pointe de Dronaz is more 
extensive, but the ascent requires much 
more time. 

On the side of Italy the Hospice 
overlooks a small lake, beyond which 
is seen a part of the range between the 
Val de Bosses (Rte. B) and the Val 
Ferrex,in which a conical summit, called 
Pain de Sucre, is prominent. At the 
side of the lake, a column marks the 
boundary between Switzerland and 
Italy, and the path, which soon begins 
to descend rapidly, winding round the 
mountain to the 1., gradually opens out 
a view to the S., where trees and 
cultivation again meet the eyes of the 
traveller. In a green basin of Alpine 
pasturage is the Vacherie, where the 
monks keep their cows in summer. 
The botanist, who will find near the 
Hospice many of the characteristic 
species of the High Alps, and some 
rareties, e. g. Carex microstyla, may 
gather several uncommon plants in the 
descent towards St. Remy, and espe- 
cially Pedicularis atrorubens, and several 
scarce lichens. The descent from the 
Yacherie is rather steep to 

St. Remy, a poor village with a tole- 
rable little inn, the Italian custom-house 
station. Those who carry more than a 
smallnumber of cigars will do well to de- 
clare them, as the regulations are strict. 
[For the path to Courmayeur see Rte. B.] 
Most travellers hire a char here for the 
descent to Aosta, throughout which the 
rapid change in the vegetation is very 



striking. This is particularly the case 
when, after passing St. Oyen and Etruu- 
bles, the road reaches Gignod, near the 
junction of the main stream of the 
Buttier, proceeding from Val Pellina 
with the lesser stream from the Val de 
Bosses; the fine chestnut trees and the 
richness of the trellised vines, contrasted 
with the snowy summits of the Val Pel- 
lina or the Val deCoerne, form pictures of 
extreme beauty. A little farther on, 
at the base of the fine peak of the 
Becca di Nona, the traveller gains his 
first view of 
Aosta (see § 15, Rte. A"). 



Route B. 

HOSPICE OF THE GREAT ST. BEKNAR.D 
TO COURMAYEUR. 

In descending from the great St. 
Bernard towards Aosta, the traveller 
has on his rt. hand a range running 
from NE. to SW., whose highest 
summit is the Grande Rossere (10,904'), 
separating him from the Piedmontcse 
Val Ferrex, and facing him another 
range running nearly due east and 
west, which forms the N. boundary of 
the Val d'Aosta. The valley lying 
between these ranges is the Val de 
Bosses. It is traversed by a branch 
of the Buttier, which flowing E. joins- 
near Gignod the main branch of that 
stream, descending to SW. from the 
Val Pellina ; and the united streams, 
after draining the S. side of the 
Pennine range from the Mont Collon 
nearly to Courmayeur, are united to 
the Dora Baltea under the walls of 
Aosta. Several ways present them- 
selves to the traveller who would go 
from the St. Bernard to Courmayeur, 
without making the considerable detour 
by Aosta. Those most likely to be use- 
ful are here briefly described. 

1. By the Col de la Fenetre (8.855', 
Favre). 9| hrs., or 10 hrs., when taken 
from Courmayeur. 

The way is pretty well traced, as it 



ROUTE B. COL DE LA SERENA. 



265 



is daily traversed in summer by the 
mules employed to carry wood from 
the Val Ferrex to the Hospice. It keeps 
along the ridge W. of the Hospice, and 
the summit is reached in little more 
than 1 hr. In cloudy weather, especially 
if there be any risk of a snow-storm, a 
guide is indispensable. From the top 
the track lies over high broken ground, 
passing near some small tarns, then 
descends, and finally joins that from 
Orsieres to the Col de Ferrex (§ 16, 
Rte. K), a short way above the Chalets 
de Ferrex. About 5 hrs. will suffice 
from the Hospice to reach the Col de 
Ferrex, whence the descent to Cour- 
mayeur is made in 4^ hrs. The ad- 
vantage of this route is in the fine 
view of the range of Mont Blanc from 
the Col de Ferrex. It may serve to 
vary the way back to Martigny for one 
who has mounted thence to the Hospice, 
and would return into Switzerland. He 
may descend from the Col by the 
Chalets de Banderai to Orsieres in 
about 4 hrs., or, by a detour of 1^ hr., 
enjoy the view from the Col de Ferrex, 
and then descend to Orsieres. 

This pass is not to be confounded 
with the Col de Fenetre at the head of 
the Val de Bagnes (Rte. E), nor with 
the Col de la Fenetre above Susa (§5, 
Rte. B). 

2. By the Col de Sapin, Col d'Arte- 
reva, and Col de St. Rerny. This is the 
most direct, but scarcely the shortest 
way. It is not easily found, as the maps 
are all incorrect. Gratien Brunod, a 
young Courmayeur guide, knows the 
way. The Col de Sapin is the grassy 
ridge connecting the Mont de Saxe 
with the Mont Carmel. A mule may 
be taken as far as the summit, which is 
reached through the short glen that 
opens into Val d'Entreves between 
Courmayeur and La Saxe. Keeping 
a general direction nearly due E., the 
traveller passes a chalet, then traverses 
a slight ridge and gentle slopes with 
scattered rocks and patches of snow, 
ascending to the Col d'Artereva, a 
notch in the rocky ridge dividing the 
Val Ferrex from the Val de Bosses. 



This overlooks one of the tributary 
glens at the bead of the latter valley, 
and by that way St. Remy may be 
reached in 2\ hi's. The shorter way to 
the Hospice is (after descending by 
snow slopes to a group of chalets) to 
reascend over slopes of shale and snow 
to the Col de St. Remy, whence the 
Hospice is reached, either by the Can- 
tine, or by a shorter path to the 1. 8£ 
hrs. suffice for the whole distance. 
Between the first and second col this 
route lies on the N. side of the Grande 
Rosserc (10,904'). Though quite neg- 
lected by tourists, this must be one of 
the finest points for a view of the Mont 
Blanc range. It is said to be easy of 
access on the S. side. The Mont 
Carmel ( 9,057'), also called Mont Cor- 
met, lies between the Grande Rossere 
and Courmayeur or Morgex. In height 
and position it is the counterpart of the 
Cramont, but is- rarely visited. 

3. By the Col de la Serena. From 
7 to 9 hrs. 

This way, passing by the head of 
Val de Bosses, is not very interesting, 
but is the easiest from the Hospice to 
Courmayeur. 

The shortest course for a pedestrian 
is to follow a path which turns to the 
rt. close to the Vacherie of the Hospice, 
and, winding round the slopes of the 
mountains, reaches the chalet at the 
foot of the Col de la Serena, where it 
joins the regular track. This is a con- 
siderable short-cut, but is fatiguing, 
and requires a local guide. A good 
walker may get to Courmayeur this 
way in 7 hrs. The ordinary route, 
which is passable for mules, descends 
as far as St. Remy on the way towards 
Aosta. ' You there take the road to 
the rt. to the village of Bosses, then 
through fields for ^ hr., and you arrive 
at the foot of the Col. Half an hr.'s 
ascent through a pine-forest brings you 
to the last chalet. Here instead of 
following a road to the rt., go up the 
mountain by a steep zigzag path im- 
mediately behind, the chalet, and 1| 
hr.'s good walking will land you on the 
top of the Col (7,335' Favre). The 



26G 



PENNINE ALPS. § IS. 



ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



scenery is very wild, especially towards 
the N. and NW., offering a great con- 
trast to the beautifully cultivated valley 
of Aosta, which shortly afterwards 
(just above the village of Morges\ you 
see extended at your feet.' From Morges 
to Morgex, on the high-road between 
Aosta and Courmayeur, is a walk down 
a stony path of about % hr. ; thence 
to Courmayeur 2 hrs. walk ; in all 
about 9 hrs. from the Hospice. The 
Serena abounds with ptarmigan and 
chamois. 

4. By the Col de Vertosan. This pass 
leads from the Val de Bosses into the 
Val d'Aosta, close to the bridge where 
the high road crosses to the rt. bank of 
the Dora, between La Salle and Ivrogne. 
It is very little used, as it offers a cir- 
cuitous route for those going from the 
Val de Bosses to Courmayeur. The 
Mont Vertosan, lying E. of the pass, is 
but a minor peak of the Mont Fallet 
(10,138'), a snmmitcommandinganoble 
panorama. This is attainable in 6 hrs. 
from Aosta, the shortest way being by 
Pont d'Avin and the hamlet of Soura. 
Shelter for the night may be had at the 
chalets of Sarre, if hr. below the top. 
The mountain is very steep on the N. 
side, but it may be ascended through 
the Combe des Frassins, which opens 
nearly due S. of St. Remy. 



Route C. 

ST. PIERRE TO COURMAYEUR, BY THE 
COL DES PLANARDS. 

The earlier explorers of the so-called 
High Level Route between Chamouni 
and Zermatt left a break in the direct 
line between those places from the want 
of a convenient pass which should con- 
nect the Chalets de la Foliaz, in the 
Swiss Val Ferrex, with St. Pierre. 
The desired pass was effected by Mr. 
Jacomb in 1864. Irrespective of its 
utility to those who, having crossed the 
Col d' Argentine to La Foliaz, would 



continue their way to Zermatt without 
descending- to Orsieres, this pass is con- 
venient for a tourist going from the 
valley of the Dranse to Courmayeur. 

Leaving St. Pierre in the morning, 
with Maurice N. Joris of Orsieres, Mr. 
Jacomb followed the road towards the 
Gt. St. Bernard for £ hr., and at the 
second bridge turned WSW. into th? 
glen of Les Planards. At its head, 
keeping somewhat to the northern 
slopes, the Col des Planards (9,386', 
F. W. J.) was reached in less than 3 
hrs. from St. Pierre. To the E. the 
Grand Combin with its attendant peaks 
presents a noble picture, while in the 
opposite direction the Gran des Jorasses 
tower grandiy above the minor aiguilles 
that flank it, and cenceal the peak of 
Mont Blanc. Bearing slightly to the 
1., and passing above the chalets of Les 
Ars on the route of the Col de Fenetre, 
Mr. Jacomb reached the chalets of 
Ferrex in less than 1 hr. from the Col. 
The traveller bound for Courmayeur 
may reach the Col de Ferrex in about 
the same time as from Orsieres. 



Route D. 

ST. PIERRE TO AOSTA, BY THE COL DT5 
MENOUVE — ASCENT OP THE MONT 
VELAN. 

As mentioned in Rte. A, the Swiss 
authorities adopted some years ago a 
plan for carrying a carriage-road from 
Martigny to Aosta by the Col de 
Menouve, through a tunnel consider- 
ably below the summit of that pass, 
which lies about half way between the 
hospice of the Great St. Bernard and 
the Mont Velan. The latter mountain, 
though not often ascended, is extremely 
well worth the attention of mountain- 
eers, as it commands one of the finest 
views in the Alps, and is attainable 
without risk or much fatigue. It is 
accessible from the Valsorey, which 
joins the Val d'Entremont close to 
St. Pierre, or by a more direct and 
rather steeper course from the Cantine 



ROUTE D. COL DE MENOUVE. 



267 



de Proz, at the termination of the 
carriage - road leading towards the 
St. Bernard. It is perhaps still better 
to ascend* directly from St. Pierre, where 
the night-quarters are much better, and 
the distance but ^ hr. more. Starting 
from either place, an active mountaineer 
may easily make the ascent, then cross 
the Col de Menouve, and reach Aosta at 
night. Either of the brothers Ballay, 
Auguste Dorsaz, or Pierre Victor Mo- 
rey, of St. Pierre, may be recommended 
as guides. For a party not consisting 
of practised ice-men, it would be ad- 
visable to take one guide for each tra- 
veller. Dorsaz expects 20 fr. for the 
ascent, returning to Val d'Entremont 
— more if taken to Aosta. 

Ascending the grassy slopes on the 
I. of the track to St. Bernard, about 
£ hr. from the Cantine the way to the 
Vela,n lies up a stony waste, above the 
rt. bank of the torrent, at the foot of 
the Glacier de Proz, also called Glacier 
<1e Menouve, which flows from the NW. 
base of the mountain. The Mont 
Veltin, as seen on the N. and W. side, 
is si snowy dome, nearly flat at the top, 
but steep on the side where it is ribbed 
by projecting edges of sharp rock, that 
stand out from the surface of the neve. 
The Glacier de Proz is reached in 
2§ hr8. from the Cantine, and nearly an 
hour more is occupied in ascending to its 
upper end. It is little crevassed, and 
presents no difficulty save a wide 
chasm or bergsehrund, marking the line 
along which the glacier annually detaches 
itself from the neve of the mountain. 
Over this a snow-bridge is usually to 
be found, and the remainder of the 
ascent is made along some of the 
rocky ridges which reach near to the 
summit of the dome. The axe is here 
called into play, and the way is in 
parts so steep that the guides usually 
prefer to descend by the Valsorey 
Glacier. The summit of the Velan 
(12,353'), reached in 6 hrs. from the 
Cantine, or about 6^ hrs. from St. 
Pierre, is thought by excellent judges to 
command the finest view in the Pen- 
nine Alps. If rather less central as 

PART I. 1 



regards the main chain than the Becca 
di Nona, or Mont Emilius, this is 
counterbalanced by the view of the 
Bernese Alps, and of part of the 
Lake of Geneva, which unexpect- 
edly enters into the panorama. If 
the traveller should not intend to cross 
the Col de Menouve, he will do well to 
descend from the Velan by the G ? acier 
de Valsorey, lying on its NE. slope in 
the direction of the Grand Combin, an 
extremely grand object when seen from 
this side. The upper part of the Val- 
sorey Glacier is steep, and much cre- 
vassed, and it is necessary to keep 
to the arete overlooking the valley 
of Ollomont. After a considerable 
descent, the traveller gains the lower 
level of the glacier, which bends gradu- 
ally rather W. of N., receives on the rt. 
the ice-stream of the Glacier de Sona- 
don (Rte. G), and at the base of a lofty 
buttress joins the Glacier de Tzeudet, 
issuing from a hollow in the mountain 
to the S. In the angle between the 
latter ice-stream and that of Valsorey 
is a curious glacier lake, called Goille 
a Vassu, described by Saussure ( Voyages, 
ch. xlv.). It is said to be full of water 
in spring, and usually dry in summer. 
The descent to St. Pierre lies through 
the Valsorey, at first along the E. mo- 
raine, and then by a sheep- track along 
the rt. bank, with the Dent du Midi 
in the distant back-ground. Nearly 5 
hrs. are required to reach St. Pierre 
from the summit, unless the glacier bo 
in very favourable condition. 

The Col de Menouve is 9,059 ft. in 
height, but the tunnel, 1|- m. in length, 
through which it was originally proposed 
to carry the road, was to have lain 1,414 
ft. below the crest of the pass. It was 
subsequently considered that, owing to 
the exposure to avalanches, and the 
difficulty of the ground, even that height 
would be found excessive; and a second 
plan was proposed which would have 
placed the tunnel several hundred ft. 
lower, or at 6,827 ft. above the sea- 
level; but this alteration in the plan in- 
volved trie lengthening of the tunnel 
to 2 miles and 506 yards. The Italian 



268 



PENNINE ALPS. ^ 18. ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



Government is naturally indisposed to 
undertake so great a work while the 
Modane tunnel, and so many other 
great undertakings, are in hand ; and 
it is not likely that the Swiss unaided 
should achieve the project. 

The descent to Etroubles through 
the Val de Menouve is not very in- 
teresting, that glen being very bare. 



Route E. 

MARTIGNY TO AOSTA, BY THE VAL DE 
BAGNES AND THE COL DE FENETRE. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

St. Branchier . . 2| 7£ 

Chables . 1| 4£ 

Lourder . ]± 3f 

Hotel du Glacier . 1| 5 

Chermontane . 3" 9 

Col de Fenetre . li 3 

Valpellina . 4 10 

Aosta . 2| 8 

17 i 50f 
The two main branches of the Dranse 
flow through two nearly parallel valleys 
— the Val d'Entremont and the Val de 
Bagnes, and unite their waters near St. 
Branchier. Each is connected with the 
Val d' Aosta by a pass which, at least 
in summer, is quite free from difficulty. 
But the destiny of the two valleys has 
been widely different. The first has 
from the earliest times been one of the 
main channels of communication be- 
tween Switzerland and Italy, and is 
traversed annually by thousands of 
travellers ; while the second has con- 
tinued, even to the present time, to be 
one of the most neglected portions of 
the Alps, and were it not for the de- 
structive inundation which early in 
this century issued from the narrow 
mouth of the valley to carry destruction 
even below Martigny, the name of the 
Val de Bagnes would scarcely have 
been known to the outer world until 
the publications of Professor Forbes 
and of the Alpine Club made it tole- 
rably familiar to British readers. 

The main difficulty for mountaineers 
who may wish .to explore the numerous 



peaks and glaciers which surround the 
Val de Bagnes is the absence of ac- 
commodat ion. At Chables there is a 
tolerable inn, and a new house has 
been lately opened about 3 hrs.' walk 
above that village, a little above the 
Pont de Mauvoisin. Elsewhere there 
is nothing but chalet fare — black bread, 
milk, and cheese, and hay, seldom dry, 
to sleep upon. The point where ac- 
commodation is most desired is at the 
Chalets de Chermontane, at the upper 
end of the valley. PL-ced at the meet- 
ing of many glacier routes, and in the 
immediate neighbourhood of such fine 
points of view as the Mont Gele and 
the Mont Avril, an Alpine inn might 
rival the attractions of Heiligenblut or 
the Aeggischhorn. 

The very rare Crepis jubata was first 
discovered at the upper end of the Val 
de Bagnes. 

The people of the valley appear to 
be superior to their neighbours in the 
Val d'Entremont. goitre and cretinism 
being almost unknown. Strangers are 
kindly received, and chamois-hunting 
being a common pursuit, tolerably good 
guides for difficult excursions are easily 
found. They usually can speak intel- 
ligible French ; but the dialect of this 
and the valleys farther east, calif d by 
the German Swiss kauderwelsch, is an 
unknown tongue to most strangers. 

From St. Branchier (Rte. A) a char- 
road has been carried nearly 7 miles 
up the valley. It crosses the Dranse 
just below the junction of the two 
streams, and then proceeds along the 
rt. bank of the Dranse de Bagnes to 

Chables (Inn : Chez Perrodin, tole- 
rably good and reasonable), the chief 
village of the valley, picturesquely 
situated, and in the neighbourhood of 
some interesting scenery. The summit 
of the Pierre a Voir (8,124') (Rte. A) 
is easily reached in 4^ hrs. On the 
opposite side the traveller may descend 
on a sledge (very fast) to the Baths 
of, Sax on. The Becca de Jazie (B. 
d'Evasie of Studer's map), S. of Cha- 
bles, is said to be also a fine point of 
view. [A path leads from Chables to 



ROUTE E. — VAL DE BAGNES. 



269 



Jtiddes, in the valley of the Rhone, by 
the Col d'Etabhn, also called Col de 
Verbier. It lies E. of the Pierre a, 
Voir, and is apparently about 7,000 ft. 
in height. The way lies by the village 
of Verbier, whence a stream leads up 
to near the Col. On the N. side the 
descent lies at first over grassy slopes, 
then through a zone of rhododen- 
dron and pine woods. After passing 
over a tract of sloping pastures, a 
steeper declivity leads down to the 
village of Riddes. Large surfaces of 
rock at a great height above the valley 
are seen to be polished and striated by 
the gigantic glacier which once ex- 
tended from the Furca at least as far 
as the Lake of Geneva.] 

At Chables the road up the Val de 
Bagnes crosses the Dranse and comes to 
an end about 3 m. farther on, at Champ- 
sec. Beyond that place a mule-path, 
returning to the rt. bank, leads to 
Lourtier (3,657'). Though there is no 
inn, a stranger may easily find night 
quarters ; but will do better to push on 
to the inn lately opened above the Pont 
de Mauvoisin, or else to Chables if 
travelling in the opposite direction. 
Lourtier may be reached direct from 
the Rhone valley by the Val de Nen- 
daz, which opens about 4 m. below 
Sion. In the fork between the two 
uppermost branches of that valley is 
the Mont Fort (10,925'), a point com- 
manding a fine view. On its NW. 
side the Col de la Chaux leads to the 
Val de Bagnes, a little below Lourtier. 
On the SE. side the Col de Cleuson 
(also called Col de Louvie) leads into 
the same valley about 2 m. above 
Lourtier, near Fionnay, the highest 
hamlet. The distance thence to the 
end of the Val de Bagnes is fully 4 
his.' walk, and there is probably none 
other in Switzerland which is for so 
great a distance devoid of permanent 
habitations. Those who merely mean 
to pass through the valley over the Col 
de Feneti e, do not absolutely require a 
local guide ; but if such be wanted, it is 
prudent to engage one at Chables or at 
Lourtier. Bernard Trolliet and Ben- I 



jamin Felley, formerly considered the 
best guides, are now too old. Seraphin 
Bessard, and three men with the same 
surname — not brothers — Justin, Mau- 
rice, and Franyois-Louis Felley, have 
been recommended. As they are usu- 
ally at some distant chalet, a stranger 
must be prepared for some delay. 

Above Lourtier the path keeps to 
the rt. bank, while the Dranse, charged 
with the drainage of ten consider- 
able glaciers, forces its way through 
a very narrow gorge. In little more 
than ^ hr. the path reaches some chalets 
called Granges Neuves (4,843'), where 
the considerable stream - from the Gla - 
cier de Corbassiere joins the Dranse 
(Rte. F). To the S. is the Becca de 
Corbassiere (8,891'). which must com- 
mand a fine view. [About 1 m. farther, 
at the hamlet of Fionoay, a track turns 
off to the L, and leads to the Col de 
Severen, whence the traveller may de- 
scend by the Glacier des Ecoulaies to 
the Chalets de la Barma in the Val 
Heremence (§19, Rte. C). N. of the 
Col is the Pointe de Rosa Blanche 
(10,984'), not difficult, and command- 
ing an admirable view. Another pass 
— Coldu Cret— also leads from Fionnay 
to the Gl. des Ecoulaies.] In about l£ 
hr. from Lourtier the traveller reaches 
the Pont de Mauvoisin, a solid stone 
bridge over the Dranse, which is here 
crossed, and the way thenceforward 
continues along the I. bank. On the 
high ground between the bridge and 
the Glacier of Getroz, a rough but 
very tolerable mountain inn was opened 
in 1863. The Mont Pleureur (12,159') 
— first ascended by M. Hoffmann in 
1866 — now becomes a conspicuous 
object on the E. side of the valley, and 
through a narrow channel on the S. side 
is seen the lower end of the Glacier de 
Getroz, fed by the overflow from a vast 
plateau of neve that is not visible from 
below. This glacier has obtained a 
sad celebrity from the formidable cata- 
strophes of which it has been the cause. 
In 1595 it. descended into the val- 
ley, and formed a barrier behind which 
the waters accumulated until they 



270 



PEXX1NE ALPS. § IS. 



ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



burst, and swept through the valley 
helow, carrying off 140 human beings 
■with many houses and cattle. In 
the spring of IS 18 the glacier again 
flowed down into the vailey, forming a 
dam 400 ft. high, behind which the 
■waters of the Dranse soon grew into a 
lake nearly 1^ m. in length. A re- 
newal of the former calamity seemed 
inevitable when an eminent engineer, 
M. Venetz, undertook to avert it by 
driving a tunnel through the ice- 
barrier. History records no nobler 
example of courage and endurance 
than that of the brave men who for 
34 days worked day and night, in mo- 
mentary peril of destruction, until the 
work was completed just as the waters 
of the lake had reached the level of 
the tunnel. The flow of water rapidly 
enlarged and lowered the opening, and 
in less than three days two-fifths of the 
water had safely run off through the 
customary channel of the river. In 
the mean time, however, the dam had 
been weakened by the excavating ac- 
tion of the current, and on June 16 
it suddenly gave way. In half an 
hour, a quantity of water, five times 
greater than that of the Rhine at Basle, 
where it carries down the drainage of 
nearly all the Swiss Alps, rushed through 
the breach and down the narrow valley. 
An eye-witness, who viewed the scene 
near St. Branchier, assured the writer 
that the appearance of the flood was 
that of a huge dark mass of trees filling 
the width of the vallev, and advancing 
with the speed of a railway train, at 
first exceeding 25 miles an hour. 
After reaching the main valley at St. 
Branchier, the fury of the flood was par- 
tially arrested, but it continued to spread 
destruction far and wide, and to bear 
down its burden of huge blocks of 
stone, trees, cattle, houses, and debris, 
to the valley of the Rhone, many miles 
below Martigny. After repeated warn- 
ings most of the inhabitants had 
repaired to places of safety, but 34 
werp carried away, along with 400 
houses, all the bridges over the Dranse, 
mid large numbers of cattle. More 



[permanent mischief was done by the 
.misses of stone and gravel that still lie 
over most of the fields in the lower 
level of the valley even below Martignv 
One transported block of stone, still 
pointed out, is estimated to weigh nearly 
200 tons. 

The impending danger of a renewal 
of the same catastrophe has since 1818 
been averted by a simple and ingenious 
device originated by M. Venetz. A 
stream of water at a temperature even 
but little over the freezing point acts 
as a saw which rapidly cuts through 
glacier ice. Hence, by conducting the 
streams from the mountains on either 
side in wooden troughs, the accumu- 
lated masses of ice and frozen snow 
are cut up into huge blocks which fall 
into the Dranse, and are soon carried 
away, and melted by the current. Men 
are still frequently employed in sum- 
mer to conduct this operation. 

The path now lies across the tem- 
porary bed of the lake, and in about 
1 hr. farther reaches the Chalets de 
Torembec, which are said to offer the 
best night-quarters for a traveller in 
the upper part of the valley. The 
scenery here assumes a character of 
grandeur. The glacier of Lirerouge to 
the east, and another on the west side 
of the valley lying on the slope of the 
Becca de la Liaz, called Glacier de Bo- 
cai-esse, are scarcely seen from below, 
but opposite to the chalets of Vingt-huit, 
where the track returns for a short 
time to the rt. bank, is the fine Glacier 
de Zessetta, descending from a hollow 
on the N. side of the Tour de Boussine, 
a great buttress of the Grand Combin 
here rising above the valley in formid- 
able precipices of black rock. A little 
higher up is the still more extensive 
Glacier de Breney. originating between 
the Serpentine (12,110') and the Pigne 
d"Arolla ( 1 2,47 1 '). Professor Forbes was 
informed that in 1S22 this glacier had 
crossed the Dranse and reached a con- 
siderable height on the opposite bank. 
In 1856 Mr. Mathews found that it had 
retreated, leaving behind vast piles of 
rubbish. A little farther on, the Glacier 



ROUTE F. ASCENT OF THE GRAND COMBIN. 



271 



da Mont Durand has formed a perma- 
nent ice bridge across the Dranse, 
which flows through a natural tunnel 
beneath it. This great glacier is more 
fully noticed in Rte. F ; its lower end 
is crossed in order to reach the Chalets 
de Chermontane (7,316'). a considerable 
establishment, where nine herdsmen are 
employed in summer in tending a large 
number of cattle and sheep, and in 
making cheese. The season is a very 
short one, extending only from the 
beginning of July to the latter end of 
August. Travellers who have passed 
here have been hospitably received, 
but they have found very meagre fare, 
and have complained of incessant noise 
throughout the nigui. The quarters 
of Chanrion (Rte. L) are to be pre- 
ferred. The site, however, offers at- 
tractions to the mountaineer which 
are scarcely surpassed elsewhere in the 
Alps. Besides the two great glaciers 
already mentioned, there is the Gla- 
cier de Fenetre, leading to Aosta, and 
the jrreat Glacier d'Otemma, one of 
the finest in the Alps, over which lie 
three different passes, described in 
Rtes. L and M. There are be- 
sides three peaks within easy reach, 
that command extremely interesting 
views. Of these the Pic d'Otemma 
(1 1,513'), perhaps reached by Bernard 
Trolliet, was ascended in 1866 by M. 
Isler, and also by the veteran M. Weil- 
enmann. The Mont Gele (1 1,539') is 
described in connection with the Col de 
Crete Seche. The eas'est of access is 
the Mont Avril (10,961'), lying W. of 
the track to the Col de Fenetre, and 
overlooking the Glacier du Mont Du- 
rand. The ascent over loos« shattered 
slate is easy but tedious. The Grand 
Combin rising opposite is a grand ob- 
ject. 

The ascent from the chalets of Cher- 
montane to. the Col de Fenetre formerly 
lay in part over the glacier of the same 
name; but the ice having retired, the 
path (practicable for mules) passes by 
its W. side. To reach the Col from 
below fully l£ hr. is required, but less 
than an hour suflices for the descent to 



Chermontane. Though the Glacier de 
Fenetre is now distant from that of 
Otemma, the two glaciers united their 
frozen streams when Professor Forbes 
passed here in 1841. 

The view from the Col de Fenetre, 
(9,141') is extremely fine, especially on 
the side of Italy, commanding all the 
higher summits of the Graian Alps 
from the Mont Emilius to the Ruitor. 
Immediately below lies the deep valley 
of Ollomont, enclosed by rugged ridges 
which descend from the Mont Gele and 
the Mont Avril. The track skirts the 
base of the former peak, a grand object 
from this side, and passes a small lake, 
before reaching the Alpine pastures 
which rapidly lead down to the chalets 
of Balme. A mule -path descends 
thence by Les Veaux and Ollomont, 
where there are remains of a Roman 
aqueduct, to Valpellina (Rte. H), only 
8 m. from Aosta (§ 15, Rte. A). 



Route F. 

CHABLES TO ST. PIERRE, BY THE COI. 

DE LA MAISON BLANCHE ASCENT 

OF THE GRAND COMBIN. 

The Grand Combin, which yields in 
height to no European mountains save 
Mont Blanc and the great peaks that 
circle round Zermatt, was long one of 
the least known of Alpine summits ; 
and even now the great glacier of Cor- 
bassiere which streams from its northern 
face is personally known to none but a 
few enterprising mountaineers. The 
first to commence the exploration of 
the great mass which separates the Val 
de Bagnes from the Val d'Entremont 
was M. Gottlieb Studer, of Berne, who 
in 1851 reached for the first time the 
summit of the Combin de Corbassiere. 
and has published an account of that 
and a subsequent excursion in 4 Berg- 
und Gletscher-Fahrten.' He was fol- 
lowed in that ascent five years later by 
Messrs. W. and C E. Mathews, and in 
1857 the former gentleman anticipated 
M. Studer in the ascent of the second 



272 



PEXXKE ALPS. § 18. ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



peak of the Grand Combin. After this 
ascent had been sever: 3 .', times repeated, 
some hunters of Sr. Pierre discovered 
a way irom the Val d'Entremont, and 
a Swiss gentleman, named Deville, un- 
der their guidance reached the higher 
or southern peak in 1860, followed in the 
Hex: year by Air. Utters* >m Several 
points connected with the topography 
of the mountain have been made out so 
lately that G. Sender's description, pub- 
lished in 1859. although the most com- 
plete vet published, is in many respects 
quite incorrect. It was formerly sup- 
posed that the watershed between Pied- 
mont and Switzerland ran up close un- 
der the highest peak of the mountain, 
and it is so represented in Studer's map. 
Mr. Mathews was led to doubt this 
opinion, and to suppose the existence of 
a pass from the Corbassiere Glacier to 
that of Mont Durand. In a subsequent 
expedition, with Mr. F. TV. Jacomb. he 
ascertained that the supposed pass does 
not exist, since the ridge at the head of 
the Corbassiere Glacier overlooks, not 
the Gl. du Mont Durand. but an affluent 
of the Sonadon Glacier, from which 
it is separated by se°rningly impracti- 
cable precipices On the next day Mr. 
Jacomb crossed for the first time the 
Col de Sonadon, connecting the Val- 
sorey with the Glacier du Mont Durand, 
and thus ascertained that the Combin 
is separated from the watershed towards 
Italy by the whole length of the ridge 
between those two glaciers. 

The topography of the Combin is 
intricate, and only to be clearly under- 
stood by reference to a correct map or 
model. Between the Val d'Entremont 
and the Val de Bagnes are two high 
ridges, nearly parallel to each other and 
to those valleys, which both diverge 
from a short transverse ridge of great 
height. The S. end of the space en- 
closed between these three ridges is an 
eievated piateau of great extent, where 
the neve accumulates that feeds the 
Glacier de Curhassitre. which descends 
thence for several miles to the N. 

At the SE. extremity of the plateau 
the highest part of the enclosing ridge 



is surmounted by two conical summits, 
of which the higher SW. point is 
14,164 ft. in height, while the neigh- 
bouring NE, summit is lower by less 
than 100 ft. At the SW. corner, the 
plateau sinks to a considerably lower 
level, and over this lies the Col de la 
Maison Blanche, by which access to 
Corbassiere is obtained from the side of 
Vahorev. Sren from the S. and E. sides, 
the highest ridge of the Combin rises 
in seemingly inaccessible precipices, 
but the actual summit is not easily 
identified. The ridge separating the 
glaciers of Mont Durand and Sonadon 
diverges to the SW. from the mass of 
the Combin, and appears to be continu- 
ous with the range of the Aiguilles 
Vertes, or Aiguilles de Valsorey. and 
that of the Yelan. From this branches 
the lower range, which divides the 
channel of the Glacier du Mont Durand 
from the Piedmontese Val d'OUomont. 
and extends bv the Col de Fenetre to the 
Mont Gele. 

It is right to add. that the Grand 
Combin is known in the Val de Bagnes 
bv the name Grajfeneire, or Grafion- 
eyre, while the name Grand Combin is 
given to a much lower summit on the 
W. side of the Glacier de Corbassiere, 
called on several maps Petit Combin, 
but better distinguished as Combin de 
Corbassiere. A third peak, which is 
marked as Les FoBats in Studer's map, 
and is known as Dent du Midi in some 
i part of the Val d'Entremont. is called 
I by the people of Bagnes Petit Combin. 

* The demand made by the Bagnes 
guides in the early ascents of the Grand 
Combin was 30 fr. each, which may be 
considered fair pay. as in ascending 
from that side it is necessary to employ 
the greater part of two days, sleeping 
at the Chalets de Corbassiere. 

After following the main track up the 
Val de Bagnes from Chables io Granges 
Neuves, where the stream from the Cor- 
bassiere Glacier joins the Dranse. the 
traveller keeps on the same path to the 
next group of chalets, called Plan Praz, 
and then, after crossing the Dranse by 
a wooden bridge, commences the ascent 



ROUTE F. — COL DE LA MAISON BLANCHE. 



273 



along the base of the Becca de Corbas- 
siere. The lowest chalets are somewhat 
below the glacier, but the principal 
group lies above its E. bank, and com- 
mands a very fine view of the Grand 
Combin, and" the range on the opposite 
side of the glacier, whose highest sum- 
mit is the Combin de Corbassiere. This 
may be reached in 6 hrs. from the cha- 
lets. The only difficulty lies in cross- 
ing the bergschrund at the base of the 
steep E. face of the peak, and towards 
the highest crest, which is a narrow 
and very sharp snow-arete. 

There is a passage called Col des 
Pauvres leading from the Chalets de 
Corbassiere to the middle region of the 
Val de Bagnes. By bearing to the rt. 
along the slope of the Montague de 
Bocaresse, Mr. Mathews reached the 
chalets of Torembec (Rte. D), without 
the labour of descending direct to the 
valley, and then remounting the track 
to Torembec. 

The accommodation at Corbassiere 
is very limited, and Mr. W. Mathews 
with his brother, in his first visit to this 
place, found it advisable to sleep for 
two nights under a huge boulder near 
at hand, which is turned to the same 
account by the herdsmen. Somewhat 
higher up there is a small stone hut at 
the base of a cliff, which in subsequent 
expeditions to the Grand Combin was 
used for sleeping quarters by Mr. 
Mathews and M. G. Studer. 

Along the E. side of the glacier are 
two ancient moraines, marking its for- 
mer limits ; the farther of which is now 
coated over with vegetation, and affords 
the easiest way for ascending along this 
bank. The middle and upper part of 
the glacier abutting against the upper 
ridge of the Grand Combin is described 
as exhibiting an appearance of extra- 
ordinary confusion. Huge seracs, with 
a net-work of wide crevasses interven- 
ing, form a labyrinth which severely 
tries the skill and endurance both of 
guides and travellers. Mr. Mathews, 
who made the ascent after a heavy fall 
of fresh snow, found 1 1 hrs. of actual 
walking necessary to reach the summit 



from the highest hut ; and his chief 
guide, Auguste Simond, suffered after- 
wards from the severe exertion. M. 
Studer, under more favourable circum- 
stances, employed more than 9 hrs.; and 
in each case the second peak, not the 
higher and more distant summit, was 
attained. Mr. Utterson, who made the 
second ascent of the highest peak with 
Nathaniel Gaspard Ballay, of St. Pierre, 
as guide, started from the highest cha- 
let in Valsorey, and approached the peak 
from the Col de la Maison Blanche. 
More fortunate in respect to weather 
than his predecessors, he reached the 
summit in 6^- hrs. (excluding halts), 
and returned the same evening to St. 
Pierre. 

The traveller who is content to reach 
St. Pierre by the Col de la Maison 
Blanche (11,212'), may avoid passing 
the night at the Corbassiere chalets, 
and start from the new inn above Pont 
Mauvoisin. The following notes will 
be found useful by future travellers. 
' Leaving the inn at Mauvoisin, at 
4.40 a.m., we followed the mule-path 
about half-way down to the bridge, 
and then struck up the hill-side on the 
left, crossing two streams, and bearing 
away to the right, past some chalets, 
till we reached the foot of the small 
glacier, called " Les Otanes " in the 
Federal Map. We followed the mo- 
raine on the E. side of this, till we 
came to its upper level, and then 
crossed it to a gap in the rocks on 
the other side. From the top of these 
we gained a very fine view of the 
whole Glacier de Corbassiere, with the 
Grand Combin, and the Combin de 
Corbassiere. To the N. and JNW. we 
saw the Diablerets, and the range 
formed by the Dent du Midi, Tour 
Sailliere, and Buet ; while behind us 
we commanded the Val de Bagnes, 
with the mountains bounding it on the 
E. From this point we continued 
southwards along the rocks, till we 
came to a point where we could de- 
scend on the Corbassiere Glacier. This 
it is well to do as soon as possible, as 
farther south they present a precipitous 



274 



PENNINE ALPS. § 18. ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



front to the glacier. On reaching the , 
edge of it, -we coasted along an old 
grass- grown moraine for about ^hr., 
and then crossed directly to the other , 
side of the glacier, below the neve. 
From this point we found it best, as 
well as most direct, to ketp very near 
the W. bank unnl we reached the com- 
paratively level surface beyond the 
Combin de Corbassiere. Just below 
that peak the glacier is much crevassed, 
and broken into remarkably fine scracs. 
This part of the ascent is somewhat 
difficult, and requires thoroughly effi- 
cient guides. On reaching the more 
level surface it is necessary to bear 
considerably to the S. to reach the Col 
de la Maison Blanche, which lies close 
under the marvellous snow-slopes of) 
the Grand Combin. We gained the | 
summit at 11.20, having stopped only \ 
once for 20 min. to take our second 
breakfast.' — [J. TL. K] 

Messrs. Mathews and Jacomb went ! 
in 50 min. from the Col to a point in I 
the ridge to SSE.. about 500 ft. higher, 
which overlooks a grand amphitheatre ; 
of rock and ice-cliff opening into 1 
one branch of the Glacier of Valsorey. 
The view from this point is very 
grand, including a large portion of the 
panorama seen from the highest peak. 

A short distance below the snowy 
ridge which forms the Col de la Maison 
Blanche, commences a steep descent, 
in which rocks alternate -with couloirs 
and snow-slopes, presenting no difficulty 
to practised mountaineers. Atthebase 
of the rocks the descent continues, and 
finally gains the banks of a tributary 
stream flowing SW„ and joining that 
from the Valsorey Glacier (Rte. G). about 
l^hr. above St. Pierre. Above the junc- 
tion is the highest chalet in the val- 
ley. In ascending to the Col, Messrs. 
Mathews and Jacomb employed 5 hrs. 
20 min., and in descending 4 hrs. 20 nun. 

The experience gained in the latest 
ascents of the Grand Combin shows 
that until a hut shall be built far up on 
the rt. bank of the Corbassiere Glacier, 
it will be far better to attack the moun- 
tain from the Maison Blanche side. 



M. G. Studer discovered another 
pass from Corbassiere to the Val ri'En- 
tremont by the N. side of the Combin 
de Corbassiere. He descended to Alive 
between Liddes and St. Pierre (Rte. 
A) by the N. side of the Glacier de 
Boveire, and over the Montagne des 
Coeurs. It is apparently less interest- 
ing, but also shorter than that of the 
Maison Blanche. 



Route G. 

ST. PIERRE TO CHERMONTAKE, BY THE 
COL DE SONAIK>N. 

This, which deserves to be counted 
among the first-rate glacier passes of 
the Alps, lies in the direct line of com- 
munication between Zermatt and Cha- 
mouni. It was first made in 1861 by 
Mr. F. W. Jacomb. a member of the 
Alpine Club, whose name frequently 
recurs amongst the explorers of th- 
Pennine Alps, accompanied by the 
well-known brothers, J. B. and Michel 
Croz of Chamouni. Three weeks 
later it was passed for the second time 
by the Rev. J. F. Hardy and three 
friends. 

The way from St. Pierre lies along 
the rt. bank of the Valsorey torrent to 
its junction with the stream from ihe 
Col de la Maison Blanche mentioned 
in the last Rte. Instead of turning by 
that stream to IS E , the way still lies 
SE., passing the highest chalet, and 
about 10 min. farther, and near the 
lower end of the glacier, reaches a pro- 
jecting rock, which appears to bar the 
valley. The herdsmen have cut a path 
by which the summit of the rock is 
reached in 15 min., and the track con- 
tinues along the slope, high above the 
end of the Valsorey Glacier. In 2$ 



ROUTE G. — COL DE SONADON. 



275 



hrs. from S^. P.erre Mr. Jacomb 
reached a point commanding a fire 
view of the junction of'the main Glacier 
de Valsorey with the Glacier de Sana- 
tion, which it receives from the E., and 
with the Glacier de Tzeudet, which 
joins it a little lower down from the 
SW. In the fork between it and the 
latter is the little glacier lake, Goille 
a Vassu, mentioned in Rtc. C. Imme- 
diately opposite, between the ice- streams 
of Valsorey and Sonadon is the range 
of the Aiguilles Vertes, or Aiguilles de 
Valsorey, linking the Grand Combin 
with the Velan. At the NE. end of 
this ridge, very near to the Combin, is 
the slight depression which forms the 
Col de Sonadon. From this point of 
view it is seen that the Glacier de 
Sonadon is cut across by an impracti- 
cable ice-fall and by smooth and nearly 
vertical rocks, so that the only way to 
reach its upper level is to climb along 
the face of the steep rocks which over- 
hang its N. bank. This has been found 
by the earlier explorers a matter of 
some difficulty, the rocks being very 
steep and the risk from falling stones 
not inconsiderable. It is likely that as 
it is better known the guides will find 
out the most convenient track, and 
avoid some of the difficulty. Several 
attempts made by Mr. Hardy's party, 
composed of excellent mountaineers and 
first-rate guides, to descend by the 
middle or SE. corner of the glacier 
utterly failed. 

When once the upper level of the 
glacier has been reached, the difficulties 
of the way are over. 1^ hr. ascending 
oversnow-slopes suffices toreach the Col. 
Mr. Jacomb, who is a fast walker, em- 
ployed 6^ hrs., including a short halt 
for breakfast, to reach the Col from St- 
Pierre. He estimates the height at 
11,483 ft. To the N. rises the rocky- 
face of the Grand Combin, while to the 
E. the Glacier du Mont Durand de- 
scends in a gentle curve convex to the 
S., where it is guarded by the Tete de 
By and the Mont Avril. Beyond it 
rises the great Glacier d'Otemma, be- 
tween the Mont Gele and the Pic 



d'Otemma, and to the N. of the latter 
peak the Glacier de Breney. 

The upper part of the Glacier du 
Mont Durand is quite free from diffi- 
culty, but it has two considerable ice- 
falls, one of them at about its mid- 
length opposite the Mont Avril, the 
other lower down, where it descends 
into the head of the Val de Bagnes 
opposite to the chalets of Chermontane. 
To pass the higher fall, Mr. Hardy and 
his party found it expedient to keep to 
the rocks on the 1. or N. bank. Below 
the fall there is no difficulty in tra- 
versing the glacier diagonally, so as to 
gain the NE. slopes of the Mont Avril, 
by which the descent is completed, 
passing but a short way below the 
path to the Col de Fenetre. Recent tra- 
vellers have found it a shorter course 
to keep all the way near to the rt. bank 
of the glacier. 3 hrs. are probably quite 
sufficient for the descent to the chalets, 
so that, under favourable circumstances, 
9^ hrs., exclusive of halts, may be al- 
lowed for this fine pass. 

In taking this pass from Chermon- 
tane, it is decidedly difficult to hit upon 
the true line of descent towards Val- 
sorey. ' The clue to it is to keep 
above a distinct tower of rock, of a 
reddish colour, on the rt. bank of the 
glacier, and then descend a couloir.' — 
[E. B ] 

[Mr. Jacomb, instead of descending 
to Chermontane, crossed the ridge of 
the Tete deBy, descending by the Cha- 
lets de By to Ollomont, and thence 
to Aosta. A much easier and more 
direct way from St. Pierre to Ollomont 
is by the Col de Valsorey, at the head 
of the Glacier de Valsorey. This is 
apparently the lowest point in the 
range connecting the grand Combin 
with the Mont Velan. Messrs. C. E. 
Mathews and Reilly, who crossed it in 
1866, took about 5£ hrs. (including 
1 hr.'s step-cutting) to reach the top, 
and 3 hrs to descend thence to Ollo- 
mont.J 



276 



PENNINE ALPS. § 18. ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



Route H. 

AOSTA TO ZERMATT, BY THE VAL 
PELLINA AND THE COL DE LA VAL 
PELLINA — DENT D'HERENS. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

Valpellina (Village) 2£ 8 

Oyaee ... 2 5§ 

Biona . . 1£ 4£ 

Prarayen . . . 3± 10^ 

Zermait by Zarde- 1 „, 99 

zan Gl. . . J ]U a 



20 



Although discovered only in 1860, 
by Mr. F. W. Jacomb, accompanied by 
Johann Kronig of Zermatt, the pass 
described in this Rte. is already fre- 
quented by the more adventurous class 
of mountaineers. Nor is this sur- 
prising ; the scenery of the Val Pel- 
lina is worthy to compare with that of 
those exquisite valleys of Monte Rosa 
described in § 20. It is connected by 
six glacier passes with the adjoining 
valleys to the N. and E. Of these the 
grandest is that leading to Zermatt, 
which has besides the great advantage 
of offering the only direct rte. from 
Aosta to Zermatt, by which the latter 
place may be reached in two days from 
Courmayeur, starting very early in a 
char for Aosta, and continuing the 
journey by Valpellina to Prarayen, and 
thence, next day, to Zermatt. 

Fine weather, and a thoroughly good 
guide, are indispensable for the pass. 
It is now known to several of the best 
Oberland and Valais guides, as well as 
to some of the best Chamouni men. 

There is a road practicable for a 
char from Aosta to the village of Val- 
pellina ; but even in descending it in- 
volves a loss of time, as it is extremely 
j-ough. It passes by Roisan along the 
*E. bank of the Buttier. The writer 
believes that the best way is to follow 
the road of the St. Bernard nearly to 
Gignod, then to cross the Buttier, and 
follow the 1. bank of the stream till 
close to the village, where the road 
returns to the opposite bank. 

Valpellina (Rte. E) stands at the 
junction of the Val d" Ollomont with the 



inain branch of the Buttier descending 
from the Val Pellina. The situation 
is extremely beautiful, but the village 
is discoloured by large copper- works. 
It contains two poor inns, of which the 
Hotel des Mines appears the better, but, 
except by accident, meat is not to be 
had. Here is the opening of the Val 
Pellina, a deep trench exactly parallel 
to that of the Allee Blanche, and of 
about the same length - 18 English m. 
The scenery is throughout of the first 
order, especially towards the head of 
the valley, and nothing but a tolerable 
mountain inn at Prarayen is wanting 
to make it one of the chief resorts of 
Alpine travellers. 

The first village is Oyace, standing 
on a promontory of rock connected with 
the base of the Mont Gele, at a great 
height above the torrent. The cure 
here is willing to give lodging to one 
or two travellers, but the accommoda- 
tion is limited, and by no means in- 
viting. The track continues along the 
N. side of the valley from thence to 



Bi 



the second and last village, 



where in case of need better accommo- 
dation than that at Oyace may be found 
at the cure's house; but he is often ab- 
sent at some of the numerous outlying 
hamlets, and the inhabitants have been 
hitherto shy, though not ill-disposed 
towards strangers. The passes leading 
I from this part of the valley to St. Bar- 
thelerni are noticed in Rte. I, and the 
Col de la Crete Seche to Chermontane 
in Rte. L. 

The flora of the Val Pellina well 
leserves more examination than it has 
yet received. Silene vallesia is com- 
mon about Biona, and the warm slopes 
on the N. side of the valley seem to 
promise much variety. They should 
be visited in June or July. 

Above Biona the valley mounts by 
a tolerably continuous and gentle 
ascent, through scenery constantly in- 
creasing in grandeur, till the mule- 
track reaches Prarayen, a group of 
chalets just beyond the opening of the 
Combe d'Oren (§19, Rte. A), the only 
considerable lateral valley connected 



ROUTE H. GLACIER DE ZARDEZAN. 



277 



with the Val Pellina. There is another 
group of chalets somewhat farther up 
the valley; the same herdsmen re- 
sort alternately to one or the other. 
The earlier visitors reported well 
of the hospitality found here, subse- 
quent reports were far less favourable, 
complaining of scant civility and most 
unreasonable charges. The most re- 
cent accounts that have reached the 
Editor ai*e very favourable, but the 
conditions vary from year to year. 
The resources of the establishment are 
confined to milk, cheese, butter, and 
brousse, with polenta and black bread, 
unless the larder happen to be enriched 
by the slaughter of a marmot The 
lower chalets stand at 6,588 ft. accord- 
ing to Forbes. 

The head of the Val Pellina is closed 
by the Glacier de Zardezan, which 
forms a great ice-fall, apparently bar- 
ring all passage in that direction. It 
occupies the main channel of an upland 
valley lying between a range that 
runs N. from the Pointe de Zardezan, 
through the Dents de Bertol (12,412'), 
and several intermediate peaks, to the 
Aiguille de la Za (12,051'), and a 
nearly parallel range, extending from 
the Chateau des Dames to the Dent 
d' Her ens (or Dent de Roug). The first 
of these ranges divides the Zardezan 
Glacier from the Combe d'Oren, and 
the basin of the Arolla Glacier from 
that of the Glacier de Ferpecle. The 
second extends southward along the W. 
side of the Val Tournanche, and sends 
out a massive branch which divides the 
Val Pellina from that of St. Barthelemi. 
About | hr. above Prarayen is a little 
chapel and a solitary chalet, the last in 
the valley, beside a little knoll crowned 
by the remains of a wooden cross. 
The view is even finer than that from 
Prarayen, but the Glacier de Zardezan 
which mounts towards NNE. is con- 
cealed, though near at hand, by a pro- 
jecting buttress of the mountain. 

' Starting from this chalet, ^ hr. 
takes the mountaineer across the pas- 
tures and rough ground forming the 
head of the valley, and, ascending 



steeply the western slopes, he crosses 
the lateral moraine on to the Zardezan 
Glacier. On the western slopes above 
is the cattle alp, one of the wildest to 
be found. The glacier descends in an 
almost straight and tolerably level 
course from the N., bounded on the 
west by the black precipices extending 
from the Pointe de Zardezan to the 
Dents des Bouquetins, whilst, on the 
east, stretches up a wilderness of snow 
slopes and rocks towards the Dent d Erin, 
seamed by three secondary glaciers 
flowing into the Zardezan, and the 
bases of which are successively passed. 
The third is of great breadth, and the 
medial moraine formed by the junction 
is strongly defined. Looking back, down 
the glacier, the Chateau des Dames 
( Rte. I) rises imposingly. At the end of 
2 hrs.,the ice-cliffs separating the lower 
level of the glacier from the neve 
above are approached; here the moun- 
taineer must leave the glacier, and turn 
north-eastwards towards a gap in 
the ridge of rocks bounding the ice- 
fall on the east. These rocks are 
called Papilles Rouges on some maps ; 
on others, the Dents des Bouquetins, 
but this latter name is more properly 
applicable to the range on the west side 
of the ice-fall. After crossing the late- 
ral moraine, you climb up steep slopes 
of snow, dotted with patches of rock, 
affording fine specimens of Gnaphalium 
leontopodiuni. In an hour a kind of 
couloir, half glacier and half snow-slope, 
is reached. Passing up this and the 
rocks above, interspersed with ice- 
slopes, and occasionally requiring the 
use of the axe, the gap in the rocks is 
gained in little more than 5 hrs. from 
Prarayen. The mountaineer is now 
at the edge of the extensive neve of the 
Zardezan, forming an undulating pla- 
teau or basin, which falls away to the 
NW. above the ice-fall.'— [F. W. J J 

[In 1862 the Rev. C. ELTPilkington, 
with two companions, effected, for the 
first time, a pass connecting the snow- 
fields at the head of the Zardezan 
Glacier with the SE. branch of the 
Glacier of Arolla. This affords a 



278 



PENNINE ALPS. § 18. ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



direct communication between Zermatt 
and the chalets of Arolla (Rte. L). 
By that way, as well as by Prarayen, 
a traveller may reach Chermontane at 
the head of the Val de Bagnes in two 
days from Zermatt. In the following' 
year Messrs. Buxton and Digby showed i 
that, when the snow is in very good I 
order, an active mountaineer may ac- 
complish the entire distance in a single 
day. Descending the snow-fields of 
the Arolla Glacier, and crossing the 
route of the Col de Collon (§ 19, Rte. 
A), they mounted a small glacier under 
the S. side of Mont Collon, and at its 
head found a broad col, 11.107 ft. in 
height, leading to the neve of the 
highest affluent of the Otemma Gla- 
cier. It appeared a more direct course 
not to descend by this affluent, hut to 
cross it, and descend on to the next 
branch, which flows from the Reuse de 
T Arolla Pass. In this way the Cher- 
montane chalets were reached in 12^ 
hrs. from Zmutt, including halts of 
more than 2 hrs. 

Mr. Pilkington named the pass con- 
necting the Zardezan and Arolla Gla- 
ciers Col da Mont Brule (10,400'. 
E. B.). As mentioned in § 19, Rte. A, 
another pass, which the discoverers 
propose to call Col de Zardezan, has 
been since effected over the ridge di- 
viding the same glaciers. If the writer 
be not mistaken, the second pass is 
nearer to the point called Mont Brule 
than the first, but he is unwilling to 
attempt to change the names given by 
the original discoverers.] 

' On the farther side of the basin, 
and ahnost due N.. is the ridge leaning 
up to the snowy summit of the Tete 
Blanche, to the SE. of which, yet hid 
from view, is the Col de la Val Pellina 
(1 1,687', Buxton). On the rt. hand, or 
E., descends a secondary glacier, broken 
up in front by seracs. Crossing the 
neve towards the Tete Blanche, and 
ascending rapidly, the Col de la Val 
Pellina is gained in 1^ hr. from the 
summit of the rocks.' — [F. W. J.] By 
bearing to the 1. across the ridge con- 
necting the Tete Blanche with the 



Dents de Bertol, the traveller may cross 
the Coldes Bouquetins leading to Evo- 
lena (§ 19, Rte. B >. 

In making the first passage of the 
Col de la Val Pellina Mr. Jacomb 
found time to ascend (in about f hr. from 
the col) the Tete Blanche (12,304'), a 
snowy pyramid lying between three 
glacier passes that intersect the vast 
ds from whence the glaciers of 
Zmutt, Ferpecle, and Zardezan diverge 
at about equal anglts. 'The ascent lies 
all the way over snow, and the summit 
is a ledge of snow wreathed up by the 
wind into a cornice. Owing to its 
central position in the vast snow and 
ice country around, there are few posi- 
tions so easy of attainment which can 
display such a magnificent scene. Be- 
sides the well-known view from the Col 
d'Herens (§ 19, Rte.D), it affords a pros- 
pect in two directions which that col 
cannot: viz., first, on the side which 
the mountain itself conceals, embracing 
the line of familiar peaks stretching 
SW. to Mont Blanc ; and next, to 
the NE., towards the wondrous Dent 
Blanche and sharp-peaked Weisshorn, 
with the Bernese Oberland beyond. In 
front is the mighty obelisk of the Mat- 
terhorn, with, nearer s;ill, the Dent 
d'Erin, little less in height ; whilst, be- 
yond, the eye ranges over the many 
other well-known mountains and gla- 
ciers of the Monte Rosa district. The 
summit of Monte Rosa, however, is 
concealed by the Matte rhorn. 

' Leaving the col, 1 hr.'s careful work 
is required in descending some treach- 
erous neve, and winding through mag- 
nificent crevasses and seracs to join the 
snow slopes of the Col d'Erin, a short 
distance above the Stockje, the track of 
which is followed over the Zmutt Gla- 
cier to Zermatt.' — [F. W. J.] (See 
§ 19, Rte. D) 

To reach the col from Prarayen 6 
hrs.' steady walking will suffice, and 5 
hrs. for the descent. In ascending from 
Zermatt 7h hrs. should be allowed to the 
summit, and 3h hrs., or rather more, 
for the descent to Prarayen. 

In 1863 the Dent d'Herens (i3,714') 



ROUTE I. — COL 

was ascended for the first time by a 
party of members of the Alpine Club. 
Mr. W. E. Hall has given a lively 
account of the expedition in the 6th 
number of the ' Alpine Journal/ This 
noble peak would certainly have at- 
tracted more attention if it were not 
placed in the immediate vicinity of the 
greatest giants of the Alps, and were 
not the near neighbour of the un- 
equalled Matterhorn. It is only from 
the head of Val Pellina that its dimen- 
sions can be duly appreciated. 

Starting from Prarayen, the party 
followed the usual course to the Gla- 
cier of Zardezan, and after some time 
bore to the rt., and mounted by the 
moraine of the last eastern tributary 
but one of the Glacier de Zardezan. 
The view for some time was limited by 
a little glacier to the 1., and a low 
range of cliffs to the rt. After a while 
the travellers mounted diagonally over 
the glacier to a mass of fine semes, and 
in 5 hrs. from Prarayen emerged on 
an extensive plateau of neve reaching 
to the base of the peak. The next 
object was to attain the crest of the 
ridge which stretches westward from 
the summit. The ascent, partly by 
rock, and partly bv an ice-slope, was 
long and rather difficult ; but the crest 
was gained about one third of its length 
from the top. The final arete is ex- 
tremely narrow and appears formidably 
difficult, but was found to be much 
shorter than was expected. The ex- 
pedition occupied 17 hrs., of which but 
a short time was given to halts. 

Route I. 

ST. BARTHELEMI TO THE VAL 
PELLINA. 

About half-way between Aosta and 
Chatillon, near the village of Nus. a 
mountain torrent descends from the N. 
to join the Dora B.iltea. This drains 
the Val de St. Barthelemi, and one or 
two short tributary glens, a district 
very little known to strangers. The 



DE VESSONA. 279 

only recent, though scanty, notice of 
the valley is contained in King's 
'Italian Valleys of the Pennine Alps.' 

The village of St. Barthelemi is 
about 2 hrs. above Nus (§ 20, Rte. I). 
Three passes lead from the main (NE.) 
branch of this valley into the Val 
Pellina. Reckoning from E. to W., 
the first of these is the Col de Levornea, 
said to approach 10,000 ft. in height. 
This is the most direct course for Pra- 
ra)'en, as it descends into the Val 
Pellina about 1^ hr. below that place. 
SW. of the last "is the still higher Col 
de Luseney, a pass leading over the 
NE. shoulder of the Bee de Luseney 
(12,350'), a beautiful pyramidal peak 
climbed (in 1866?) by Mr. A. Reilly. 

Less difficult of access than these is 
the Colde Montagnaia (9,630'), reached 
from St. Barthelemi by the Chalets de 
Baravei. The ridge forming the 
southern boundary of the Val Pellina 
is said to be here passable at two 
points, of which that lying most to the 
E. is sometimes used by the people of 
both valleys. 

The above-named passes are all 
reached by the main branch of the Val 
de St. Barthelemi, which originates on 
the E. side of the Bee de Luseney. 
Two minor glens join the main valley 
from the NN W., originating on oppo- 
site sides of the Mont F aroma (10,062'), 
and both lead to easy passes connect- 
in a 1 St. Barthelemi with Oyace in Val 
Pellina. 

That lying E. of the Faroma is the 
Col de Vessona. A steep path leads 
down from Oyace to a bridge, bearing 
the date 1688, which crosses the deep 
and dark gorge of the Buttier. The 
track then mounts steeply to the E. 
under larch trees, before long gaining 
a view of Biona, and of the high 
ranges on either side of the Col de la 
Crete Seche (Rte. K). The course 
now lies through a glen wherein soft 
turf and moss-grown rocks alternate 
with pine forest. Aquilegia alpina 
is here abundant. The glen ter- 
minates ia a green plain, the former 
'oed of a lake, where stand the chalets 



280 



PENNINE ALPS. § 18. ST. BERNAED DISTRICT. 



of Vessona. This little plain is sur- 
rounded by an amphitheatre of rocks, 
those to the S. being jagged and very 
steep. The way lies amid huge fallen 
blocks and gigantic larches, and then 
through a ravine. The larch gives place 
to thearolla pine before reaching a -wild 
hollow, where stand the upper chalets of 
Vessona. About £ hr. higher up the 
path becomes impracticable for mules, 
and 1 hr. more suffices to reach the 
col by a faintly-marked track over 
debris and shattered edges of slate. 
The col is about 8,600 ft. in height, 
and commands a noble view, extending 
from Mont Blanc to the Crete Seehe. 
The descent is tolerably easy from the 
col to a wooded glen that falls SE. to 
join the main valley, close to the vil- 
lage of St. Barthelemi. This contains 
no inn, but Mr. King found good ac- 
commodation at the house of the cure. 
The Col de St. Barthelemi, reached 
from Oyace through the Combe de Ver- 
dona, lies some way W. of the Mont Fa- 
roma. On the S. side it leads into a glen 
that joins the main valley about half- 
way between St. Barthelemi and Nus. 

Route K. 

PBARAYEN TO VAL TOURNANCHE, OR 
B RECTI/, BY THE COL DE VACOR- 

NERE ASCENT OF THE CHATEAU 

DES DAMES. 

The Editor has received some notes c 
this pass from Mr. A. T. Malkin, and 
from Mr. E. Hulton, who crossed it with 
Alexis Barraluen, a hunter of Biona ; 
and the pass, including the first ascen 
of the Chateau des Dames, is described 
by Mr. F, W. Jacomb in the second 
series of ' Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers.' 
The latter gentleman was accompanied 
by Johann Kronig, of Zermatt, and by 
Gabriel Maquigney, of Breuil, of w hose 
qualifications as an ice-man he gave an 
unfavourable report. This is a short, 
steep pass, without difficulty to the 
practised mountaineer, and interesting 
from the fine views of the main range 
between the Dent d'Herens and the 
Mont Gele. I 



Starting from the principal chalets of 
Prarayen (mentioned in Route G), the 
traveller crosses the Buttier by a plank, 
and mounts by a track through pine forest 
to the first step in the lateral glen lead- 
ing to the pass, already commanding a 
noble view of the opposite range. After 
passing the only chalet, which is visible 
from Prarayen, the way lies along a 
water channel until this joins the stream 
from the glacier of Mont Rederval. 
Following the rt. bank for about \ m. 
you reach the foot of a slope issuing 
from the gorge that leads to the col, 
here about due E. After crossing the 
scree the way turns to the L, and the 
ascent continues by a moderately steep 
climb up rocks alternating with grass 
slopes and debris, which lasts for about 
40 min. Above this lame loose blocks 
and patches of snow lead up to the last 
portion of the ascent, which lies 
through a snow couloir, long and 
rather steep, fatiguing to mount, but 
easily descended by a glissade. The 
height of the col, reached in less than 
3 hrs. from Prarayen, is, according to 
M. Carrel, 10,335 ft.— perhaps too 
high an estimate. It is known by the 
name Col de Vacornere, and also, it 
would seem, as Col Courgirier, both 
having the same derivation. 

The Chateau des Dames lies NE. of 
the pass, and, though steep, deserves a 
visit for the noble view which it com- 
mands. About 1 hr. from the col, 
going over snow and projecting rocks, 
the traveller reaches the base of the 
peak, where baggage may be deposited. 
A steep snow-slope leads NE. to a line 
of serrated rocks, not seen from below, 
which stretch N. towards the summit. 
' It is necessary to climb along the base 
of these rocks until they can be them- 
selves traversed, in order to avoid the 
iee-slope below, which here falls away 
very sharply to the E., and ends in a 
precipice. The rocks are very loose 
and pourris," and blocks are occa- 
sionally detached, and at times the 
mountaineer must leave them, and cut 
his way along the ice-slope. On reach- 
ing the end of the rocky ridge he will 



ROUTE L. GLA 

see the summit of the mountain, not 
very high above, but separated from 
him by an extremely sharp arete of 
snow, which would be dangerous on a 
windy day. This passed, a short snow- 
slope leads to a little group of rocks 
cropping out from the snow, and form- 
ing the summit of the mountain, some- 
thing less than 12,000 ft. high. It may 
be reached in less than 3 hrs. from the 
point where the baggage was left. From 
its central position the mountain com- 
mands an extensive view, especially 
westwards, in which direction the eye 
enfilades a line of snowy peaks for 
nearly 50 m. away towards Mont Blanc 
himself. Amongst these are the Velan 
and Grand Combin, and nearer the 
Mont Gele, Otemma, Arolla, Collon, 
and others. To the S., nearer at hand, 
a remarkable snow-cone rises out of the 
ridge.' — [F. W. J.] 

After returning to the base of the 
peak the traveller may descend direct, 
without returning to the col, winding 
round the N. side of the steep slopes 
that enclose the head of the glen below, 
and reaching the under-mentioned gap 
in the ridge leading to Breuil. 

Descending from the Col de Vacor- 
nere the way lies for about 5 min. over 
a small glacier, below which is a small 
lake or tarn, at the head of a wild glen, 
apparently closed in the direction of the 
Val Tournanche by a ridge stretching 
from N. to S. Following the stream from 
the lake down a gorge to the rt. leading 
a little E. of S., and in part climbing 
down rather steep rocks, the traveller 
before long reaches a track that leads 
into a short and nearly level upland 
valley, where stand the chalets of 
Chignana. The torrent from this val- 
ley joins the main stream a little below 
the village of Valtoumanche (§ 20, lite. 
B). A mule-path leads from the cha- 
ie:s to that village. 

The way to Breuil lies E. from the 
foot of the pass to a gap, called Col de 
Dza, in the ridge before mentioned, 
from whence a track leads N.E. over 
Alpine pastures, crossing two torrents 
in the way, until it reaches the main 



cier d'otemma. 281 

stream of Val Tournanche, here crossed 
by a plank bridge, about 1 m. below the 
comfortable inn of Breuil (§ 20, Rte. 
B). 

Six hours, exclusive of halts, more 
than suffice for this pass, the distance to 
Breuil or Valtournanche being about 
the same, but 5 hrs. must be added in 
case the traveller should ascend the 
Chateau des Dames. 



Route L. 

CHERMONTANE TO PRARAYEN, BY THE 

GLACIER D'OTEMMA ASCENT OF THE 

MONT GELE. 

On the E. side of the chalets of Cher- 
montane (Rte. E) lies the great Glacier 
d' Otemma (sometimes written Hautem- 
ma), and also called Glacier de Cher- 
montane, the finest of those flowing into 
the Val de Bagnes. It is about 6 m, 
in length by § m. in breadth, expand- 
ing at the summit into a great field of 
neve, which also feeds the Vuibez 
Glacier to the E. Like the Glacier du 
Mont Durand, it is convex to the S., 
descending at first to the SW., and bent 
round till, at its base, it flows somewhat 
N. of W. On the S. side it is guarded 
by a steep and lofty ridge, whose best 
known summits are the Mont Gele 
(11,539'), Trouma des JBoucs (1 1,149'), 
and Bee d'Epicoun (11,572'), with 
other still higher, but unnamed peaks, 
divided by steep tributary glaciers. 

The equally steep range on the N. 
side is crowned by the Pic d' Otemma 
(11,513'), the Pigne <Z Arolla (12,471'), 
and by several intermediate summits. 
On the faith of statements made by 
hunters of the Val de Bagnes it had 
been believed by the earlier travellers 
who visifed this district that the upper 
part of the glacier was barred by an 
impassable ridge of rocks, called Crete 
a Colon, forbidding all passage from 
Chermontane to the basin of the Arolla. 
This is represented on Studer's map of 
the southern valleys of the Valais; but 
first by Mr. Tuckett, who traversed the 



282 



PENNINE ALPS. § 18. ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



Col de la Eeuse de l'Arolla in 1861, 
and a few weeks later by Sir T. F. 
Buxton and his companions, in making 
the new pass of the Col de Chermon- 
tane, the existence of any such barrier 
was finally disproved, and a great 
service rendered to Alpine travel- 
lers by the opening of one of the 
grandest highways through the Pennine 
Alps. 

Two passes only have yet been dis- 
covered across the range which sepa- 
rates the Glacier d'Otemma from the 
Valpellina. One of these has long 
been known, though rarely used. It 
lies across a depression between the 
Trouma des Boucs and the Mont Gele, 
and is called Col de Crete Seche. The 
other is the new pass above mentioned, 
discovered by Mr. Tuckett. In 1S61 
Mr. Jaeomb added to his numerous 
other exploits in this district the as- 
cent of the Mont Gele, believed to have 
been previously untouched. More re- 
cently, in 1866, the Swiss Alpine Club 
selected this as a field for its especial 
attention, and most of the higher peaks 
surrounding the glacier were ascended 
by members of the club, some of them 
several times. 

At Chermontane are some chalets 
called Chanricn, lying a little higher 
up, and nearer the Otemma Glacier 
than the main group : a hospitable 
reception and two clean mattresses 
are found here during the height of 
summer. 

1. By the Col de Crete Seche. The 
lower part of the Otemma Glacier is 
easily accessible from Chermontane, 
but before long the central part be- 
comes a good deal crevassed. The con- 
dition of the glacier has varied much of j 
late years : it was formerly found best 
to keep towards the 1. bank, but a recent 
traveller — Cav. F. Giordano — found an 
easier way by the middle of the ice- 
stream. In less than 1 hr. a point is 
gained, whence it is easy to reach the 
rt. bank near the foot of the Mont Gele, 
where the little Glacier de Crete Seche 
comes into view. There is no difficulty 
in ascending by this to the summit of 



the pass, 9,475 ft. in height, and formed 
of broad slabs of rock, usually bare of 
snow in summer. ' It is well defined 
as a col, for to the W. runs up a ridge 
of serrated rocks towards the snow- 
slopes of Mont Gele, whilst to the E. 
a shorter chain ends in a snow-slope of 
the Trouma des Boucs. From the tra- 
veller's feet, northwards, descends the 
Glacier de Crete Seche, bordered on the 
E. by the Trouma des Boucs, and on 
the W. by the Pointe d'Ayas, a crest of 
black rock, apparently connected with 
the Gele by an impassable arete.' — 
[F. W. J.] 

On the S. side of the col is a slope of 
neve, followed by moderately steep 
rocks, very rough slopes of debris, and 
the remains of ancient moraines. In 
descending the traveller has a fine view 
of the Graian Alps, and more to the 1. 
the Bee de Luseney, the highest point 
in the range separating the Val Pellina 
from the Val de St. Barthelemi, is con- 
spicuous. The remains of a hut, for- 
merly used by the ' proposes ' set to 
watch smugglers at this entrance into 
Italy, are seen about \ hr. below the 
base of the lowest snow-slope. The 
path descends into the valley about 1 
m. above Oyace, reached in 6 hrs. from 
Chermontane ; 3 hrs sufficing for the 
ascent if the snow be in good order, 
and 3 hrs. more for the descent. Pra- 
rayen is 4f hrs. from Oyace. (See 
Rte. G.) " Biona may be reached in 
rather less time than Oyace by bearing 
to the 1. near the upper limit of tree 
vegetation. Following a little water- 
course ( Wasserleite) through the forest, 
the traveller reaches the main valley 
close to the village.' — [F. G.] 

2. By the Mont Gele. The Mont 
Gele, when seen from the Col de 
Fenetre or the Glacier d'Otemma, at- 
tracts attention by the extreme steep- 
ness of the precipices which guard it to 
the N. and W. The summit is a ridge 
consisting of three peaks, of which the 
central one is the highest. The latter 
appears to be accessible only from the 
Glacier de la Balme, which descends to 
the SW. in the direction of Ollomont, 



ROUTE L. — COL DE LA REUSE DE l'aROLLA. 



283 



and is most conveniently reached from 
the S. side of the Col de Fenetre. 
This must therefore be crossed by a 
traveller who would take the Mont 
Gele in his way from Chermontane to 
the Val Pellina. A rough ascent, com- 
mencing some distance above the lake 
(Rte. L>), leads from the path of the 
Col de Fenetre to the Glacier de la 
Balme. Long climbing, chiefty over 
snow-slopes, leads to the upper part of 
the peak, where nothing but a single 



so much loss of time that Mr. Jacomb 
recommends travellers to descend to 
the upper basin of the Glacier de Crete 
Seche, cross its head, and then reascend- 
ing gain the level of the col. Until 
the contrary shall be proved, it appears 
probable that a direct descent to Oyace 
may be found from the eastern side of the 
neve of la Balme, without making the 
detour by the Glacier de Crete Seche. 

3. By the Col de la Reuse de VArolla. 
The upper part of the Otemma Gla- 



wide crevasse, or bergschrund, bars cier, E. of the supposed Crete a Colon, 



access to the central and highest sum 
mit. When a snow-bridge has been 
found across this defence the peak is 
soon won. It consists of a small dome 
of ioe-coated snow, wreathed up by the; 
wind into a cornice. Twenty feet below 
the top, on its E side, are some rocks 
overhanging an apparently impracti- 
cable ice-couloir, which separates the 
highest from the second peak. In the 
opposite direction stands the third sum- 
mit, that nearest to the Col de Fenetre. 
The view, as may be supposed, from 
the central position of the mountain, is 
extremely grand. 

4 Creeping cautiously to the edge of 
the rocks they will be found to be an 
absolute precipice overhanging the 
head of the Glacier de Crete Seche, 
beyond which stretches up to the NE. the 
superb glacier of Chermontane. Beyond 
this again is the Mont Colon ; and it is 
seen that no such barrier as the Crete a 
Colon exists.' — [F. W. J.] 

Mr Jacomb reached the summit by 
a somewhat circuitous way from the 
Col de Crete Seche, and the same way 
must be taken by a traveller desiring 
to descend to Oyace or Biona. To effect 
this, the traveller, after recrossing the 
bergschrund, must bear to the eastward 
and round the base of the second or E. 
peak of the Gele, descending as little as 
possible until he has left that behind 
him. He then reaches a point on the 
upper edge of the neve of La Balme 
which is connected with the Col de 
Crete Seche by a jagged ridge of rocks, 
and it is possible to descend along the 
N. side of this ridge ; but this involves 

PART I. 



receives a tributary which descends 
along the S. side of a rocky ridge 
apparently connected with the Mont 
Colon. This leads to a pass dis- 
covered in 1861 by Mr. Tuckett, ac- 
companied by two friends, and the 
well-known guides Bennen and Perm, 
which has received its name from the 
glacier that on the S. side connects it 
with the Combe d'Oren. This affords 
the most direct route from Chermontane 
to Prarayen, being easily effected iu 
7 hrs. exclusive of halts, if the snow be 
in good order. 

It has already been mentioned that 
the only practicable way over the cre- 
vassed portion of the Glacier d'Otemma B 
lying between the Mont Gele and the 
Pic d'Otemma, is along the S. side. An 
other way to overcome the difficulty 
is to keep at first to the N. sid^ of the 
glacier, and, as soon as it becomes too 
much crevassed, to continue the ascent 
by the steep rocks on the rt. bank, 
at the SW. base of the Pic d'Otemma. 
Mr. Tuckett seems to have encountered 
some difficulties amongst the seracs at 
the place where it is necessary to regain 
the ice, but subsequent travellers have 
been more fortunate. When the lower 
crevassed region has been passed, the 
way lies clear and open before^ the 
raveller. The glacier mounts with a 
gentle slope for several miles without 
the slightest break, its main stream 
benling to the NE., while right ahead 
are seen the rocks lying N. of the Col 
de la Reuse de l'Arolla. The judicious 
mountaineer will not, however, lay aside 
the rope so long as his way lies over 



284 PENNINE ALPS. § 18. 

the neve. The lateral glacier mount- 
ing towards the pass is rather steeper 
than the main stream, hut the only dif- 
ficulty lies in a large bergschrund, over 
which Mr Tuckett and his party sought 
for some lime before finding a snow- 
bridge. A steep slope, requiring the 
use of the axe, leads up to the Col, 
whose height (about 10,400', F. F. T.— 
11,004', F. W. J.) is not given on the 
Swiss map. The descent commences 
by a steep ridge of rocks, partially coated 
with snow, and requiring some care, 
which leads down to the upper plateau of 
the Reuse de VArolla (Ruize or Reuse 
being a local word for glacier). Below 
the gently sloping upper plateau, the 
Reuse de 1' Arolla forms a great ice-fall 
overhanging the Combe d'Oren. This 
appears quite impassable, but the rocks 
on its E. side, though steep, present 
no serious difficulty, and in less than 
an hour they lead down to the moraine 
of the lower part of the glacier which 
approaches near to the track leading 
from the Col de Colon (§ 19,Rte. A) 
to Prarayen. The traveller reaching 
the head of the Val de Bagnes from 
Prarayen or the Arolla chalets by this 
or the following Rte., who intends to 
descend to the new inn by the Glacier 
de Getroz, instead of stopping at Cher- 
montane, will save time by keeping to 
the rocks on the rt. bank after he has 
quitted the glacier at the base of the 
Pic d'Otemma. He will descend to 
the chalets of Chanrion, and leave 
those of Chermontane considerably to 
the 1. 

Route M. 

CHERMONTANE TO EVOLENA, BY THE 
COL DE CHERMONTANE, OR THE COL 
DE BRENEY. 

For all practical purposes the Col de 
Chermontane was not discovered until 
August 1861, when it was traversed 
by Sir T. F. Buxton, Mr. J. J. Cowell, 
and Mr. E. Buxton, with Michel Payot 
of Chamouni as leader, and by Justin 
and Louis Pelley of Lourtier as porters. 
Of the last, who made several glacier 



ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 

passes m the same company, a very fa- 
vourable report is given in the account 
of the expedition contained in ' Peaks 
Passes, and Glaciers.' There is little 
doubt, however, that the pass had been 
made before that date. In September 
1853, the editor was informed by the 
younger Pralong, and another herds- 
man at the Chalets d' Arolla, that a 
stranger had mounted along with two 
men of the valley by one of the neigh- 
bouring glaciers (61. de Piece ?), had 
passed over a glacier that reached to 
the Val de Bagnes, and that there is 
a pass (Col de Crete Seche ?) leading 
from the same glacier to the Val 
Pellina. No further particulars were 
obtained. 

The way is for a considerable dis- 
tance nearly the same as that to the 
Col de la Reuse de l'Arolla (see last 
Rte.), except that on gaining the upper 
level it is better to keep nearer to the 
N. bank of the glacier. The summit 
is a vast field of neve, lying between 
the Pigne d' Arolla and the Mont Collon, 
so level that it is not easy to determine 
the exact watershed, and probably about 
1 0,200 ft. in height. The direct line from 
the summit of the pass would lie down 
the Glacier de Vuibez which joins the 
main stream of the GL de l'Arolla at 
the NW. base of the Mont Collon. 
This glacier forms two formidable ice- 
falls, divided by a central mass of rock. 
It is not absolutely impossible to force 
a way down this glacier, partly by the 
northern ice-fall, partly by the rocks on 
either side of it; but the difficulty, not 
to speak of danger, is so great that it is 
a shorter and better course to aim at a 
gap in the ridge of rocks (Serra de 
Vuibez of Studer's map) that shut in on 
the N. side the head of the Vuibez 
Glacier. A short but steep ascent leads 
to this, which may be considered the true 
summit of the pass ; by Mr. E. Buxton's 
observation it is 10,349 ft in height. 
It may be reached in about 6 hrs., ex- 
clusive of halts, from Chermontane, or 
f hr. from the summit of the plateau, 
and commands a noble view extending 
through the openings between the sar- 



r 



ROUTE M. — COL DE BliENEY. 



285 



rounding peaks to many distant Alpine 
summits. Immediately to the N. de- 
scends the Glacier de Pike over which 
Jies the descent to the Combe de 
l'Arolla. This is far from easy; the 
western side appears the least difficult, 
but several awkward places were 
passed, and, although running or 
glissading wherever possible, 1^ hr. 
was employed in reaching the W. mo- 
raine, which Mr. Cowell describes as 
the most gigantic that he has seen, 
requiring -| hr. for its descent. The 
head of the Combe de l'Arolla seems 
to present vast remains of the working 
of former glaciers, six great moraines 
being here seen to lie side by side. 
The well-marked dirt bands of the 
Arolla Glacier have attracted the atten- 
tion of several travellers. According 
to Sir T. F. Buxton, they are confined 
to the portion of the lower glacier that 
originates in the Vuibez ice-falls. 

Having crossed two other moraines, 
the party traversed the lower end of 
the Glacier de Cijorenove — Otemma 
Glacier of Studer's map — which bends 
round, to the NE. so as nearly to meet 
the Glacier de Piece. Three further 
moraines, indicating the former limits 
of the first-named glacier, are also to 
be passed before the traveller enters 
the Combe de l'Arolla near to the 
highest chalets, about 9 hrs. from 
Chermontane. The comfortable inn 
at Evolena (§ 19, Rte. A) is reached 
from hence in 3h hrs.' steady walking; 
but if the traveller intends crossing the 
Col de Collon, or reaching Zermatt, he 
may best stop at a little mountain inn, 
opened in 1865, about ^ m. below the 
end of the Arolla Glacier. 

In 1865, Messrs. A. W. Moore and 
Horace Walker, with Jacob Anderegg 
as guide, discovered a new pass from the 
head of the Combe de l'Arolla to the 
Val de Bagnes, much higher, but more 
direct than the Col de Chermontane. 
Their course from the inn mentioned 
above, is thus described byMr.Moore: — 
' We followed for awhile the track 
leading to the Pas de Chevres, and then 
bearing to the 1. in l£ hr. attained the 
Gl. de Ciejovenove, here quite level. 



Higher up the glacier is a continuous 
ice-fall, of the most impracticable cha- 
racter. The rocks on its rt. bank do 
not look promising, but in those on the 
1. we found an accessible point. We 
reached their base in 45 min., and after 
1 5- hr. severe climbing, succeeded in 
getting on to the glacier again, above 
the ice fall. I believe that the line we 
took is the only practicable one, but it 
would not be easily found in taking the 
pass the reverse way, and this is the 
only drawback to the route. Above 
there was no further difficulty, and in 
1 hr. 40 min. we reached what ap- 
peared to be the highest point in a snow- 
field, which also feeds the Gl. de Cheil- 
lon and the western branch of the GL 
de Breney. The elevation of the pass, 
which we propose to call Col de Breney 
was a great surprise; it cannot be much, 
under 12,000 ft., as we looked fairly 
over the Col dErin. From this point we 
ascended the Pigne d' Arolla (12,471') 
in 1 hr. with ease. This is not pro- 
perly a peak, but merely the highest 
undulation in a snow- field, and is cut 
away precipitously towards the north. 
We returned to the Col in 30 min., and, 
passing between the Mt. Blanc de Cheil- 
lon and the N. end of the ridge of La 
Serpentine (12,110') descended the W. 
branch of the glacier. We found a 
tolerable passage through the ice-fall 
on its left side, but should have done 
better had we kept to the other side, 
under the Rouinette. Below the ice- 
fall, we joined the main branch of the 
glacier, at the base of La Serpentine, 
and finally quitted the ice on its left 
bank, in 2\ hrs. from the Col. Thence 
we descended in 45 min. to a point at 
the head of the Val de Bagnes, not far 
from Chanrion, which was reached in 
9|hrs. exclusive of halts, but including 
the ascent of the Pigne d' Arolla. From 
Chanrion we attained the Col de Fe- 
netre in a little more than 2 hrs., and 
descended on the same evening to Val 
Pellina. From the latter Col, the Col 
de Breney is conspicuous at the head of 
the main branch of the Gl. de Breney.' 
[A. W. M.} See also the next Rte. 

% 



286 PENNINE ALPS. § 18. 



ST. BERNARD DISTRICT. 



Route N. 

CKERMONTANE TO EVOLENA, OR HERE- 
MENCE, BY THE COL. DU MONT ROUuE. 

This pass, known to some of the 
hunters of Bagnes, but very rarely 
used, is described by Professor Ulrich in 
his ' Seitenthaller des Wallis,' and by 
Mr. W. Mathews in the first series of 
' Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers.' It may 
tempt a traveller who would explore 
the little known Val d'Heremence. 

Descending from the Chalets de 
Chermontane to the Glacier du Mont 
Durand, the traveller should cross to 
the rt bank of the Dranse, and ap- 
proach the Glacier de Breney, the lower 
part of which is steep and crevassed, by 
climbing the rocks on its S. bank 
until a point is reached from whence 
it may be conveniently attacked. In 
1856, when Messrs. W. and C. E. 
Mathews took this route, they found 
that the glacier de Breney showed 
signs of rapid retreat, while at the same 
time the neighbouring glaciers of 
Otemma and Mont Durand were evi- 
dently advancing, and had ploughed up 
the soil in front of the ice. They also 
found a series of wide longitudinal 
crevasses, which greatly increased the 
labour of traversing the Breney Glacier. 
The main stream of this glacier descends 
from a reservoir of neve between the 
Pigned'Arolla, the Mont Blanc de Cheil- 
lon, and the nameless peaks that sepa- 
rate this from the head of the Otemma 
Glacier. It receives from the NE. an 
affluent descending from the Rouinette 
(12. 727'). a pe-cikwhich, on the opposite 
or W. side, supports the small glacier of 
Lire Rouge. To reach the Col du Mont 
Rouge it is necessary, after gaining the N. 
bank of the Glacier de Breney, to cross 
the neve of the Lire Rouge, without ap- 
proaching too near to the Rouinette, 
which sends down frequent avalanches. 
Mr. Mathews and his party found this 
small glacier very troublesome, from the 
great number of concealed c: evasses. A 
col, commanding a very fine view to 
the W. and S., separates the neve of the 



Glacier de Lire Rouge from that of the 
Glacier de Getroz. According to the 
Federal Map, this first pass is the 
Col du Mont Rouye, 10,958 ft. ins 
height. It is here seen how exten- 
sive an upper reservoir of neve is 
drained by the comparatively small iee- 
fall which is all that is seen of the latter 
glacier from the Val de Bagnes. The 
upper basin now traversed is a nearly 
level snow-field lying W, of the 
Rouinette (12,727') and the Moni Blanc 
de Cheillon (12,700'), apparently the 
highest summits of the mountain region 
lying between the Grand Combin and 
the Dent Blanche. 

On the E. side of the snow-field the 
traveller reaches the Col de Cheillon 
(10,663'), here forming the watershed 
between the Val de Bagnes and the Val 
d'Heremence. There has been much 
confusion as to the name of the con- 
siderable glacier which descends on 
the opposite side, first NE. then nenrly 
due N. towards the head of the Val d'He- 
remence. It has appeared in the earlier 
maps under the names Durand, Liapey, 
and Lenaret, and in the Federal map 
under that of Glacier de Cheillon. It is 
apparently known in the Val de Bagnes 
as Glacier d'Heremence — an appro- 
priate name, since it closes the head of 
that valley. The descent of this glacier 
seems to present no difficulty worthy 
of notice. About half-way down it 
is expedient to take to the rocks on 
its 1. bank. (See § 19, Rte. C.) _ The 
distance from the loot of the glacier to 
the village of Heremence is counted 
as 6 hrs. The Messrs. Mathews, guided 
by Bernard Trolliet, passed round the 
is VV. side of the peak of Mont Blanc 
de Cheillon to reach a gap in the ridge 
connecting that mountain and the Pigne 
d'Arolla with the Pic de Vouasson 
(ll,4 70'\ and dividing the head of the 
Val d'Heremence from the Combe de 
l'Arolla. This gap is apparently the 
Pas de Chevre of Studer's map, and is 
reached by an extremely narrow ledge 
of rock. ' This looked so ugly that we 
preferred keeping to the right, and 
crossing the ridge at a higher level. 



§19. EVOLENA DISTRICT. 



287 



To reach the upper chalets in the 
Combe de l'Aroila from Chtnnontane, 
Mr. Mathews employed ] lhrs.,of which 
but a short time was given to rest. 
There is an easier pass to Arolla, called 
Col de Riedmatten, lying a short way 
N. of the Pas de Chevre. 

The Mont Blanc de Cheillon was 
climbed in 1866 by Mr. Weilenmann, 
and soon after by the Rev. C. Fitton. 
It is best reached from the WSW. side. 

In July 1865, Mr. Whymper, with 
Christian Aimer and Franz Biener, as- 
cended from the Glacier de Breney to 
the summit of the Rouinette (12,727'), 
and descended thence to the E. branch 
of the same glacier. Having ascended 
the ice-fall by its it. bank, they traversed 
a Col which led them to the Glacier 
d'Otemma, and then, crossing the Col 
de laReuse del' Arolla, reachedPrarayen 
in 15^ hrs. from Chermontane, or about 
12 hrs. of actual walking. 

SECTION 19. 
EVOLENA DISTRICT. 

The principal valleys through which 
the drainage of the central portion of the 
Pennine Alps isborne down to the Rhone 
present some striking points of agree- 
ment. In ascending thp valley s of Herens 
or Anniviers described in the present 
section, or that of Visp (§ 20), the travel- 
ler finds, after a few miles, that the main 
stream is formed by the union of two 
torrents originating in two nearly paral- 
lel glens, and uniting at the base of the 
mountain ridge which had previously 
divided them. Something of the same 
arrangement is seen in the valley of the 
Dranse(§ 18), but the hounding ranges 
do not follow so closely the meridional 
direction as in those just mentioned. 
Alternating with the gorges through 
which the Borgne, the Nivisanche, and 
the Vispach flow into the Rhone valley, 
the much shorter valleys of Nendaz, 
Reschy, Turtman, and Gamsen, drain 
the N. part of the intervening mountain 
ranges. 

The two principal valleys here in- 



I eluded, the Val d'Herens (Germ. Erin- 
ger Thai), and the Val d' Anniviers 
(Germ. Einfisch Thai), were until lately 
amongst the least known in the Swiss 
Alps, mainly because of an exaggerated 
impression that the inhabitants were a 
rude and semi-barbarous race, and that 
a traveller must there encounter an un- 
usual share of filth and privation. Upon 
seemingly slender grounds, some Swiss 
and German writers attributed to the 
people a foreign extraction (Scandina- 
vian or Ciinbric), and made these val- 
leys the seat of peculiar legends which 
are common to a large portion of the 
Swiss Alps. In a first visit made by 
the writer in 1845 he found little or 
nothing in the language or appearance 
of the people of Val d'Anniviers to 
distinguish them from those of the val- 
ley of the Dranse, save what might be 
attributed to the rarity of their inter- 
course with strangers. They appeared 
very industrious and hospitably inclined, 
but extremely dirty in their habits. 
The necessities of their position lead 
them to kve a partly nomadic life. 
The same family possessing some 
patches of arable land in the lower 
part of the valley, some pastures 
and meadows higher up, and a cattle 
alp on the upper slopes of the moun- 
tains, with perhaps a patch of vineyard 
in the valley of the Rhone, and each 
place being several hours' walk distant 
from the other, they are led to change 
their dwellings several times in the 
year. Hence it is not uncommon to 
find large groups of houses called 
may ens, approaching the dimensions of 
a village, without a single inhabitant ; 
the place being used only for some 
weeks in the eariy summer, and again 
in the autumn, during the passage of 
the cattle between their winter quarters 
in the lower valley and the upper pas- 
tures. In point of scenery, these val- 
leys, and especially the Val d'Anniviers, 
scarcely yield to any in the Swiss Alps, 
unless it be the neighbouring valleys 
of Zermatt and Saas. The opening of 
good inns at Evolena, Zinal, and St. Luc, 
have done much to make this district 



28S 



PENNINE ALPS. § 19, 



EVOLENA DISTRICT. 



accessible to strangers. The glacier 
passes leading to it are full of interest 
to the mountaineer, but are all some- 
what laborious, and scarcely to be re- 
commended to ladies or to unpractised 
pedestrians. Those connecting tbe Val 
d'Herens with Chermontane have been 
described in the last section (Rtes. M 
and N). The main branch of that 
valley penetrates somewhat farther S 
than the Val d'Heremence or the Val 
d'Anniviers, and is the only one which 
attains the dividing ridge, giving di- 
/ect access to Piedmont. The head of 
the Val d'Anniviers is cut off from 
the great snow-fields between the 
Dent Blanche and the Dent d'He- 
rens (whence the Ferpecle Glacier de- 
scends towards Evolena, the Zmutt 
Glacier towards Zermatt, and the Zar- 
dezan Glacier to the Val Pellina) by a 
very lofty ridge connecting the Dent 
Blanche with the Gabelhorn. 

It seems most convenient to fix as 
the eastern limit of this district the 
range separating the waters of the Visp 
from the Einfisch Thai and the Turt- 
man Thai, including the Gabelhorn, 
the Weisshorn ( 14,804'), and the lower 
range extending thence to the Augst- 
bordhorn (9,785')- To the S. it extends 
by the passes of the Col de Colon and 
the Col des Bouquetins to the head of 
the Val Pellina. 



Route A. 

BION TO AOSTA, BY THE VAL D'HERENS 
AND COJL, DE COLON. 

Hrs.* walking Eng. miles 



: 3 



Mage , 
St. Martin 
Evolena 

Chalets d'Arolla 
Prarayen . . 6 

Biona . . . 3£ 
Aosta . . .6 



? 

7 
9 
12 

18 



24| 651 

There is now a char-road from Sion 
to Evolena, and from Prarayen to 
Aosta. It is possible to make this route 
in two days, sleeping on the first night 
at the Chalets d'Arolla ; but it is a very 



long day's walk from thence to Aosta. 
Some persons have preferred to go in 
one day from Evolena to Biona, but a 
stranger arriving at the latter village in 
the evening is liable to find the curi 
absent, and the other inhabitants un- 
willing to admit him. It is a better 
plan to sleep at Evolena and at Pra- 
rayen, thus dividing the journey into 
three easy days. 

After crossing the bridge over the 
Rhone at Sion (§21, Rte. A), the road 
to the 1. hand leads to the narrow open- 
ing through which the Borgve issues 
from the Val cTFJerens (Germ. Eringer 
Thai). The torrent is crossed close to 
Bramois, ^ hr. from Sion, where there 
is a foundery. Here the ascent com- 
mences rather steeply. On the 1. band, 
at some distance above the track, is a 
curious hermitage, called Longtborgne, 
inhabited by two monks. The whole 
building, including the church and the 
altar, are hewn out of the live rock. 
The track continues at a great height 
above the gorge of the Borgneto Mage. 
From hence an ascent of 3 hrs., due E., 
leads to the summit of the Mont Noble 
(8,776'), said to command a fine pano- 
ramic view of the Bernese and neigh- 
bouring Pennine Alps. 

Several villages and hamlets are 
crowded into this part of the valley. 
Opposite Suen is the opening of the 
Val d'Heremence, and a little above, 
in the main valley, but on the 1. bank, 
is Useigne, near to which are some 
remarkable pinnacles, or columns of 
earth, each capped by a boulder of 
rock, which has protected the shaft 
from erosion by rain. To visit these, it 
is better to follow the path from Sion 
to Heremence (Rte. C), whence, cross- 
ing the gorge of the Dixence by a 
very picturesque bridge, the traveller 
may soon reach Useigne, visit the earth 
pinnacles, and continue his rte. to Evo- 
lena by a rough path along the 1. bank. 

Above St. Martin, the mule-track 
is less steep. It is carried along the 
E. side of the valley, in part through 
pine forest, till it reaches the rt. bank 
of the Borgne, which it follows for 



ROUTE A EXCURSIONS FROM EVOLENA. 



289 



some distance, gaining occasional views 
of the snowy peaks to the S., until a 
further ascent leads to 

Evolena, the chief village of the val- 
ley (4,521'), where a good inn has 
lately heen opened, very favourably re- 
ported of by travellers. The only 
complaint made is, that the landlord is 
inclined to recommend his own rela- 
tives, though young and inexperienced, 
for difficult mountain excursions. The 
people of this valley are said to have a 
full share of the national keenness in 
the pursuit of gain, and many com- 
plaints have been made of the exorbi- 
tant demands made upon travellers by 
guides, &c. It may therefore be an im- 
provement that a regular tariff should 
have been established. The following 
charges are fixed : — 





fr. 


c. 


Ordinary day's pay for a porter 


5 


0 


„ for a guide merely showing 








4 


50 


„ for bearing a chaise a porteur . 


6 


0 


„ for porters or guides resting or 






returning home . 


4 


G 


Guide to Ferpecle Glacier 


3 


0 


„ to Glacier de Vouasson 


3 


0 


to Couronne de Breona 


5 


0 


„ to the Sasseneire .... 


6 


0 


to Trois Dents de Visivi . 


7 


0 


„ to Glacier de 1' Arolla . 


5 


0 


„ to Cascade des Ignos . 


4 


0 


to Aiguille de la Za 


6 


0 


„ over Col de Torrent . 


5 


0 




10 


0 


to the Bella Tola 


18 


0 



The following are also enumerated, 
with the proviso that two guides must 
be taken by each traveller; but the 
Editor has not learned that any men 
from Evolena have accomplished the 
three last in the list, as to which the 
tariff adds that, besides the guides, 
porters must be engaged: 

fr. 

Over Col de Colon to Biona ... 20 
„ Col d'Herens to Zermatt . . 20 
„ Col du Mont Rouge to Chermontane 18 
,, do. if taken on to Olloroont . . 22 

Ascent of Mont Colon .... 30 
„ of Pigne d'Arolla .... 30 
„ of Dent Blanche .... 50 

Excepting the last, these charges are 
fair enough, but travellers should ve- 
hemently resist the uniform rule re- 
quiring two guides to be taken for 



each stranger. Practised m tumtaineers 
are usually able to take their fair 
share of the labour of an ascent, and 
many Englishmen are better able 
to find the way over a glacier than 
the men of this valley. Inexperienced 
travellers, who do require a good deal 
of assistance, will do well to secure the 
companionship of some tried and well- 
known guides before attempting the 
peaks and. passes of this district. 

The situation of Evolena is not to 
be compared with that of Zermatt, 
Chamouni, Courmayeur, or several 
other centres of mountaineering in- 
terest ; but in the excursions for which 
it forms the most convenient head- 
quarters, it is little inferior to any of 
those places. Six first-rate glacier 
passes, besides the excursions included 
in the above tariff, afford a tempting 
bill of fare to the mountaineer. Anyone 
intending a stay in the valley should 
consult a paper by Mr. Hamilton in the 
4 Alpine Journal' for August 1872. 

Of the neighbouring summits, the 
Sasseneire (10,692 ), and the Couronne 
de Breona (10,382'), offer the finest 
views. The former, lying N. of the 
Col de Torrent, is steep towards the 
summit, and requires a stiff climb. 
The second, easier of access, commands 
a view less panoramic, but nearer to 
the great peaks of the Dent Blanche 
and the Dent d'Herens. For a view of 
varied glacier scenery, that from the 
Aiguille de la Za (12,051') is, perhaps, 
superior to either. On the one side it 
overlooks the vast glaciers of Ferpecle 
and Mont Mine, and on the other those 
of Arolla, Vuibez, Piece, and Cijore- 
nove, backed by the Mont Colon., 
From the slope of the mountain above 
Hauderes, within 1 hr. of the village, 
there is a fine view of the Ferpecle 
Glacier and the Dent Blanche, which 
will well reward an afternoon stroll. 

In going from Evoiena to the Arolla 
Glacier, the guides sometimes take a 
very rough path along the 1. bank of 
the Borgne, but it is much better to 
follow the rt. bank to Hauderes, a poor 
hamlet nearly 1 hr. above the village. 



290 



PENNINE ALPS. § 19. EVOLENA DISTRICT. 



Here the stream from the great glacier 
of Ferpeele descends from the SE. to 
join the main hranch of the Borgne, 
originating in the Glacier de l'Arolla. 
The upper end of the Yal d'Herens, 
above Hauderes, is called Combe de 
l'Arolla, arolla being the local name for 
the Pinus Cemhra, which is common in 
this part of the Pennine chain. This is 
a narrow glen, lying between a rugged 
chain of lofty peaks, sometimes collect- 
ively called Les Grandes Dents, en- 
closing it on the E. side, and the rather 
less formidable range which separates 
it from the head of the Val d'Here- 
menee. The range of the Grandes 
Dents extends about due S. from the 
Dent de Visivi through the AiguilLe de 
la Za, and many intermediate peaks, to 
the summits known as the Dents de 
Bertol. 

A little above Hauderes the path, 
after crossing the Ferpeele torrent, 
passes to the 1. bank of the Borgne, and 
advances through the Combe, amid 
scenery constantly increasing in wild 
and savage grandeur. Nearly 1 br. 
above Hauderes is the Chapel of St. 
Barthelemi, and a little higher up on 
the rt. the fine Cascade des Ignos, 500 
ft. in height. The last hamlet, con- 
sisting of mayens, is called Month. 
Above this several chalets are perched 
here and there on the steep slopes of 
the valley. The highest are within 
i hr. of the foot of the glacier. A new 
inn, on a rather large scale, was to be 
opened last season, in place of the 
previous rather poor hostelry. 

The ascent to the Col de Colon from 
the N. side is not surpassed by many 
similar scenes in the Alps. The 
Glacier de l'Arolla makes two consider- 
able bends in opposite directions (the 
first being convex to the YV.) so as to 
approach the form of the letter S. 
Round the first or lower curve it de- 
scends in a great ice-fall from the SE., 
while at the same part of its course it 
receives from the SW. the Glacier de 
Vuibez, forming a still grander ice- 
cascade, broken in the middle by an 
island of rock (see § IS, Rto M). The 



lower part of the united glacier is 
easily traversed, but on approaching 
the ice-fall it is necessary to take to 
the rocks on the E. bank. These are 
climbed by a stiff scramble, requiring 
some caution, especially after fresh 
snow. After gaining some height 
above the ice-fall, the traveller returns 
to the glacier, where the crevasses are 
no longer formidable, and, taking a 
nearly S. direction, cuts off the eastern 
curve of the upper glacier. The 
Mont Colon (12,264'j, rising in the fork 
between the Arolla and Vuibez glaciers, 
is here a very grand object. The echo 
returned from its steep face has served 
to guide travellers surrounded by clouds, 
and uncertain as to their course. The 
summit was first attained in 1867 by ML 
G. E. Foster, from the S. side, by stiff 
rock climbing, but is better climbed from 
the WS W. from the Col de Chermontane. 
The traveller's guide, if a native of the 
Val d'Herens, will not fail to tell the 
story of a party of villagers from 
Evolena overtaken by a snow-storm 
on this part of the glacier, and at- 
tempting to return after failing to find 
the pass, when three of them perished 
in the snow. Professor Forbes and his 
guide found one of the bodies in 1841. 
On the same part of the glacier the 
writer observed the fresh tracks of 
several wolves, apparently following 
those of some chamois. From this 
part of the glacier a wide opening to 
the 1. shows an extensive field, of neve 
mounting gently to the SE., and en- 
closed by a ridge not very difficult of 
access. Two passes, referred to in 
§ IS, Rte. H, have been effected over 
this ridge. The rt. hand pass, called 
Col de Zardezan, was traversed for the 
first time by Messrs. Blandford and 
Rowsell in 1S63. It enables the tra- 
veller to reach Prarayen from Evolena 
by a longer but perhaps still finer 
route than the Col de Colon. The 
other pass, lying further N., is the 
Col du Mont Brule. By combining 
this with the Col de la Val Pellina, 
a traveller may reach Zermatt from 
the new inn at Arolla in 12 or 13 hrs* 



ROUTE B COL 

Gradually ascending over the neve 
SE. of the peak of Mont Colon, the tra- 
veller, in about 4 brs. from the Chalets 
d'Arolla, reaches the summit of the 
Col de Colon (10,269'), marked by 
a small iron cross, dated 1754, stuck 
into a cleft of rock on the rt. The 
summit commands a wild scene of rock 
and snow-field, but no distant view. 
It overlooks the head of a glacier, 
much less considerable than that of 
Arolla, which descends SW. into the 
Combe uVOren, a wild dreary glen con- 
nected with the head of the Val Pel- 
lina. The descent on the SW. side is 
much easier than the ascent, the glacier 
being less crevassed. It is sometimes 
possible to descend the whole way by 
the ice, taking due heed of concealed 
crevasses ; but it is a surer course to 
cross diagonally the head of the glacier, 
and descend by the rocks on its SE. 
bank ; they are pretty steep, but quite 
free from difficulty. On reaching the 
valley below, whence the glacier appears 
to have retreated not long ago, the 
traveller may observe on the rt. the 
small glacier of La Reuse de l'Arolla, 
by which lies the way to Chermontane, 
described in § 18, Rte. L. The Combe 
d'Oren opens into the Val Pellina just 
below the principal chalets of Pra- 
rayen, whence Biona may be reached 
in 3 hrs., fast walking. (See § 18, 
Rte. H.) 

When the snow is in good order, 
6 hrs., exclusive of halts, suffice for the 
pass between the Arolla Chalets and 
those of Prarayen ; but, under unfavour- 
able conditions, an hr. or two more may 
be necessary, or a still longer time, if 
the true way over the Arolla Glacier 
should be missed. 



Route B. 

EVOLENA TO PRARAYEN BY THE COL 
DES BOTJQUETINS. 

The existence of a pass leading 
direct from the lower end of the 
Ferpecle Glacier near Evolena to the 



DES BOUQUETINS. 291 

head of the Val Pellina, has long been 
affirmed, and such a pass is indicated 
on the Governmant map of Piedmont, 
utterly incorrect as it is in regard to 
this part of the Pennine range. The 
same pass is again indicated on the 
Swiss Ftderal map by a dotted line, 
not carried down to the base of the 
glaciers on either side, with the name 
Col des Bouquetins. The only authentic 
information respecting it that has 
reached the editor is from Mr. W. E. 
Hall, who, with Mr. Digby, made the 
passage in 1862. The route taken b> 
those gentlemen was in great part a 
combination of those of the Col d'He- 
rens (Rte. D.), and the Col de Val Pel- 
lina (§ 18, Rte. H). 

Keeping by the W. side of the Fer- 
pecle Glacier to the part where the 
rocks begin to be mixed with ice and 
snow-slopes, they ascended these 
rocks, composed of red granite, steep, 
but affording good hold for feet and 
hands. These lead up to a snow- 
plateau lying on the W. side of the 
Tete Blanche, and falling away by a 
gentle declivity to the actual col, which 
is about where indicated by the Federal 
map. The height of this has been 
determined by the Swiss engineers, 
probably by levelling, at 11,214 ft.; 
but the plateau near the base of the 
Tete Blanche, which must be traversed, 
is the true summit of the pass. This 
is about 200 ft. higher, or 11,414 ft. 
above the sea, being about the level of 
the Col d'Herens. Crossing the plateau 
about due S., and descending over 
debris at the base of the Tete Blanche, 
they joined the route of the Col de la Val 
Pellina, near the summit of the rocks 
overlooking the lower level of the 
Zardezan Glacier. 

The col, as laid down by the Swiss 
engineers, would connect the head of 
the Glacier de Mont Mine with the 
NW. part of the neve of the Glacier 
de Zardezan. The former may be 
considered as part of the great Fer- 
pecle Glacier, ra : sed upon a terrace of 
rock to a higher level, until the two 
ice-streams finally unite a short way 



292 



PENNINE ALPS. § 19. EVOLENA DISTRICT. 



above the lower end of tlieir course. 
Mr. Kail thinks it probable that the 
ascent * misht be made by the Glacier 
de Mont Mine, though the passage of 
the seracs would certainly take a very 
long time.' and in that case a traveller 
would reach the col indicated on the 
Federal map. But if he were to at- 
tempt to descend on the S. side in the 
direction indicated by the dotted line 
on that map, he would find before him 
a perpendicular cliff of ice, and would 
finally be forced to ascend to the plateau 
at the base of the Tete Blanche, as 
above pointed out. 



Route C 

SIOK TO THE VAL DE BAGNES, BY THE 

VAX, d'heremexce. 

To judge from the silence of guide- 
books, the Val d Heremence is of all 
the upland valleys of the Pennine Alps 
that which has least attracted the at- 
tention of travellers. Some information 
may be gleaned from the third and 
fourth volumes of the Swiss Alpine 
Club. Several routes are here indi- 
cated, in the hope of directing further 
attention to a little-known district. 

After crossing the bridge over the 
Rhone at Sion a mule-track mounts a 
little E. of S., and then winds round 
the slope of the mountain at a great 
height above the gorge of the Borgne, 
gaining in 1^ hr. the village of Vex or 
Yesch. On the opposite bank of the 
Borgne is seen the hermitage of Longe- 
borgne and the village of Nax. Of the 
three paths that lead from Vex the 
uppermost is chosen. Following this 
due S., the traveller in 1 br. more 
reaches 

Heremence, a village commanding a 
fine view of the main Val d"Herens, 
with the peak of the Dent d'Herens in 
the background, and overlooking the 
junction of the Di xence with the Borgne. 
The former stream, chiefly fed by 



! the Glacier de Cheillon. flows through 

| the Val d Heremence, also called Val 
i d'Orchera, Descending to the bridge 
over the Dixence the traveller may 
I reach Useigne and visit the remarkable 
! earth pillars near it (Rte. A). The 
i mule-path up the valley keeps to the L 
I hank of the Dixence, and in 1 hr. 
| farther reaches Marche, near which is 
j a curious cave — Caverne dArzinol — ■ 
I said to bear traces of having served 
as a dwelling for some primitive inha- 
bitants of the valley. 2 hrs. far- 
ther are the Mayens de Prolong on the 
rt. bank of the stream, from whence 
the traveller may reach Evolena by the 
Pas dArzinol in 5 hrs. He may also 
go to that place from the Chalets de 
Meribe ( ) 1 hr. farther, by the Col 
de la Maigna, lying between the Pic 
dArzinol and Pic de Vouasson (11.476'). 

From Meribe a steep ascent leads to 
the upper level of the Val d'Heremence. 
More than an hour is required to reach 
the chalets of La Barma, whence 
Lourtier, in the Val de Bagnes, may 
be reached by the Glacier des Ecouiaies, 
leading either to the Col de Severen, or 
the Col du Cret. (Information as to 
these is desired.) Several groups of 
chalets lie higher up towards the head 
of the valley. Those of Liappey (famed 
for fleas) are near the lower end of the 
Glacier de Lendaret (Glacier de Liapey 
of Studer's map) descending from the 
X. side of the Mont Pleureur. A pass 
might possibly be made in that direc- 
tion to the Glac:er of Getroz in the 
Val de Bagnes (§ 18. Rte. E), but the 
descent on the W. side would probably 
present some difficulty. About H hr. 
above La Barma, or 6^- hrs. from 
Heremence, the valley is closed by the 
Glacier de Cheillon, over which lies the 
gl icier route to the Val de Bagnes. by 
the Col de Cheillon and Col du Moni 
Rvuae. described in § IS, Rte. N. 
A traveller desiring to pass from the 
head of this valley to the Combe de 
l'Arolla may mount along the TV. side 
of the Glacier de Cheillon to the Col de 
Riedmatten (9.354'), said to command 
a very fine view of the head of that 



HOUTE D. — COL D'HERENS. 



293 



wild Alpine glen. The descent on the 
Arolla side is easy. Oxytropis fcetida, 
Carex microylochin, and Agrostis pur- 
purea have been found in this valley. 



Route D. 

EVOLENA TO ZERMATT, BY THE COL 
D'HEBENS — ASCENT OF THE DENT 
BLANCHE. 

This pass, commonly written Col 
d'Erin, was first made known to Alpine 
travellers by Professor Forbes. Of 
late it has been so frequently traversed 
that it is now well known to the Zermatt 
guides. These charge 30 fr., and a 
single guide makes no objection to go 
with a practised mountaineer, returning 
alone. The Evolena tariff is now fixed 
(?) at 20 fr., but requires that each 
traveller should take two guides. In 
the case of a single traveller this is not 
unreasonable, because it is impossible 
for a single man to return over the 
pass without risk ; but in the case of two 
or more travellers used to glacierexpe- 
ditions, there is not the least necessity 
for increasing the number of guides 
beyond that of the travellers. 

The Chalet of Bricolla contained two 
small rooms, with two beds in each, for 
the accommodation of travellers, and 
there is an obvious advantage in 
making that place the starting point 
for the pass ; but the house was burned 
down in 1864. It has probably been 
rebuilt. If the pass be taken from 
Evolena it is well to start before day- 
light, so as to leave ample time for the 
pass, even if the snow should happen 
to be in bad order. Some travellers have 
passed from Evolena to Zermatt in not 
more than 10 hrs.' actual walking, but 
with the snow in bad order, others have 



employed 13, or even 14 hrs., exclusive 

of halts. 

At the hamlet of Hauderes, nearly 1 
hr. above Evolena, is the opening of the 
lateral valley through which the torrent 
from the Ferpecle Glacier descends from 
the SE. to join the Borgne. A path 
rises along the NE. side of the valley, 
and in about an hour reaches a point 
where it overlooks the lower end of 
the glacier. The Glaci/'r de Ferpecle, 
with its affluent the Glacier de Mont 
Mine, is the NW. outlet of one of the 
most extensive snow-fields in the Alps. 
The general form is that of an elbow, 
being defined by two sets of nearly 
parallel ridges, which include several 
peaks of the first order. To the S. and 
W. is a ridge, which extends due W. 
from the Matterhorn through the Dent 
d'Herensto the Dents de Bertol (12,412') 
and then NNW. through the Dora 
Blanche (11,668') and the Aiguille de 
la Za to the Dents de Visivi (9,506'). 
Parallel to this, and about 5 m. distant 
to the N. and E. is the ridge running 
W. from the Gabelhorn (13,363') to 
the Dent Blanche (14,318'), and 
thence NNW. through the Grand 
Cornier (13,022') to the Couronne de 
Breona{\ 0,382'). The space included 
between these ridges is divided trans- 
versely by a ridge averaging nearly 
12,000 ft. in height, connecting the 
Dent Blanche with the Dent d'Herens,- 
which rises about" half-way into the 
snow pyramid of the Tete Blanche 
(12,304'), the central point of this 
icy region. A part of the plateau 
being higher than the ridge between 
the Dent d'Herens and the Dents de 
Bertol, the surplus neve is poured down 
to the S., forming the ice -fall of the 
Glacier de Zardezan (§ 18, Rte. G). A 
ridge extending from the Tete Blanche 
parallel to the direction of the Glacier 
de Ferpecle divids it from the parallel 
Glacier de Mont Mine. 

The track to the Col d'Herens, after 
passing several chalets, ascends rapidly 
to those of Bricolla, several hundred ft. 
above the rt. bank of the glacier, 3| hrs. 
from Evolena. The view is worth the 



294 



PENNINE ALPS. § 19. EVOLENA DISTRICT. 



■walk from Evolena for those "who do not 
intend crossing the pass. From the 
chalets a faintly marked track mounts 
along the rt. bank, chiefly by the lateral 
moraine, till in 50 min. it becomes ne- 
cessary to take to the ice opposite to 
an island of rock rising in the middle 
of the glacier, called Motta Rotta. 
Behind the latter is the snow summit 
of the Tete Blanche, connected with 
the Dent Blanche by a ridge called the 
Wandfluh, on this side covered with 
snow, bat on the other showing a 
precipitous face of bare rock. The 
pass lies over the lowest part of this 
ridge a short way NE. of the Tete 
Blanche. The exact course to be taken 
across the glacier varies with the season, 
but, in general, the best way lies about 
mid-way between the Motta Rotta and 
the Wandfluh. When the upper neve 
is reached the ascent to the summit is 
easy, unless there should be fresh snow 
in the way. Some grand objects are 
visible, of which the Matterhorn is 
preeminent : but, in spite of its great 
height, the Col iV Her ens (11,418') does 
not command a very wide circuit. To 
see the Monte Rosa chain it is necessary 
to ascend a short distance to the L to 
an eminence in the ridge of the Wand- 
fluh (the Stockhorn of Professor Forbes) 
about 350 ft. above the actual col, or. 
if time allows, it is better still to ascend 
the Tete Blanche. (See § 18, Rte. G.) 
The descent on the E. side of the col 
is usually much more difficult than 
the ascent. As already mentioned, the 
Wandfluh shows a bold front of rock 
on its E. side, and is in great part 
guarded at the base by a wide berg- 
sehrund. This wall is lowest and least 
difficult near the col, where it is re- 
duced to a steep slope of about 100 ft., 
partly coated with snow. Caution is 
required for the descent, which lands 
the traveller on the upper basin of 
the Zmutt Glacier. This is much 
crevassed. and a good deal of time is 
consumed in reaching a projecting point 
of rock which is the top of the Stockje, 
a considerable island dividing the upper 
Zmutt glacier into two branches, of 



which the stream between the Stockje 
and the Wandfluh is called on the 
Federal map Stork Gleischer, and that 
between the Stockje and the Matter- 
horn, Tiefenmattcn Gletseher. It is by 
the latter branch that the descent is 
effected, in great part along the steep 
rocks of the Stockje. Near the bottom 
it is usual to take to the ice and then 
again return for 5 min. to the rocks, 
until the difficulties of the pass are over 
as the traveller finally gains the lower 
slopes of the Zmutt Glacier. This 
great ice-stream, highly interesting to 
the geologist from the varied rocks that 
are found in its moraines borne down 
from the inaccessible ledges of the 
Matterhorn, the Dent d'Herens, the 
Dent Blanche, &c, is unpleasing to the 
eye and tiresome to the feet from the 
extraordinary quantity of debris that 
covers its lower extremity, not merely 
accumulated in moraines, but strewn 
over the entire surface. It is with 
satisfaction that the traveller finally 
leaves the ice on the rt. bank about 
\ hr. above the end of the glacier. At 
the Chalets of Staffel one of the regular 
tracks of the Zermatt tourist leads the 
traveller along the rt. bank of the 
torreut, which he should cross opposite 
to the hamlet of Zmutt by a bridge 
over a remarkable chasm, and, if he has 
not encountered unusual difficulties on 
the glacier, he will in about lg-hr. from 
the Staffel Alp, 4 hrs. from the sum- 
mit of the Stockje, or in 5 hrs. from 
the col, reach Zermatt (§ 20, Rte. A). 

The traveller is warned not to attempt 
a short cut by taking to the 1. bank of 
the Zmutt Glacier in descending from 
the Stockje, as this involves additional 
labour and delay. 

Col de Bertol (about 1 1,000'). Of the 
numerous passes lately effected across 
the ridges enclosing the glaciers of Fer- 
pecle. Arolla, and Zardezan (see Rtes. 
A and B), one of the most useful is the 
Col de Bertol, lately discovered by 
Messrs. A. W. Moore and H. Walker. 
Having reached the Col d'Herens from 
Zermatt, they traversed the snow-fields 
at the head of the Glaciers of Mont 



ROUTE E. — VAL d'aNNIVIERS. 



295 



Mine and Zardezan to a -well marked 
depression in the range of the Dents de 
Bertol (S. of the point marked 3,507' 
in the Federal Map). Descending on 
the W. side by the small Glacier de Ber- 
tol, and then by the 1. side of the steep 
ravine through which the torrent falls 
to the Combe de l'Arolla, the new 
mountain inn near the foot of the Arolla 
glacier may be reached in 9 or 10 hrs. 
from Zermatt. 

The ascent of the Dent Blanche 
(14,318') is an expedition which can 
be recommended only to first-rate 
mountaineers. The first ascent was 
accomplished by Mr. T, S. Kennedy, 
accompanied by Messrs. W. & C. Wig- 
ram, with J. B. Croz as guide, and one 
of the Kronigs of Zermatt as porter. 

After reaching the Glacier de 
Ferpecle by the usual rte. from the 
Chalets of Bricolla, whence they had 
started at 3 a.m., they bore to the 1. 
along the base of a precipitous rocky 
slope, and mounted by a steep and 
erevassed part of the glacier to the 
ridge that stretches towards the Col 
d'Herens. The ascent lay at first over 
loose rocks, and then up an ice-slope to 
a little plateau at the lower end of the 
main arete. This is formed of pro- 
jeting towers and pinnacles of rock, 
alternating with very steep slopes of 
ice, and the course lies sometimes round 
the base of the rocks, sometimes along 
the edge of the arete. A rock covered 
with snow, with a slope of 52°, was 
climbed on hands and knees, and the 
top was found to consist of an over- 
hanging cornice of snow. The actual 
highest point, G or 7 ft. higher than 
the nearly level ridge, overhung too 
much to trust a man's weight to it. 
The descent was found to be quite as 
difficult as the ascent, and 10 hrs. were 
spent in mounting and returning along 
the arete. The whole expedition from 
Bricolla and back again, with but few 
and short halts, took 16 hrs. 

The Matterhorn, though naturally 
connected wiih this Rte., is more con- 
veniently described in connection with 
Zermatt and Breuil (§ 20, Rte. B). 



RoETE E. 

SIERRE TO ZERMATT, BY THE VAL 
D'ANNIVIERS. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 
Niouc . . H 4 
Vissoie . . ]| 44 
Ayer . 1 3 
Zinal . 1$ 4§ 

04 16 
Zinal to Zermatt— .See the passes enumerated 
below. 

Very few valleys in the Alps can 
boast such beautiful and varied scenery 
as the Vol d Annioiers (Germ. Ein- t 
fisch Thai), or offer passes so singu- 
lar and so grand as those leading thence 
to Zermatt. A good mule-path is car- 
ried as far as Zinal, and very fair 
mountain inns have been opened at 
that place and at St. Luc. A tariff 
for guides has been established, fix- 
ing 5 fr. as the ordinary daily pay, 
with an addition of 1 fr. to the com- 
mune for the maintenance of paths. 
The latter is an unusual charge, but it 
is fair to say that a good deal has been 
done by the natives to facilitate the 
visits of strangers. 

The Rhone is crossed by a bridge 
about f m. E. of Sierre (§ 21, Rte. A'), 
and then a char-road to the rt. leads in 
J hr. to the opening of the gorge of 
Pontis, through which the Navisanche 
descends to join the Rhone. Avoiding 
the bridge which crosses that stream to 
Chippis, a mule-path mounts rather 
steeply on the rt. bank to the village of 
Niouc. There are few finer defiles in 
the Alps than that through which the 
Navisanche has cut its way to join the 
Rhone. The ravine is in some parts 
reduced to a mere cleft, reminding the 
traveller of some of the more striking 
scenes in the gorge of the Via Ma'a ; 
but little is seen from the track, which 
lies at a great height above the stream, 
and the new path, which has in two or 
three places been pierced by a short 
tunnel through the rock, is far less pic- 
turesque, though also less laborious and 
shorter, than the old way. The scenery, 
even with this deduction, is extremely 



PENNINE ALPS. § 19. EVOLENA DISTRICT. 



296 

beautiful. The hamlet of Fang, lying 
in the midst of fine walnut-trees, is 
passed, and soon after the spire of a 
church comes into view. This belongs 
to 

Vissoie, the principal village of the 
valley. It has no inn, but refreshments 
may be had chez Georges Genoud. Jean 
Martin,a local guide, may serve as porter 
on a glacier excursion. To see well 
this neighbourhood the traveller should 
mount the steep E. slope of the valley to 
St. Luc, where there is a very fair inn, 
convenient for several passes and ex- 
cursions (Rtes. I ;md K). The stranger 
1 cannot fail to be struck by the large 
number of villages and scattered houses 
seen in this valley. Even more than in. 
the adjoining Val d'Herens the natives" 
lead a nomadic life, and each family has 
a number of dwellings, which sometimes 
exceeds that of the inmates. Fires have 
been particularly destructive here ; few 
villages have escaped, and that of St. Luc 
has been twice consumed within the last 
20 years. Evidence of the industry of 
the people is seen in the unusual number 
of water channels, often several miles in 
length, by which the bare mountain- 
slopes have been made to burst into 
verdure. 

A track along the rt. bank leads from 
Vissoie to Mission and Ayer, both poor- 
looking places, the former opposite the 
fork of the valley where the stream from 
the Val de Torrent joins the main branch 
of the Navisanche. Above Ayer there 
are no winter dwellings, the numerous 
hamlets consisting only of may ens. 
About 1 m. farther the torrent is crossed 
to the 1. bank, and the track ascends 
through pine forest, returning again at a 
higher level, where are several clusters 
of houses, the highest of which is called 
Zinal. A good and clean little moun- 
tain inn (Hotel Durand) was opened 
here some years ago and lately enlarged. 

Those who may not intend to attempt 
any of the passes to Zermatt should 
not fail to mount to the Arpitetta Alp, 
commanding a magnificent view of the 
W. side of the Weisshorn, with the 
: adjoining peaks of the Schallhorn and 



Rothhorn, inclosing the Glacier de 
Morning, a scene worthy of comparison 
with that from the Belvedere above 
Macugnaga. Farther S. is the great 
Zinal glacier, or Glacier de Durand* 
running up to the snow-col described in 
the next Rte. The glacier is said to be 
still better seen from the Mont de la 
Lee, on the opposite or W. side of the i 
valley. A more considerable expedi- 
tion is the ascent of Lo Besso, a very | 
remarkable obelisk of bare rock, rising , 
from the E. bank of the glacier too 
steeply for snow to lie upon it, 12,057 j 
ft. in height. Two attempts to ascend I 
the Weisshorn along the N. arete from 
Zinal encountered insuperable obsta- 
cles, and that beautiful peak is probably 
to be reached only from the Schallen- 
berg side. (See § 20, Rte. A, Excursion 
10.) 

Of all the excursions to be made 
from Zinal, the most interesting is, 
perhaps, the ascent of the Diabhms 
(11,836'), a very bold isolated peak, 
lying W. of the head of the Turtman 
Glacier, and NNE. of the Arpitetta 
Alp. A notice of the ascent by two 
English travellers appeared in the 
* Times' of Sept. 4, 1863. Turning 
to the 1. from the path to the Arpitella 
Alp, they reached in 2| hrs. from 
Zinal the moraine of a small glacier 
descending from the Diablons. After 
traversing this glacier and a field of 
neve, the ascent lay alternately over 
rocks and snow-slopes, without encoun- 
tering any serious difficulty, save just 
below the summit, where the rocks are 
very steep, and give but little foot- 
hold. The panorama appears to be of 
the grandest character, and to include 
nearly all the great peaks of the Pen- 
nine and Bernese Alps, excepting Monte 
Rosa, which is masked by the grand 
precipices of the Weisshorn. Taking 
the expedition in a leisurely way, the 
travellers occupied nearly 12 hrs., in- 
cluding halts, in going from and re- 
turning to Zinal, If there were any 
object in hurrying amid such scenes, it 
might no doubt be accomplished in lesg 
time. 



ROUTE E. COL DE 

A very interesting way to S. Luc is 
described in Rte. I, and the passes lead- 
ing to St. Niklaus or Griiben are noticed 
in Rte. K. 

When travellers first visited this 
valley, none but the most vague and 
contradictory notions existed at Zer- 
matt as to the possibility of effecting a 
passage across the range extending from 
the Weisshorn to the Dent Blanche, 
and the common belief was that such a 
pass, if it were feasible, would lead into 
the Val d' Kerens rather than the Val 
d'Anniviers. When the writer had 
satisfied himself that the latter valley 
ran into the heart of the snowy chain to 
the very foot of the Dent Blanche, it 
would have been very difficult, if not 
impossible, to find a native of either 
valley who would have agreed to ac- 
company a stranger in the attempt to 
accomplish a pass between the adjoining 
valleys. Up to 1859 two passes had 
been discovered, both considered some- 
what arduous expeditions, but the dia- 
lect of mountaineers has been modified 
since they have learned to cope with 
the difficulties of glacier work. 

1. By the Col Durand, or Col de la 
Dent Blanche — from 10| to 11^ hrs. 

The authors of the Swiss Federal 
map have adopted the name Glacier de 
Durand for that more generally known 
as Glacier de Zinal. The decision is 
unfortunate, as that name has been 
applied, in turn, to several other glaciers 
in this district. It very probably has 
the same origin as the names Val 
d'Herens, or d'Erin, Dent de Rong, &c. 
Be this as it may, the name Col Durand 
has been given on that map to the pass 
at the head of this glacier, over the 
ridge connecting the Dent Blanche 
with the Gabelhorn, first traversed in 
August 1859 by Messrs. W. & G. S. 
Mathews, with Jos. Viennin, of Zinal, 
and two Chamouni guides. The pass 
was called by Mr. W. Mathews Col 
de la Dent Blanche, by which name it 
is known to many of the natives. It is 
best taken from the Zinal side, as the 
effect of the grand view from the summit 
is enhanced by the charm of surprise, ! 



LA DENT BLANCHE. 297 

and because the only serious difficulty is 
in crossing the great bergschrund on 
the Zinal Glacier. The Col forms the 
S. termination of that Glacier, being the 
lowest point in the range connecting 
the Dent Blanche with the Gabelhorn, 
It is seen from many of the higher 
points in the Val d'Anniviers, and even 
from the village of St. Luc (Rte. I), 
with the peak of the Matterhorn, here 
called Grande Couronne, towering be- 
hind it. 

A track crosses the torrent a little 
above Zinal, where the glacier, though 
near at hand, is not visible, as just be- 
low its lower end the valley is nearly 
closed by a barrier of rock, through a 
cleft in which the stream has cut its 
way. The track mounts over this bar- 
rier, and keeps along the W. bank 
at some height above the ice, then takes 
to the moraine, and the traveller enters 
on the Glacier de Zinal, fully 2 hrs. 
from Zinal. The lower part is free 
from difficulty, and the course taken is 
to cross diagonally to the foot of Lo 
Besso, which is here an extremely 
grand object. The traveller is now 
confronted by a series of rapids, in 
which the glacier descends from the 
upper basin to the lower level hitherto 
traversed. Early in the season the 
crevasses are not so formidable but that 
the ascent over the ice is still possible, 
but it is generally necessary to take to 
the moraine on the E. bank, just under 
Lo Besso. Above the ice-rapids the 
traveller reaches the upper level of the 
glacier, and finds himself in the midst 
of one of the grandest scenes in the 
Alps. The amphitheatre enclosing the 
head of the Zinal Glacier comprises at 
least four peaks, exceeding 13,000 ft. 
in height — the Rothhorn (13,855'), the 
Gabelhorn (13,363'), the Dent Blanche 
(14,318'), and the Grand Cornier 
(13,022') — and the steepness and prox- 
imity of this mighty range greatly 
enhance the effect, which in its way is 
hardly equalled elsewhere. The tra- 
veller who has reached Zinal without 
intending to cross the range to Zermatt 
should not fail to extend his excursion 



298 



PENNINE ALPS. § 19. EVOLENA DISTRICT. 



to this point. Projecting buttresses of 
rock descending from the above-named 
peaks divide the snow-fields into sepa- 
rate bays; that leading to the Trift Joch 
is seen to the 1. of a ridge descending 
from the Gabclhorn, while the main 
stream leading to the Col de la Dent 
Blanche lies straight before the travel- 
ler. His course is about due S. to- 
wards an island of rock which divides 
the upper slope of the neve descending 
from the col. Keeping E. of this rock, 
the ascent becomes steep and laborious, 
and some distance higher up the berg- 
schrund is encountered, which is the 
only serious difficulty of this rte. 
This is, however, except early in the 
summer, a very formidable one, as it 
was found by Messrs. Mathews in the 
first passage of the Col. Examined 
through a glass by the writer in Sept. 
1853, it appeared to extend without a 
bridge rijj,ht across the head of the 
glacier, with a breadth of from twenty 
to thirty feet. Once over this bar- 
rier the ascent presents no further 
difficulty, and the summit of the Col 
(11,398 ; ) is reached in 6 cr 6| hrs. 
from Zinal. 

The view from the summit which 
bursts suddenly upon the traveller, or, 
better still, from an eminence on the rt., 
or W. of the col, marked by a stone- 
man, is by competent judges considered 
to be the grandest in the Pennine Alps. 
Right opposite, the marvellous peak of 
the Matterhorn presents its most impo- 
sing aspect, flanked to the rt. by its rival 
the Dent d'Herens. To the 1. is the 
mass of the Monte Rosa range, some- 
what foreshortened, and N. of the 
Weissthor rise the Strahlhorn and 
Rympfischhorn. As compared with 
the neighbouring pass of the Trift Joch, 
the panorama loses the remaining peaks 
of the Saas Grat, but the loss is more 
than made up by the Matterhorn, not 
seen from the rival pass. The peaks 
surrounding the head of the Zinal Gla- 
cier must not be forgotten, nor that 
of the Dent Blanche, seemingly close 
at hand, though separated by a rocky 
tooth (Pointe de Zinal) crowning the 



ridge which divides the Schdnbuhl from 
the Hochwdng Glacier. 

The descent lies by the head of the 
latter, bearing to the 1. so as to gain ! 
the slopes of the Ebihorn which sepa- 
rates it from the small Arbe Glacier to 
the E. It would appear that the same 
course has not been followed by the 
few travellers who have crossed this 
way. "While so experienced a moun- 
taineer as Mr. Tuckett encountered I 
considerable difficulty in the descent at ' 
the head of the Hochwang Glacier, j 
Mr. Bonney, crossing in the same season . 
from Zerrm>tt, found none whatever at i 
this side of the Col. The latter gives the 1 
following advice to those ascending from 
Zermatt on attaining the neve above 
the Ebihorn: — 'Of the two apparent i 
cols visible when on the snow, take 
the one to the left. We took the other 
and found the descent on the farther i 
side difficult. . . The view from the side | 
of the Ebihorn just when the snow is 
reached is perhaps the finest I have I 
seen near Zermatt : it includes every- I 
thing from the Col d'Erin to the j 
Alphubel. It is a little higher than the 
Hornli, and is within the reach of ladies 
who are good walkers.' The descent i 
from the col to the foot of the Ebihorn I 
is made in 2| hrs. It is possible to i 
keep along the slopes N. of the Zmutt [ 
Glacier, and to reach Zermatt by the I. j 
bank of the torrent ; but Mr. W. Ma- 
thews advises travellers to cross at once ' 
to the rt. bank of the glacier, and then I 
follow the usual track to Zermatt (§ 18, I 
Rte. H). 

It is important to start from Zinal 1 
one or two hours before sunrise, as the 
difficulties of the Zinal Glacier are ' 
much increased when the sun has I 
begun to tell on the surface. 

2. By the Trift Joch, or the Col de 
Zinal- 10 to 12 hrs. This pass, long 
reckoned among the most difficult in the < 
Alps, was first traversed in 1854 by Mr. ! 
R. Fowler, with Arnold Kehrli of Gad- I 
men, and Ignatz Biener of Zermatt, ' 
followed in 1855 by Mr. Chapman, and j 
in 1857 by Mr. Hinchcliff (see ' Peaks, 
Passes, and Glaciers '). The somewhat j : 



f 
r 



ROUTE E. — HOMING PASS. 



29S 



formidable difficulties of the rocks on the 
Zinal side have been much diminished 
by the aid of a ladder fixed to the rock, 
and towards the summit by an iron 
chain in 70 ft. long, which helps the tra- 
veller over the worst part of the climb, 
when it is not cased in frozen snow. 

For about 3|- hrs. the way from 
Zinal is the same as that to the Col de 
la Dent Blanche, when the traveller 
bears to the 1. into the bay or recess of 
the glacier lying E. of the main buttress 
of the Gabelhorn. After climbing 
some steep snow-slopes to the foot of 
the precipices, the ascent lies up rocks 
of extraordinary height and steepuess, 
and the help of a practised guide is re- 
quired to hit off the exact points where 
the artificial aid provided by the people 
of Zinal has relieved the pass of its most 
formidable difficulties. It is desirable 
to pass as -early as possible in the day, 
as the only real danger is on the snow- 
slopes below the final ascent, from frag- 
ments of rock that are loosened when 
the sun begins to tell on the crest of the 
ridge. 

The Trift Joch, or Col de Zinal, 
11,614 ft. in height, and marked by a 
small wooden cross, may be reached in 
5| hrs. of fast walking from Zinal. It 
is a mere notch in the ridge between 
the Gabelhorn and the Trifthom 
(12,261), a few ft. in width, and so 
sharp that it is possible to sit astride 
with one leg on each side of the ridge. 
The view of Monte Rosa and the Saas 
Grat is of the grandest character, and 
only surpassed by those from the other 
passes here described. The view back- 
wards, where the rocks seem to plunge 
vertically down towards the head of the 
Zinal Glacier, is scarcely less striking. 
The descent by a steep snow-slope will 
not appear formidable to the experienced 
mountaineer, but a bergschrund sepa- 
rating it from the upper level of the 
glacier may sometimes give a little 
tiouble. The course now lies across 
the neve of the Trift Gletscher to the 
base of a spur projecting from the 
Rothhorn, where care should be taken 
to avoid the path of falling blocks of 

PART i. : 



ice. From hence the descent lies in 
part over the ice, and partly by the 
moraine of the Trift Glacier. At the 
base of the glacier the way is along the 
stream of the Triftbacb, and it is 
possible to descend direct to Zermatt 
by the 1. side of the narrow ravine 
of the Trift, or to find a rather easier 
path over the mountain to the rt. of the 
stream. 

Several of the Zermatt guides are 
acquainted with the two passes above 
described, and in the Val dAnniviers 
Joseph Viennin, of Aver, is an efficient 
guide. 

3. By the Morning Pass— 1 4 to 1 5 hrs. ' 
actual walking. An extremely difficult, if 
not dangerous expedition, achieved for 
the first time in 1864 by Messrs. A. W. 
Moore and E. Whymper, with Christian 
Aimer and Michel Croz. The Editor is 
indebted to the former gentleman for 
the following notes: — 

4 This is a magnificent pa^s, but 
being longer and very much more 
difficult than either the Trift Joch or 
the Col de la Dent Blanche, is not 
likely to supersede them in popular 
favour. Taking the pass from Zinal it 
is advisable to pass the night at the 
Arpitetta Alp. The expedition took us 
12 hrs.' actual walking from the highest 
chalet, 2 j hrs. above Z;nal, but from 
various causes, we lost at least an hour 
on the road. The chalet is a solitary 
hovel of the foulest and most repulsive 
character, without any of the usual ac- 
commodation, the herdsman living in 
the same room as that in which the 
cheese-making operations are carried 
on. The lower chalets, however, l£ hr. 
from Zinal, are on the usual scale, and 
a tolerable night might doubtless be 
passed there. 

' The Morning Glacier is fed by a 
great field of neve, which lies along 
the base of the ridge that circles round 
from the Schallhorn, through the Roth- 
horn, to Lo Besso. This is supported 
at a great elevation above the lower 
glacier by a wall of rocks, the general 
direction of which, speaking roughly, is 
East and West. Between the W. end 



300 



PENNINE ALPS. § 19. EVOLENA DISTKICT. 



of this wall and Lo Besso, there is a 
wide ODening through which the glacier 
streams in a broad ice-fall, but the 
space between its eastern end and the 
Schallhorn is very contracted, and the 
glacier is on that side squeezed through 
in a confused mass of precipitous seracs 
and ice-cliffs of the most impracticable 
character. The true Morning Pass lies 
at the head of this, at the point marked 
on ihi Federal map 3,867 metres, or 
12,688 ft.; but we crossed the ridge at 
a slightly higher point, a very little 
farther south, nearer the Kothhorn. 
This is, however, a mere matter of detail, 
as both points must be approached by 
the same route. The col might pro- 
bably be gained by forcing a passage 
up the ice-fall under Lo Besso, and 
then traversing the whole length of the 
field of neve, along the base of the 
ridge connecting that peak with the 
Rothhorn, which separates the basin of 
Morning from that of the Zinal Glacier. 
But this would involve an immense 
detour, and might, after all, prove no 
less difficult than the very direct route 
adopted by us. 

'Leaving the chalet at 5*40, we got on to 
the Glacier du Weisshorn without diffi- 
culty in 35 min. This glacier flows from 
the ridge connecting the Weisshorn and 
the Schallhorn. In its upper portion it is 
separated from the Morning Glacier by 
a spur from the Schallhorn, but lower 
down the two are united, their division 
being merely indicated by a medial 
moraine. We crossed it and the mo- 
raine beyond, and so reached the Mo- 
rning Glacier at a point where the ice 
was smooth and level. Pushing straight 
up the centre of the glacier we made 
for the base of the ice-cliffs below the 
col, intending to force a passage up 
them, but after scaling a steep snow- 
siope which led us to a point immediately 
under the lower cliffs, we found that 
coarse quite impracticable, and were 
compelled to take to the rocks of the 
Schallhorn. To get at the rocks we 
had to pass right under the ice-cliffs, 
across a steep slope of avalanche de- 
bris, an operation which took some time, 



during the whole of which we were 
exposed to great peril. Future travel- 
lers are emphatically cautioned not to 
follow our example, but to take to the 
rocks as low down as possible. At 
9.40 we commenced climbing the rocks, 
which are very steep, smooth, and diffi- 
cult; but in 1 hr. 20 min. we were able 
to leave them and get on the neve — here 
a mere shelf between the final ridge 
and the top of the ice-cliffs we had 
circumvented. We skirted the base of 
the final ridge for 40 min., passing be- 
neath the true col, without turning up 
to it, as the slope seemed steeper at that 
point than any other. But immediately 
afterwards we crossed the bergschrund 
with some little trouble, and ascending 
a very steep wall of snow or ice for 35 
min., gained the ridge a little further 
south than the true col, at 1 1 - 50, 6£ hrs. 
from the chalet. The height of the 
point at which we crossed must be 
about 12,750 feet. We saw nothing of 
the superb view in all directions which 
the pass must command, the weather 
being very unfavourable. 

• The descent to the upper neve of 
the Hohlicht or Schallenberg Glacier, 
down a steep but short slope of snow, 
succeeded by seracs and ice-cliffs of 
the most formidable character, occupied 
If hr., and was an operation of the 
greatest difficulty. Without such first- 
rate ice-men as Aimer and Croz, we 
should have found it hard to extricate 
ourselves ; but it is possible that in clear 
weather many of the difficulties en- 
countered might have been avoided. 
The neve reached, we bore away to the 
rt., and keeping close under the cliffs of 
the Rothhorn, in 45 min., without much 
ascent, got on to the ridge which runs 
from that peak to the Mettelhorn, and 
forms the rt. bank of the Schallenberg 
Glacier. On the Schallenberg side very 
gentle slopes of neve extend to the 
crest of the ridge, but on the south side 
a precipice falls to the small Rothhorn 
Glacier, down which we were unable to 
find any practicable descent. After 
45 min. were wasted in fruitless search, 
we turned along the ridge towards the 



ROUTE F. — VAL DE TORRENT. 



301 



Mettelhora, first skirting the slopes on 
its north side, and then following the 
actual crest until in 45 min. we de- 
scended into a broad opening in the 
v idge, which is well seen from the 
Kiffel During the passage of the 
ridge the views in all directions were 
magnificent, especially of the great chain 
from the Strahlhorn to the Matterhorn. 
The descent of the Kothhorn Glacier 
was perfectly easy. Keeping well to 
the 1. we quitted the ice in 35 min., 
and in 35 min. more, by a steepish and 
stony gully, reached the "gazon" at the 
foot of the Trif't Glacier, whence we 
descended to Zermatt in 1 hr. 40 min. 
by the usual path along the left side of 
the gorge of the Triftbach. Time from 
the col, 6^ hrs., including nearly an 
hour lost. It would have been quite 
possible to descend through the lower 
ice-fall of the Schallenberg Glacier, to 
Randa and so reach Zermatt, but the 
route adopted by us is more direct, pro- 
bably less laborious, and certainly much 
more interesting. 

' I think that the pass above described 
might be taken from Zermatt, but 
minute knowledge of the nature of the 
ground on the Zinal side would be re- 
quired.' — [A. W. M.] 

4. By the Schallen Jock. This arduous 
pass, only less difficult than that just 
described, lies over the depression be- 
tween the Schallhorn and the Weiss- 
horn. It was first traversed in 1864 by 
Messrs. Hornby and Philpott, with 
Christian Aimer and Christian Lauener. 
The following note is extracted from 
the 'Alpine Journal ' : — 

' We left Zinal at 3 a.m., passed the 
Arpitetta Alp, and made across the 
lower part of the Weisshorn Glacier to 
the rocks. Leaving these on our left, 
we ascended the very steep and hard 
snow and ice slopes which lead to the 
col marked on the Federal map 3,751 
metres, or 12,336 ft. We did not reach 
it till 12, Aimer having hard work with 
the axe all the way. The glacier on 
the other side is almost a continuous 
ice-fall, and heavy falling snow made it 
difficult to find a route. The descent 

x 



must be made towards the right bank 
of the glacier, bearing towards the lower 
part of the Hohlicht Glacier, thence by 
the Schallenbach and Schallen Alp to 
Randa, which we reached at 5.' — 
[J. J. H.] 

The ascent of the Rothhorn (13,855') 
Avas effected for the first time in 1864 
by Messrs. L. Stephen and Grove, with 
Melchior and Jacob Anderegg by the 
S. side of the ridge connecting it with 
Lo Besso^ From the lively account 
given by Mr. Stephen in the 'Alpine 
Journal,' it would appear that the 
climb is perilously steep. 



Route F. 

EVOLENA TO VISSOIE, BY THE VAL DB 
TORRENT. 

The western branch of the Val 
d'Anniviers, which joins the Zinal 
branch about 1 hr. S. of Vissoie, is 
called Val de Torrent (Germ. Torrent- 
thai). This is connected with the Val 
d'Herens by four different passes, one 
of Avhich only is known to the Editor. 
They are all of about the same height, 
and probably equally free from diffi- 
culty. 

The pass described in Rte. H, under 
the name of Col de Moiry, might 
be taken from Evolena to Vissoie, but 
is more suited to the traveller bound to 
Zinal. 

1. Col de Breona (9,574'). This is 
the southernmost of the above-men- 
tioned passes, and is quite easy of access 
on the Evolena side, the way being by 
the Breona Alp. On the opposite side 
the way is rough and rather steep, till 
the traveller reaches the lower and 
unbroken portion of the Glacier de 
Moiry, which comes to an end about 
| hr. above the chalets at the foot the 
Col de Torrent (see below). 

2. Col du Chatel, or du Zate (9,433'). 
This is said to be the steepest of the 
passes here named, and not to command 
any distant view. 

2 



302 



PENNINE ALPS. § 19. EVOLENA DISTRICT. 



3. Col de Torrent (9,593'). This is 
the pass usually taken by the people of 
Evolena. It is free from difficulty, but 
scarcely fit for laden mules. 

'Leaving Evolena, pass eastwards up 
the mountain slopes, and to the S. of 
Mont Colaire, towards a gap in the 
ridge dividing the Val d'Herens from 
the Val de Moiry or de Torrent. In 
3 hrs. the top of the slopes is gained, 
and ^ hr. more takes the mountaineer 
up the last ascent, a stiff rise over fiat 
rocks intermingled with snow patches 
and shale banks, to the Col de Torrent. 
A rude cross in the gap marks the 
Col. The chain falls away to the 
north, but rises again to a higher ele- 
vation called the Sasseneire. Look- 
ing back westward the view displays 
the range from the Mont Collon 
to the Pigne d'Arolla and the Mont 
Pleureur, with the Grand Combin and 
the Velan in the distance. The view 
eastward is not so fine, but, below the 
Col, a little snow-fed lake forms a 
pleasing object in the wild scenery 
around, the snow on this side being 
more abundant than on the Evolena 
side. The descent to the lake is made 
in 1 5 min. by a well marked track. De- 
scending the slopes beyond, still east- 
wards, the route lies among groups of 
fantastically shaped rocks. These are 
at times surmounted by little heaps of 
stones piled up to serve as guide- 
posts. Ultimately a mountain stream 
is reached, along which a path leads in 
1^- hr. from the lake down to the Val 
de Torrent. The glacier at its head 
is not seen, and the scenery reminds 
the traveller of a Highland strath.' — 
[E. W. J.] Erom the chalets at the 
foot of the descent a mule-path leads in 
about 2 hrs. to Cremenz, the only village 
in this branch of the valley. The tra- 
veller bound for Zinal or St. Luc 
should turn to the rt., crossing both 
streams above the junction, and gain- 
ing the main track on the E. side of 
the valley at Mission (Rte. E). To 
reach Vissoie and Sierre he should 
keep from Cremenz along the 1. bank 
of the Navisanche till opposite to 



! Vissoie (Rte. E), \\ hr. from Cremens, 
or 8 hrs. from Evolena by this rte. 

Leontodon Taraxaci is found in abun- 
ance near the summit of this pass. 

4. Pas de Zona (8,926'). This is 
said to be an easy pass, traversed by 
a good mule-path. It leads, in 6 hrs. 
from Eison, about H hr. below Evo- 
lena, to the Val de Torrent, about | hr. 
above Cremenz. The pass lies between 
the Sasseneire (10,692') and the Bee de 
Bossons (10,368'). Both are said to be 
accessible, and the latter, though some- 
what lower, is probably better situated 
for a panoramic view of the ranges 
enclosing the valley of the Rhone. 



Route G. 

ZINAL TO EVOLENA, BY THE COL DtT 
GRAND CORNIER. 

Since the advantages of Zinal as 
alpine head-quarters have been appre- 
ciated by mountaineers, new passes to 
connect it with the neighbouring valleys 
have been attempted in various direc - 
tions. One of the most useful is the Col 
du Grand Cornier, crossing the ridge 
connecting the Dent Blanche with the 
Grand Cornier, traversed for the first 
time in 1864 by Messrs. Hornby and 
Philpott, with Christian Lauener and 
Joseph Viennin of Aver. The follow- 
ing note appears in the ' Alpine Jour- 
nal': — 

' We left Zinal at 2-15 a.m., went up 
the Zinal Glacier until opposite the line 
of seracs which stretch from the Dent 
Blanche to the Grand Cornier. We 
found a good but steep passage through 
these near the cliffs of the Dent Blanche, 
and crossing a level plateau, reached 
the foot of a wall of rock joining the 
two peaks, well marked on the Federal 
map. There is a central snow couloir 
not unlike the Strahleck wall ; but the 
rocks on the rt. are easy to climb. 
At 10 a. m. we reached the col. Bearing 
to the rt , we descended by easy snow- 
slopes to the alp above Abricolla, and 
reached Evolena at 2 30 p.m.' — [J.J. H.] 



ROUTE I. — TURTMAN THAL. 



303 



In 1855 Mr. Whymper, with C. Ai- 
mer, M. Croz, and F. Biener ascended 
the Grand Cornier (13,022') in 3| hrs. 
from the plateau on the Zinal side of 
the Col. The last 300 ft. were very 
difficult. 



Route H. 

EVOLENA TO ZINAL, BY THE VAT, DE 
TOKBENT. 

The most direct course from Evolena 
to Zinal is by the pass noticed in the 
last Rte.; but the easier way, though it 
involves the passage of two cols, crosses 
the upper part of the Val de Torrent. 

The head of the Val de Torrent is 
closed by a considerable glacier, called 
Gl. de Moiry, or Gl. de Torrent, formed 
in the acute angle between two ridges 
that diverge from the Grand Cornier. 
One of these divides the Val d'Herens 
from the Val de Torrent ; the other, 
running due N. to the Come de Sore- 
bois, forms the separation between the 
Zinal and Torrent branches of the Val 
d'Anniviers. The lower part of the 
Glacier is easy and unbroken; its middle 
portion is an ice-fall of grand dimen- 
sions, found to be impassable by Mr. 
Moore and Christian Aimer. 

1. By the Col de Sorebois. Nearly 
1 0 hrs., exclusive of halts. 

The first part of this route involves 
the crossing of some one of the three 
passes first named in Rte. F, the most 
frequented being the Col de Torrent. 

Having reached the chalet at the 
junction of the brook from that pass with 
the main stream of the Val de Torrent, 
the traveller crosses the latter stream, 
passing a deserted hut, and ascends 
rather N. of E. towards the Col. 'The 
last ascent is steep, amongst rocks and 
snow-patches, but a little more to the 
N. a mule-path has been recently made 
which will prove less fatiguing. The 
summit of the Col may be reached in 2 
hrs. from the valley, and is 9,259 ft. high. 
The view back is confined by the higher 
elevation of the Torrent chain, but 
eastwards, towards the Weisshorn and 



the range on the farther side of the Val 
d'Anniviers, it is more interesting. 
After descending from the Col, strike 
away to the 1. or N. of the stream, 
and in f hr. a considerable cattle-alp is 
reached. The descent thence to Zinal 
is very steep, and difficulty may be 
found in getting down the cliff to the 
forest below, if, in ignorance of the 
pass, precise directions are not obtained 
at the chalet. Zinal will be reached 
in \\ hr. from the chalet,'— [F. W. J.] 
2. By the Col de Moiry. In 1864 a 
pass, suggested in the first edition of 
this work, was effected for the first time 
by Messrs. Hornby and Philpott, with 
Christian Lauener and Joseph Viennin. 
It leads from Evolena to the upper neve 
of the Moiry Glacier. The Col or de- 
pression by which they crossed from 
that glacier to the slopes above that of 
Zinal is locally known as Col de la Lex 
(10,492'?). The following note is ex- 
tracted from the 'Alpine Journal": — . 
4 Turning to the 1. about ^ hr. below 
Abricolla, we ascended a steep alp to 
a small glacier. Crossing this, we went 
up steep rocks till, at a spot a little S. 
of the point marked 3,570 on the Federal 
map, we looked down a very steep cliff 
of crumbling rocks on to the Glacier 
de Moiry. Descending this cliff with 
some little difficulty and danger from 
falling stones, we crossed the glacier 
above the great ice-fall to a col marked 
3,195 on the Federal map, just under 
the Pigne de la Lex Thence we de- 
scended by steep rock, shale and snow, 
to the Alp de la Lex, reaching Zinal at 
3-15.'— [J. J. H.] 

Route I. 

vissoie to tubtman, ob to gruben, 
in the turtman thal. 

The Turtman Thai, which opens into 
the valley of the Rhone at the little 
town of that name, well deserves a visit 
from any traveller exploring this neigh- 
bourhood. Occupied by forest, and 
rock, and mountain pastures, it contains 



304 PENNINE ALPS. § 19. 

no permanent habitations. The numer- 
ous hamlets which are laid down on 
maps, and may be seen from the moun- 
tains enclosing the valley, all consist, of 
mayens, closed in winter, when the 
people descend to the valley of the 
Rhone, and in summer when they are 
engaged in the higher pastures. A 
little inn is, however, now open at Grii- 
ben during the summer, and travellers 
will no longer be forced to pass the 
night there without food or shelter, as 
happened to the writer in August 1845. 

From Vissoie a path mounts the steep 
E. slope of the valley to St. Luc ( 5,453'), 
where a good little inn (Hotel de Bella 
Tola) has been lately opened. This 
village has risen again after being burnt 
to the ground in 1844, and again in 
1858. It commands a fine view of the 
valley, extending beyond the Col Du- 
rand to the peak of the Matterhorn. It 
is reached from Sierre by a direct path 
turning off to the 1. from that leading 
to Vissoie. 

[Another interesting route by which 
St. Luc may be approached from the 
valley of the Rhone, is by a torrent 
which joins that river opposite the town 
of Leult (Loeche), and leads up to the 
I Usee, a little lake lying under the Ill- 
horn (8,939'), which is said to command 
a fine view. In this mountain there is 
an extraordinary funnel-shaped cavity, 
about 1,500 ft. deep, called the III- 
graben. The ridge or arete enclosing 
it on the side of the Rhone valley is 
too narrow and crumbling to be tra- 
versed, but is well seen from several 
points near the path leading from Sus- 
ten to St. Luc. This lies in great part 
through pine forests, and is practicable 
for mules. It mounts along the torrent 
from the Illsee, passing a chalet near 
the lake, and then ascends at no great 
distance from the S. edge of the 111- 
graben. To gain a view of it the 
traveller must turn to the rt. from the 
path. This finally reaches a col be- 
tween the lllhorn and the Schwarz- 
horn. The descent to St. Luc is easily 
made in less than 2 hrs., in the latter 
fart of the way striking into a cart- 



EVOLENA DISTRICT. 

track that leads from Chandolin to St. 
Luc] 

Since a comfortable inn has been 
opened there, St. Luc has become an 
attractive spot to mountaineers. The 
landlord is a good mountaineer, who 
in 1862 made a very bold though un- 
successful attempt at the ascent of the 
Weisshorn. Under his guidance a very 
interesting walk may be made from 
here to Zinal along the range separat- 
ing the Turtman Thai from the Val 
d'Anniviers. Keeping to the W. side 
of the Tounot, the track of the Pas de 
la Forcletta is traversed at right angles, 
and then the way lies by a small gla- 
cier descending from the peak of the 
Diablons. A glorious view of the 
Weisshorn and the Turtman Glacier is 
now gained, and the descent to Zinal 
by the Arpitetta Alp (Rte. E) lies 
through Alpine scenery of the grandest 
character. 

The chief object of most visitors to 
St. Luc is the ascent of the Bella Tola 
(10,13s'), an expedition easily made by 
ladies. It may be observed, as a general 
rule, that all the detached summits lying 
between the great ranges of the Pennine 
and Bernese Alps command panoramic 
views that amply reward an ascent, 
when made with favourable weather. 
That of the Bella Tola is now one of 
the most easily accessible, as the vil- 
lagers have made a mule -track, by 
which the summit is reached in 3^hrs. 

The most direct way from St. Luc 
to the Turtman Thai is by the Pas du 
Bceuf (9,154'), a pass lying S. of the 
Bella Tola and the adjoining summit 
of the Borterhorn (9,745'). The descent 
on the E. side lies through the lateral 
glen called Borterthal, passing the 
Chalets of Pletschen. The mule-track 
between Turtman and Z'meiden is 
reached in 5 hrs. from St. Luc. The 
descent to Turtman is in great 
part through a vast pine-forest which 
once covered the entire middle region 
of the valley ; but of late years 
the axe has made extensive clearings. 
The track lies along the 1. bank, and 
on approaching the valley of the Rhone 



ROUTE I, — Z 

descends rather steeply above the gorge 
in which the waterfall (§ 21, Rte. A) 
remains concealed from the traveller 
taking this route. In about ~\ hrs. 
from St. Luc the traveller reaches 
Turtman. 

It will be observed that, in following 
this or the next route, the traveller 
leaves a population speaking a patois 
allied to modern French to enter 
amongst a people speaking the German 
dialect of the upper Valais. Some writers 
have found, or fancied, the existence of 
marked local peculiarities in the dialect 
of the Turtmanthal. It is, to say the 
least, highly improbable that a people 
not isolated, but spending more than 
half the year in the valley of the "Rhone, 
should maintain such a barrier between 
themselves and their neighbours. The 
valley has, properly speaking, no in- 
habitants. Certain villagers of the 
main valley owning the woods and 
pastures resort to the mountains during 
the summer. The greater part descend 
annually into the valley of the Rhone 
so early as the 8th September. 

Another route from St. Luc is by the 
Z'meiden Pass, which leads directly in 
less than 5 hrs. to Griiben, the only 
halting-place in the Turtman Thai. 

Ascending from St. Luc the traveller 
reaches a point from whence he may 
take a last view of the beautiful Val 
d'Anniviers, and then mounts by a 
gentle slope towards the Tounot (9,921'), 
a bold pinnacle of quartzite, on the 1. 
shoulder of which lies the Z'meiden 
Pass. In approaching the Col an 
extraordinary scene of desolation is 
passed on the rt. Some huge mass of 
mountain seems to have fallen and 
covered the slopes with its ruins, and 
similar masses, not on quite so vast a 
scale, have covered the basin on the E. 
side of the pass. The botanist may 
gather Woodsia Hyperborea and some 
other rare plants on the rocks near the 
summit. [A peak N. of the Col, 
reached in £ hr., commands a fine 
panoramic view.] A wild basin strewn 
with fragments of rock is now traversed, 
and further peaks come successively 



'meiden pass. 305 

into view until, on approaching the 
verge of the steep descent into the 
Turtman Thai, near some hovels where 
herdsmen resort during the height of 
summer, a very grand view of the head 
of the valley opens befure the traveller. 
The great Glac ier of Turtman is seen 
backed by the Barrhorn (11,919') and 
the Brunegghorn (12,6 18' j. The tra- 
veller bound for Turtman may descend 
diagonally along the W. slope of the 
valley, but otherwise he must take a more 
direct path leading in less than 5 hrs. 
from St. Luc to Z'meiden (6,010') a 
group of mayens, adjoining which is 
another group called Griiben, where a 
little inn has been lately opened which 
affords facilities for exploring this wild 
valley. Linncea borealis has been found 
in this neighbourhood. 

'The inn at Griiben is small, but 
good and clean ; the landlord is a good 
cook and a trustworthy guide.' — [R. 
S. W.] Among many excursions the 
ascent of the Zehntenhorn (10,522') of 
the Federal Map (locally called Schwarz- 
horn), may be recommended for its 
grand panorama (see Rte. K). An- 
other excursion is that to the Turtman 
Glacier, the lower end of which is 1^ 
hr. from the inn reached, by a faintly- 
marked path on the E. side of the 
torrent. On approaching the glacier a 
remarkable cascade is seen to fall into 
a chasm in the ice. The easiest way 
to get upon the glacier is to follow for 
about f hr. the moraine on the rt. bank. 

In going from Griiben to Zinal by the 
Z'meiden Pass, it is not necessary to de- 
scend to St. Luc. After crossing the Col 
the traveller should keep to the S. side 
of the glen, cross the entrance of another 
broad glen, leading up towards the 
Tounot, and follow a path that winds 
round the mountain slope above the 
main valley. Well traced through the 
pine-forest, this dies out when the way 
lies over pastures, but it reappears and 
leads the traveller direct to Ayer. 

There is another passage from Grii- 
ben to Zinal more direct than the 
Z'meiden Pasi, called Pas de la Forcletta 
(9,8107). 



306 



PENNINE ALPS. § 19. EVOLENA DISTRICT. 



Mr. A. "W. Moore has given an ac- 
count of it in the 'Alpine Journal.' 
He took the path by the rt. bank of 
the torrent, and the E. moraine of the 
Turtman Glacier, then crossing the 
glacier to gain its 1, bank, but after- 
wards ascertained that it is a shorter 
course to keep all the way by the 1. 
bank without touching the ice. After 
rounding a spur from the Diablons, Mr. 
Moore reached, in less than 3 hrs., 'the 
entrance of an extensive upland glen 
covered with snow, which stretches up- 
wards to the ridge running N. from the 
Diablons, and forming the watershed 
between the valleys of Turtman and 
Anniviers.' This is a jagged range of 
rocky points, with several gaps, of 
which that nearest to the Diablons was 
selected. The view was unexpectedly 
grand, much resembling that from the 
Bella Tola, except that the Weisshorn 
is much nearer to the spectator. The 
descent on the W. side is by a glen 
similar to that on the Turtman side, 
and is free from difficulty; but at first 
without any trace of path. After 
reaching a cattle-alp it is better to de- 
scend directly into the valley, between 
Ayer and Zinal, than to attempt to 
shorten the way by bearing to the 1. 
through the forest. It is possible to 
keep along the W. side of the Diablons 
(Rte. E), and reach the Arpitetta Alp 
by a small glacier descending from that 
peak. If it were possible to take the 
Diablons on the way from Griiben to 
Zinal, the excursion might rank among 
first-class expeditions, but the ascent 
from the N. side seems to be very diffi- 
cult. 

In 1864 Mr. Heatheote, with Moritz 
Andermatten, ascended the E. branch 
of the Turtman Glacier, climbed over 
the dividing ridge, crossed the plateau 
between the upper and lower ice-falls of 
the W. branch, and climbed under the 
cliffs of the Diablons to a col between 
that peak and the Weisshorn. This, 
which was reached in 7 hrs., he has 
called Col des Diablons. The descent 
to Zinal is easy. 



Route K. 

GRUBEN TO ST. NIKLAUS, OR TO RANDA. 

From the sequestered valley of Turt- 
man the mountaineer may choose be- 
tween several routes leading to the 
frequented road to Zermatt. The passes 
leading to St. Niklaus are easy ; those 
to Randa are decidedly difficult, and fit 
only for trained mountaineers. 

A mule-track has lately been carried 
over the Augstbord Pass (9,515'), a de- 
pression due E. of Griiben, between the 
Zehntenhorn (10,522') and the Ste'm- 
thallwrn (10,463'). It winds up a steep 
and nearly uniform slope, passing the 
chalets of the Griiben Alp, and in about 
3 hrs. of easy walking the traveller 
reaches the summit. If bound for 
Stalden he should descend nearly due 
E. through the Augstbordrhal, and join 
the ordinary track (§ 20, Rte. A) about 
half-way between that place and St. 
Niklaus. To reach the latter village 
he follows a track that winds round 
the shoulder of the mountain, and 
finally reaches the chalets of the Jung 
Alp overlooking St. Niklaus. 

A rather more direct, but much 
rougher way to St. Niklaus, is by the 
Jung Joch (about 9.500'). a rarely-used 
pass. The ascent to it from Griiben is 
by a steep, pathless slope. The actual 
pass is one of the notches in a jagged 
ridge, which on the E. overlooks a 
wilderness of huge blocks mingled with 
snow, the resort of ptarmigan and 
chamois. By climbing a point to the 
rt. of the Col, a wide view is gained 
over the ranges to the W. extending to 
Mont Blanc. The descent is very 
rough, until the traveller enters a wild 
upland glen called Jung Thai, which 
leads to the chapel and chalets of Jung. 
Here the traveller gains a magnificent 
view of the Misehabelhorner, crowned 
by the Dom, with the range of the 
Lyskamm and Breithorn. Bearing to 
the rt, a long descent, in part along 
ledges of rock, leads the traveller down 
into the valley, taking 6 hrs. from 
Z'meiden to St. Niklaus (§ 20, Rte A). 

The traveller who can spare about 



ROUTE K. — JUNG JOCH. 



307 



l£ hr. for the detour, may much in- 
crease the interest of' the Augsrbord 
Pass by ascending thence to the Zehn- 
tenhorn (10,522'), N. of the pass. 

A more arduous, but more direct, 
way to Randa and Zermatt is by the 
Brunegg Joch, immediately N. of the 
Brunegghorn (12.618')- Tins is appa- 
rently at the point marked in the 
Federal map 3,383 metres, or 11,099 ft. 
It connects the head of the E. branch 
of the Turtman Glacier with the Abberg 
Glacier, the lower end of which over- 
looks Herbrigen in the valley of St. 
Niklaus. This pass was reached from 
Zinal in 1864 by Messrs. Hornby and 
Philpott, passing the chalets of Tracuit, 
and keeping near to the ridge at the 
head of the Turtman Glacier. After 
descending a little to round a spur 
from the Weis>horn, they reached the 
Brunegg Joch in 6| hrs. from Zinal. 
Nearly the same course was followed 
in 1863 by Lord Francis Douglas, with 
Matthiius Zum Taugwald, but he seems 
to have encountered more serious diffi- 
culties. 

A more difficult and even dangerous 
pass was traversed in 1864 by Messrs. 
Moore, Morshead, and Gaskell, with 
Christian Aimer and Peter Perm. The 
Col, which has been called Bies Joch, 
lies SW. of the Brunegghorn, and con- 
nects the Bies Glacier with the head of 
the Turtman Glacier. It will be seen 
that the course taken by these travellers 
in descending to Griiben is nearly the 
same as that from the Brunegg Joch, 
and that the difficulties are all on the 
side of the Bies Glacier. The pass was 
effected for the first time in 1862 by 
two French travellers, with Franz 
Andermatten, but they seem to have 
taken a less direct course on the Randa 
side. 

'Leaving Randa at 3-5 A.M. we 
crossed the Visp, and ascended for 2 
hrs. by a steep and rough sheep-track 
up the gorge of the Bies Bach, and the 
rocks on its 1. bank, until we reached 
the scanty pastures above the lower 
line of cliffs. An excursion as far as 
this point is recommended for the noble 



and perfect panorama of the Mischabel 
range which it commands, and the near 
view of the end of the Bies Glacier 
which is obtained en route. Mounting 
by the slopes of rock and shale above 
for 1 hr. 22 min. we then took to the 
Glacier considerably above its termina- 
tion. The cirque of neve which feeds 
the Bies Glacier is quite invisible from 
the valley. It is, however, of great 
extent, and is supported on the E. by 
a line of tremendous cliffs, through a 
comparatively narrow opening in which 
the glacier proper finds its way towards 
the valley. The natural result of this 
arrangement, combined with the great 
steepness of the ground, is, that from 
top to bottom the glacier is a continuous 
ice-fall of a more than usually broken 
character. 

' We made for the centre of the glacier, 
exposed to a fire of stones from above, 
and ascended it for 45 min., when 
finding that at every step it became 
steeper and more difficult, it was thought 
preferable to attempt to reach the neve 
by scaling the rocks supporting it on 
the left side of the glacier. To get at 
the base of these rocks we had to tra- 
verse a slope of avalanche debris, at the 
base of a precipice crowned by ice-cliffs. 
We passed in safety, but only escaped 
two tremendous falls, right across our 
path, by less than two minutes. The 
rocks themselves proved exceedingly 
difficult, and without Aimer we pro- 
bably should not have accomplished the 
ascent. We kept throughout as close as 
possible to, though out of sight of, the 
glacier, and after an exciting scramble 
of 2 hrs., succeeded in reaching the 
neve. Looking down, it was quite im- 
possible to make out our line of ascent. 
Aimer tiiought that we might have 
mounted by the glacier; but that route, 
if not more difficult, would certainly be 
longer and more dangerous than the 
one we actually adopted. Crossing the 
field of neve, we reached the Col without 
farther difficulty in 25 min., or 6f hrs. 
from Randa. The Col looks North and 
South, and lies between the Brunegg- 
horn and the peak marked on the 



308 PENNINE ALrs. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



Federal map 4,161 metres. Its height 
is 11,644 ft. The ridge which circles 
round from peak 4,161 m. did not ap- 
pear practicable at any point. We all 
agreed that it would be possible to as- 
cend the Weisshorn straight up from 
the neve of the Bies Glacier, but this 
would not be the case except in a very 
snowy year, like 1864, as the amount of 
step cutting might be very great. 

'The descent of a short but steep wall 
of hard ice, on to the head of the Turt- 
man Glacier, occupied l£ hr., but we 
then traversed the whole length of that 
great glacier without encountering the 
slightest difficulty, the inclination 
throughout being very gentle, while 
scarcely a crevasse is seen. In a little 
more than an hour we left the glacier 
for the rocks on its rt. bank in order 
to avoid a slight ice-fall; but after a 
steepish descent down a narrow gully 
in the rocks, took to it again in 30 
min., and traversed it for 30 min. more, 
when we finally quitted it on the rt. 
bank, slightly above its termination, 
and took to a faint sheep-track, which 
led us to the head of the Turtman Thai. 
Crossing to the 1. bank of the torrent 
to avoid a sudden fall in the ground on 
the other side, we returned to the rt. 
bank at Blummat, ^ hr. from Griiben, 
which we reached in 1| hr. from the 
time of leaving the glacier, 4f-hrs. from 
the Col, or 1 1 ^ hrs. from Randa. 

' Taking the pass from Griiben, it 
would be almost impossible to find the 
way down to Randa without minute 
local knowledge.'— [A. W. M.] 

The Brunegghorn (12,618') may be 
reached in 1 hr. from the summit of the 
Bies Joch. It was first climbed by the 
cure of St. Niklaus, and again by a 
party of English travellers in 1865. 

The Editor has no information re- 
specting two of the minor valleys be- 
longing to this district, which pour 
their waters directly into the Rhone. 
The first is a glen lying on the N. side 
of the Bee de Bossons (Rte. G) and 
opening into the valley of the Rhone 
at Beschy, about 5 m. SW. of Sierre; 
the other is that formed by the 



Miihlebach, which crosses the high- 
road of the Simplon about half-way 
between Turtman and Visp. It rises 
in a small tarn N. of the Dreizehnten- 
horn, and lying between the Schwarz- 
horn (9,594') and the Augstbordhorn 
(9,785'). Both the latter summits are 
said to command fine panoramic views. 
The first is reached from the Turtman 
Thai, the second from Stalden (§ 20, 
Rte. A). 



SECTION 20. 

MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 

In describing the range of Moni 
Blanc (§ 16), it was seen that that 
mountain, with its attendant peaks, is 
naturally limited by two deep trenches 
parallel to the direction of the range, 
and by well-defined passes which mark 
an orographic separation between it 
and the adjoining mountain groups. 
No such arrangement is found in the 
great mass which is included in the 
present section. 

The central range of Monte Rosa, 
which appears to originate in the in- 
tersection of two axes of elevation, 
throws out a number of ridges that 
radiate afar and gradually subside into 
the plain of N. Italy, covering an area 
much larger than that of most of the 
other districts described in this work. 
No convenient mode of subdividing it 
has, however, been suggested, and we 
propose to include, along with the 
central mass, the range of the Saas 
Grat to the N., and the minor ranges 
to the S. and E. that enclose the so- 
called Italian valleys of Monte Rosa. 
The natural limits of the district are 
therefore defined on the N. side by the 
two branches of the Visp torrent. 
Following the W. branch through the 
Nicolai Thai, crossing the Col de St. 
Theodule, descending by the Val Tour- 
nanche to Chatillon and to Ivrea, and 



I 



§ 20. MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



309 



passing round the base of the moun- 
tains by Arona, along the Lago Mag- 
giore, and up the valley of the Toce, 
to Vogogna, then ascending by the Val 
Anzasca to the Pass of Monte Moro, 
the circuit is completed by the descent 
through the Saas Thai to Stalden. 
Within the line so traced, exceeding 
300 m. in length, all the ranges pro- 
perly belonging to this group are 
included; but it appears convenient 
to add the Matterhorn and the Dent 
d'Herens, although orographically con- 
nected with those enclosing the Val 
Pellina, described in § 18. 

It cannot fail to strike the reader 
who examines the map of this district, 
that the direction of the ranges and 
the depressions offers a marked contrast 
to that prevailing throughout the ad- 
joining regions of the Alps. Unless in 
a small part of the Italian valleys, the 
direction here is either parallel or 
perpendicular to the meridian. Monte 
Rosa itself is best considered as 
the intersection of a great N. and S. 
ridge, extending from the Balferin 
through the Saas Grat, and the highest 
peaks of the mountain itself, to the 
Vincent Pyramide, and thence through 
the range that bounds the Val de Lys, 
nearly to Ivrea, with the transverse 
range lying between the Dent d'Herens 
and the Pizzo Bianco near Macugnaga. 
It is worthy of remark, that all the 
minor ridges on the N. side of the 
frontier are parallel to this latter range. 
It is sufficient to point out the cor- 
responding depressions occupied by the 
glaciers of Gorner, ^Findelen, Tascb, 
Kien, Graben, &c. 

Although the peak of Mont Blanc 
overtops all those of the Monte Rosa 
range, the average height of the latter 
greatly exceeds that of its western 
rival. In the first, none of the secondary 
peaks attain to 14,000 English feet, 
while the three higher summits of Monte 
Rosa surpass 15,000 ft, and four others 
lie between 14,000 and 15,000 ft. With- 
in the same limits are the four highest 
peaks of the Saas Grat, and also the 
Lyskamm, not to mention the ad- 



joining summits of the Weisshorn, the 
Matterhorn, and the Dent Blanche. 
The same inference is drawn from a 
comparison of the passes. Of the thir- 
teen highest passes hitherto effected 
in the Alps all but three cross the ridges 
of this group. 

It is the opinion of many of the most 
competent judges, that for grandeur, 
beauty, and variety, the valleys de- 
scending from Monte Rosa are entitled 
to preeminence over every other por- 
tion of the Alps, and perhaps, if we 
regard the union of those three elements, 
over every other mountain region in 
the world. Nature is inexhaustible in 
the combination of her attractions, and 
certainly there are many other scenes 
in the Alps which may challenge com- 
parison with whatever is most grand 
and most beautiful ; but one who would 
learn thoroughly to enjoy Nature in 
those aspects cannot do better than 
give ample time to the exploration of 
the district included in this section. 
After spending some weeks amid the 
sterner scenery of Zermatt and Saas, 
he will find fresh loveliness in the 
marvellous contrasts that abound in the 
valleys of the Italian side. A summer's 
tour devoted to this district, wherein 
days of exertion, spent in gaining the 
higher peaks, are made to alternate 
with days of repose, which need not 
here be idleness, will certainly not 
exhaust the beauties of the country, 
and will probably leav e deeper impres- 
sions than a rapid excursion extending 
over a considerable part of the Alps. 

Good accommodation is now found 
at several of the most interesting points, 
and tolerable quarters are available 
almost everywhere. 

The most attractive head-quarters on 
the Italian side — Macugnaga, Alagna, 
and Gressonay — are all now easy of 
access, and offer sufficiently good ac- 
commodation ; and the same may be 
said for Fobello, Varallo, Ponte Grande, 
and some other agreeable stopping- 
places, while on the Swiss side very 
good quarters are found at Zermatt, 
Saas, and St. Nicklaus. 



310 PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



Route A. 

VISP TO ZERMATT — EXCURSIONS 
FROM ZERMATT. 



walking Eng. miles 

'4 ? 

2 6 

H 4 i 

8i 24i 



Staldpn 
St. Niklaus 
Randa 
Tasch 
Zermatt 



The only easy approach to the moun- 
taineering metropolis of the Rosa Dis- 
trict is from Visp or Viege, on the 
high-road of the Simplon. 18 m. above 
Sierre. the present terminus of the rail- 
way, which is to be carried on to Brieg 
(see § 21, Rte. A). A tolerable char- 
road is now open between St. Niklaus 
and Zermatt; but the people of Visp, 
with a spirit of ignorant rapacity cha- 
racteristic of the Valais, oppose its com- 
pletion through the lower part of the 
valley in order that strangers may be 
forced to sleep in their unhealthy vil- 
lage. The ascent being about 3,000 ft, 
ordinary walkers take9hrs. (excluding 
halts) from Visp to Zermatt— the time 
consumed by mules — but in descending 
7£ hrs. are sufficient. The charges for 
horses or mules are high. Including 
bonnemain for the man in charge the de- 
mand is 5 fr. to Stalden, 10 fr. to St. 
Niklaus, or 12 fr. if kept over-night, and 
22fr.to Zermatt. A char from St. Niklaus 
to Zermatt costs 12 fr. Men carrying 
a chaise-a-porteur receive 6 fr. a day ; 
ordinary porters 5 fr. a day, the return 
being at the same rate. Starting very 
early from Turtman or Brieg, there is 
quite time enough to reach Zermatt and 
so avoid spending the night at Visp ; 
but ladies usually break the journey at 
St. Niklaus. 

The track leaves Visp on the rt. 
bank of the river, mounting very 
gently, as Stalden is not more than 300 
ft, above the town. 

The vines, which produce fair wine, 
and the wild flowers, announce a cli- 
mate contrasting widely with the region 
of snow and ice in which both branches 



of the valley terminate. Among the 
wild plants are several scarce species : 
e. g.. Astragalus exscapus, Xeranthemum 
inapertum, Achillea nobilis and A. 
tomentosa, &c. The mountains rise 
steeply on either hand, and the snowy 
peak of the Balferin (properly Balen- 
firn) (12,402'), standing in the fork of 
the valley, is a first example of that 
beautiful pyramidal form which pre- 
vails among the surrounding peaks. 
About 3^- m. from Visp the track 
crosses the valley at Neubriicke, and, 
amid scenery constantly increasing in 
beauty, soon reaches 

Stalden (Inn: Zum Traube, humble 
quarters, but tolerable beds, not dear), a 
poor village (2,736') close to the junc- 
tion of the Gorner Visp, issuing from 
the Nicola it hal, with the Suaser Visp 
from the Saas Thai. The track here 
begins to mount along the 1. bank of 
the former stream. On the E. of ihe 
valley may be seen several earth pil- 
lars, similar to, but less considerable than 
those of the Val d'Herens (§ 19, Rte. 
A). The steepness of the slopes of the 
valley, and their loose texture, have 
made it difficult, to maintain even a 
bridle-path in soil that is constantly 
washed away during heavy rain. The 
track makes several steep ascents and 
descents, crossing the river, and return- 
ing to the 1. bank, with the Brunegg- 
hom (12,618'), one of the peaks of the 
Weisshorn, rising in the background. 
A manifest change in the climate and 
vegetation of the valley is perceptible 
before reaching 

St. Niklaus, the chief village of the 
valley, 3.819 ft. above the sea. A single 
large hotel (Grand Hotel) is very well 
managed, and often crowded at night, 
as ladies usually sleep here, and on 
that account it is prudent to secure 
rooms beforehand. An excursion 
is sometimes made in 2 hrs. from 
hence to the village of Grachen and 
the Hannig Alp above it, immediately 
overlooking the junction of the two 
valleys, and commanding a distant 
view of the Bernese Alps. Return in 
l£ hr. A more interesting excursion 



ROUTE A. — RAND A. 



311 



may be made to the Eied Gletscher, a 
considerable glacier descending from 
the northern of the Mischabelhorner, 
whose existence would not be sus- 
pected from the valley below (see 
Rte. P). 

St. Niklaus and the neighbouring 
hamlets suffered severely in 1855 from 
repeated shocks of earthquake, which 
were felt to a less extent in the adjoin- 
ing districts, but whose force was mainly 
expended throughout the few miles 
between this place and Visp. Forty- 
nine shocks were counted, and slighter 
disturbances were renewed throughout 
the three or four following years. 
Scarcely a house iu the village escaped 
serious injury, and many were entirely 
destroyed. 

Above St. Niklaus the scenery in- 
creases in grandeur. The rocky walls on 
either side become higher and steeper,and 
the valley is contracted to a trench 2 m. 
in depth below the opposite peaks of the 
"Weisshorn and the Mischabel, between 
which' it passes. About 1 in, above the 
village the track crosses to the rt. bank, 
soon after passing the poor hamlet of 
Mattsand. At intervals the snowy sum- 
mits of the Breithorn and the Petit 
Mont Cervin are seen at the head of the 
valley, but the more imposing peaks 
near at hand are concealed from view, 
except near Herbriyen (4,226'), rather 
more than 1 hr. above St. Niklaus, 
where the traveller gains a glimpse of 
tne Brunegghorn. Several small tor- 
rents from the Mischabelhorner are 
crossed, which become formidable after 
a storm, and especially in the season of 
the melting of the snows. The valley 
opens out somewhat before reaching 

Randa. The small but clean inn 
(H. du Dom) here is convenient for 
those who ascend the Dom or the 
Tiischhorn ( Excursion 11). The parish 
priest has good specimens of minerals 
for sale This poor village (4,740') stands 
on rising ground, apparently the re- 
mains of a landslip, opposite to the 
small Bies Glacier, lying on the steep 
E. slope of the "Weisshorn, at least 
1,500 ft. above the level of the valley. 



Seeing the extreme steepness of the 
slope, and the absence of a retaining 
barrier, it is not easy to understand 
how the vast mass of ice clings to its 
bed. The apprehension thus inspired 
is not imaginary. In 1636, according 
to the perhaps exaggerated records of 
the time, the entire glacier fell into the 
valley, spreading fearful havoc before 
it. In December 1819, a considerable 
mass was detached, and though it fell 
a little on one side of the village, the 
blast of air was powerful enough to 
level most of the houses, and it is said 
that, solid beams and roofs were blown 
away like straw to the distance of a 
mile from their former site. A barrier, 
formed across the river, threatened to 
renew here the disaster of the preced- 
ing year in the Val de Bagnes (_§ 18, 
Rte. D); but some brave men of the 
valley, working at the peril of their 
lives, succeeded in cutting an opening 
for the waters. Above Randa the 
valley is nearly level for 2 or 3 m. A 
short distance beyond the village is the 
torrent from the Kien Glacier, and near 
at hand the remains of abergfall, which 
is said to have overwhelmed a village 
with all its inhabitants. Near to a 
green basin, seemingly the filled-up 
site of an ancient lake, is the village 
of Tasch, whence lie two routes to 
Saas (Rte. O). Lodging was formerly 
obtained at the cure's house, but with 
inns at Randa and at Zermatt it can 
rarely be necessary to halt here. The 
torrent from the Tasch Glacier, and 
another descending from the Rothhorn, 
often carried away the old path, now 
superseded by the new road. This 
follows the rt. bank for about l£ m., 
and then crosses the Visp at a point 
higher up than the very picturesque 
bridge on the old track, which deserves 
a few minutes' detour. The valley 
which had hitherto lain due S. now 
turns a little towards the W., and the 
traveller gains his first view of the 
Matterhorn. However long he may 
remain, or however often he may return 
hither, the overpowering grandeur of 
that marvellous peak must continue to 



312 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



fascinate his eyes, and the prohlem of 
its origin and history to occupy his 
mind, even though he he unversed in 
natural science. A short distance be- 
yond the village comes into view, and 
he soon reaches 

Zermatt (Inns : H. du Monte Rosa; 
H. du Mont Cervin ; hoth now kept 
hy Seiler, a good and attentive land- 
lord. Charges not cheap, hut not un- 
reasonable). The inn on the Riffelberg 
is also rented from the commune hy 
Seiler. All these are usually crowded 
in summer, and when ladies are of the 
party, it is prudent to write beforehand 
to secure rooms. There is generally a 
strong muster of members of the Eng- 
lish Alpine Club here. English books 
and newspapers are found here. 

This little village (5,315') was for- 
merly known to few strangers, save a 
stray naturalist who found lodging in 
the house of the rustic doctor, still re- 
membered by the early visitors. The 
grandeur of the surrounding scenery, 
and the number of practicable excursions 
into the heart of the ice region, have 
more and more recommended this place 
to mountaineers, especially since the 
opening of a tolerably good inn on the 
Riffelberg, 8,427 ft. above the sea, has 
reduced the ascent of several of the 
highest summits -within the limits of a 
moderate day's walk. It is the centre 
from -whence ardent mountain-climbers 
have successfully attacked all the 
highest summits of the Pennine Alps, 
with the exception of Mont Blanc, 
which holds its solitary and regal state 
at a distance. With many persons it 
is an additional recommendation to 
Zermatt that, being as yet easily acces- 
sible only on one side, and that in part 
by mule-path, and being guarded in other 
directions by glacier passes, it is not a 
resort of the more indolent and helpless 
class of tourists who crowd the inns of 
Chamouni and the Bernese Oberland. 
Most of those who reach Zermatt have 
sense enough to know that objects so 
new and so vast as those that surround 
them cannot be appreciated or im- 
pressed upon the mind in a moment, 



and that if it be worth -while to give two 
days to the journey to and fro, it is but. 
reasonable to remain here several days 
to enjoy the reward of the exertion. 

Weather is, of course, an indispen- 
sable condition, and patience is some- 
times tested by a continuance of wet 
days and heavy clouds veiling the peaks. 
Snow sometimes falls in August close 
to the village, but the moments of re- 
turning fine weather, and the intervals 
sometimes snatched from the midst of 
a broken season, amply reward the 
traveller's perseverance. 

During the last 15 years a class of 
guides has grown up at Zermatt. The 
best men may be thoroughly relied upon, 
but the average is still below that of the 
Bernese Oberland or Chamouni. Apart 
from the experience they may gain 
with foreigners, the mountaineers of 
the Valais are generally efficient upon 
rock, but less competent, and sometimes 
nervous, on snow and ice. It is fair to 
say that the relative inferiority of the 
Zermatt men — exaggerated by their 
Oberland and Chamouni rivals — was 
mainly due to want of practice. Since 
they have had occasion to acquire expe- 
rience on ice, the Zermatt men have in 
general become fair average guides. 

The following is the tariff for guides 
now in force : 

fr. 

Gorner, Findelen, or Zmutt Glaciers, if not 

detained more than half a day ... 3 
Gorner Grat, Rothhorn, Schwarzesee, or 

Hornli 6 

Mettelhorn, or top of Col de St. Th^odule 8 
Col de St. Theodule to Val Tournanche . 15 
„ „ to Chatillon . . 20 

Cima de Jazi 10 

Wei-sthor, or Adler Pass . . . .25 
Col d'Hdrens to Evolena, or Trift Joch to 

Aver 30 

Ascent of Monte Rosa 50 

Tour of Monte Rosa — per day ... 7 
Other excursions — per day .... 6 
Porters— per ordinary day" .... 5 
,, for glacier expeditions— per day . 10 

The daily charge for a horse or mule 
with a boy is 10 fr.; to the Riffel Inn, 
7 fr. ; to Visp, 22 fr.— char to St. Ni- 
klaus, 12 fr. When it is possible to 
take horses across the Col de St. Theo- 
dule, the charge to Val Tournanche is 
40 fr. The names of several of the best 



ROUTE A ZEP.MATT. 



313 



ehas§&^*-^^h^kmmm€^e^9 40 fr. 
Th& names of several of the best 
guides are given in the Introduction 
(Art. Guides) ; but there are several 
other rising men deserving favourable 
mention. Of these Johann Peter Perm, 
Joseph Maria Perm, andlgnatz Lauber, 
deserve especial mention. Joseph Mo- 
ser, of Tasch is an excellent porter for 
glacier expeditions. 

Irrespective of other attractions, the 
neighbourhood of Zermatt is full of in- 
terest to the geologist, the mineralogist, 
the botanist, and the entomologist. Good 
specimens of minerals are to be had 
from Perm. Specimens of the rarer 
plants may be obtained from the cure, 
and also from Ignatz Biner, a guide 
who knows the habitats of most of the 
flowering plants of the neighbourhood. 
A list of the rare plants would include 
a large portion of the Alpine flora, 
and is unnecessary, as most of them 
will be pointed out by guides, or 
are so common that the botanist 
cannot miss them. A few may be 
mentioned which appear specially in- 
teresting. Near the village are seen 
growing close together some plants of 
the warm region with high mountain 
species that have descended from the 
surrounding peaks, especially through 
the ravine of the Trift. Thus Stipa 
pennata, Euphrasia lutea, Echino- 
spermum deflexum, and Hteracium 
multiflorum are seen behind the village 
close to Gnaphaliurn Leontopodium, 
Avena distichophylla, and Artemisia 
mutellina. Of the rarest species Draba 
incana var. Thomasii, Artemisia spicata, 
and Scirpus alpinus are found by the 
Findelen Glacier ; Phyteuma humile 
and Carex hispidula, on the RifFelhorn ; 
Lychnis alpina, Oxytropis Gaudini, 
and O. lapponica, Draba fladnitzensis , 
and Avena subspicata on the Riffel and 
Gomer Grat ; and Potentilla multifida, 
and P. ambigua, Campanula cenisia, 
and Crepis jubata on the Hornli. Gen- 
tiana tenella, Carex bicolor, and C. ru- 
pestris, are not uncommon. 

Before describing the various ex- 
cursions to be made from Zermatt, a 



few words respecting the topography 
of the district will be useful. It has 
been remarked in the introduction to 
this section that the range of Monte 
Rosa may be considered as formed by 
the intersection at right angles of two 
great lines of upheaval. The centre 
of the cross is formed by a nearly leve 1 
plateau of considerable extent, anu 
rather over 14,000 ft. above the sea. 
Reckoning from hence the northern 
arm includes the Zumstein Spitze 
(15,004'), the Hochste Spitze* (15,217'), 
and the Nord End (15,13S'\ These 
three adjoining pinnacles of the same 
ridge form the Monte Rosa properly so 
called, but some writers comprehend as 
minor peaks of the same mountain the 
Signal Kuppe and the five highest 
summits of the southern branch. 
Beyond the Nord End the northern 
range rapidly falls by 3,000 ft. to form 
a ridge about 3 m. in length, and 
12,000 ft. in average height. About 
mid-way the snowy summit of the 
Cima de Jazi (12,527') rises a little 
above the general level. N. of this 
again stretches the range bearing the 
collective name of Saas Grat. It 
extends for about 10 m. from the 
Strahlhorn (13,750'), through the 
Rympfischhorn (13,790'), Allaleinhorn 
(13,235'), Alphubel (13,803'), to the 
four peaks of the Mischabelhurner, all 
rising between 14,000 and 15.000 ft., 
and terminating in the Ulrichshorn 
(12,891') and the Balferin (12,402'). 

On the S. side of the central plateau 
are five summits arranged in de- 
scending order — Parrot Spitze (14,577'), 
Ludwigshdhe (14,187'), Schwarzhorn 
(14,092'), Balmenhorn (13,927'), and 
Vincent Pyramide (13,859'). S. of the 
latter this range sinks into the com- 
paratively inconsiderable ridge forming 
the E. boundary of the Val de Lys. 

The eastern arm of the cross is formed 



* Called on the Swiss Federal Map, Dufour 
Spitze. With the highest estimate of the ser- 
vices of General Dufour as Director of the ad- 
mirable Swiss survey, the writer does not be- 
lieve that the name of any individual can remain 
permanently attached to the highest peak of the 
second mountain in Europe. 



314 PENNINE ALTS. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



by the Signal Kuppe (14,964), the 
Cima del Pizzo, and Cima delle Loccie, 
and may perhaps be considered to 
include the Pizzo Bianco. 

More important than this is the 
western arm, including the Lyskamm 
(14,889'), the double summits of the 
Zwillinge (13,879' and 13,432'), Breii- 
horn (13,685'), and Petit Mont Cervin 
(12,749'), and connected with the 
Matterhorn and the Dent d'Herens 
by the flattened ridge, about 11,000 ft. 
in height, that supports the Theodule 
and Furgge Glaciers. 

Several secondary ridges parallel to 
this W. range are connected with the 
Cima de Jazi and the chief summits 
of the Saas Grat, dividing the glaciers 
that descend towards the Nicolaithal. 
The barrier above spoken of connecting 
the Nord End and the Strahlhorn presents 
a wall of formidable precipices towards 
the E., but falls away in a gentle slope 
to the W. For a breadth of nearly 
3 m. the upper snow-fields lie almost 
unbroken upon this slope, but as they 
begin to descend towards the main 
valley they are divided into two ice- 
streams by a ridge which gradually 
emerges from the neve, and finally pre- 
sents a rather bold front to the glaciers 
on either side. The highest points of this 
ridge, appearing insignificant by contrast 
with the grand objects around, are the 
Stockhorn (11,595'), the Hochthaligrat 
(10,791'), the Gorner Grat (10,290'), 
and the Riffelhorn. The western slope, 
immediately overlooking Zermatt, is 
called the Eiffel, or RifiVlberg, and that 
name is sometimes given collectively to 
the entire ridge. On its south side 
is the Gorner Glacier, formed by the 
confluence of all the minor glaciers 
descending from the N. and W. sides of 
the Monte Rosa range, while on the N. 
side the Findelen Glacier descends near 
to the village of Zermatt. The position 
of the Riffel, surrounded by a complete 
circuit of peaks of the first order, is 
unique in the Alps. It forms the 
starting-point for many of the most in- 
teresting excursions to be made from 
Zermatt. 



1. Biff el and Gorner Grat. Seen from 
Zermatt, the hotel on the Riffel appears 
to stand on the topmost crest of the 
mountain, because the gentler slopes 
behind, leading to the Gorner Grat, are 
concealed from view. It is easily reached 
by a frequented bridle-track in 2\ hrs., 
but the views, looking backward, are so 
grand that few accomplish the distance 
within that time. On the S. side of the 
village is a bridge over the main stream, 
just below the junction of the Findelen- 
bach. Crossing to the rt. bank, the 
path ascends amid meadows to the 
chapel of Winkelmatten (5,499'), then 
traverses the latter stream, and mounts 
more steeply ; before long entering a 
wood of larch and Arolla pine. Where 
the path forks, keep to the 1., following 
the horse-tracks in doubtful places. At 
Schweggmatt, near some small huts, are 
some transported blocks left by the 
ancient glacier, 700 ft. above the present 
level of the Visp. About half-way are 
the chalets called Augstkumme, com- 
manding a noble view of the peaks be- 
tween the Matterhorn and the Weiss- 
horn. The side of the mountain is now 
bare and stony, and the way cannot 
easily be missed ; yet the stranger will 
do better to keep to the track which 
winds up the slope, and when this be- 
comes more gentle, reaches the Riffel 
Hotel, one of the highest in Europe, 
8,427 ft. above the sea. Having been 
found too small for the increasing num- 
ber of visitors, it has been recently 
much enlarged, and further improve- 
ments are projected. Travellers find 
tolerable quarters, pretty good food, and 
much noise. The house is constantly 
crowded, and travellers arriving late, 
or starting before daylight for an 
ascent, are not as considerate as they 
should be for the rest of their fellow- 
lodgers. 

The main object of ordinary tourists 
is to reach the summit of the Gorner 
Grat (10,290'). It is easy of access in 
1^ hr. from the inn; but those not used 
to such rough ground should either take 
a guide or follow the track of some other 
visitors. After ascending some way, 



ROUTE A. CIMA DE JAZI. 



315 



and approaching a little shallow tarn, 
the traveller finds himself shut out 
from the view to the rt. by a very steep 
pinnacle of serpentine rock, called the 
Riffelhorn (9,616'). Rising almost ver- 
tically from the Gorner Glacier, it 
commands the finest of all the views of 
that immense ice-stream ; but the pano- 
rama is less complete than that from the 
Gorner Grat. It is accessible from the 
E. side, but should be attempted only by 
a practised climber. 

Mounting towards the 1., amidst huge 
slabs of gneiss, the Gorner Grat is 
reached without difficulty, and some 
persons take horses to the top. As 
already said, the panorama presents an 
unequalled circle of Alpine peaks ; but 
in one respect it falls short of the view 
from the Aeggiseh horn, with which it is 
sometimes compared. The eye does 
not here plunge down so directly upon 
the surface of a great glacier The 
upper basin of the Gorner Glacier is, 
indeed, a noble object; but its middle 
and lower course are, in great part, con- 
cealed by the Riffelhorn, and other 
intervening masses ; and of the Finde- 
len Glacier but a small part is within 
sight. The first impression of the 
Monte Rosa scarcely corresponds with 
its great height. As seen from here, 
none of the summits of the range seem 
to claim preeminence over the rest ; 
and it was long before their relative 
claims were settled. The earlier visitors 
to Zermatt were directed to the Breithorn 
as the highest part of the range. Long 
afterwards, the Lyskamm was supposed 
to be the true summit ; and it is so 
figured in the plates to the 4 Etudes sur 
les Glaciers,' by M. Agassiz. No de- 
scription can, however, prepare the 
traveller for the effect of the opposite 
portion of the panorama as he turns his 
eyes round the semicircle from the 
Matterhorn to the Strahlhorn. The 
only way to do justice to this scene is 
to return hither frequently during the 
spare moments of a traveller's stay at 
the Riffcl. 

In fine weather a native speculator is 
constantly to be found with a basket of 

PAUT I- "j 



food and wine, to tempt the appetite, 
whetted by the keen, clear air of these 
Alpine heights. In returning from the 
Gorner Grat, visitors often take the 
opportunity to make nearer acquaint- 
ance with the Gorner Glacier. E. of the 
Riffelhorn, and running along the S. 
base of the Gorner Grat, is a stony slope, 
covered with rare Alpine plants, and 
traversed by a new well-marked track. 
This is called the Rothe Kumm. The 
track lies at first many hundred feet 
above the glacier, but gradually ap- 
proaches nearer to the ice. The descent 
is every where steep, and rather awkward 
for ladies, but the glacier is free from 
difficulty. The traveller will not fail to 
notice a series of circular pits of con- 
siderable size, that recur at about equal 
intervals on the N. side of the glacier. 

In descending from the Gorner Grat 
tourists often take a course leading 
NW. to a point called Guggli, over- 
looking the Findelen Glacier, and there 
find a path down to Zermatt along the 
1. bank of the ravine through which 
the Findelen torrent falls to join the 
Visp. By following a course higher 
up, over much rough ground, the 
traveller may cross the Findelen Glacier 
to the Fliih Alp on its N. bank, and 
descend thence to Zermatt. 

From the Gorner Grat it is tolerably 
easy to reach the second summit of the 
Riffelberg, called Hochthaliyrat. The 
view includes a great part of the Fin- 
delen Gl., but in other respects is nearly 
the same ; for though this overlooks the 
Gorner Grat, it is in its turn overtopped 
by the Stockhorn, and that again by the 
Cima de Jazi. 

2. The Cima de Jazi. As already 
mentioned, this is the highest summit 
of the ridge connecting the Monte 
Rosa with the Saas Grat. Although 
12,52 7 ft. in height, it is reached with ease 
in 4 or 5 hrs. from the Riffel Hotel, 
excepting after fresh snow, when the 
excursion becomes very fatiguing, and 
not to be recommended to ladies. No 
other summit of the Alps, nearly equal 
in height, is so completely within the 
reach of moderate walkers, and so free 



316 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



from difficulty or danger, provided 
reasonable caution be used. The -way 
from the Riffel Hotel lies through the 
hollow between the Riffelhorn and the 
Gorner Grat, and then along the Rothe- 
kumm, keeping to the rocky slope till 
the gradual rise of the glacier brings it 
to the level of the track. There are 
some rather slippery rocks at the end 
nearest the Riffelhorn, but it would be 
easy to make the path passable for 
horses or mules. After ascending 
gently for some distance over the ice 
this becomes crevassed, and it is usual 
to go back to the rocks near the 
base of the Stockhorn, returning soon 
after to the neve which extends 
thence to the summit. Although the 
crevasses are few and far between, the 
rope should be used, and blue spectacles 
or a gauze veil, or both combined, should 
not be omitted. By starting very early 
there is good chance of finding the 
snow of the upper glacier firm enough 
to bear the traveller's weight, and in 
that case the labour of the ascent 'is 
reduced to a mere trifle. It is usual to 
bear to the I., so as to reach the summit 
from the NW., whpre it is least steep. 
It is now apparent that the ridge laid 
down in Schlagintweit's map, and copied 
in many others, supposed to connect the 
Stockhorn with the Cima de Jazi, is so 
completely concealed by the neve — if, 
indeed, it really exists — that it is not 
everywhere easy to distinguish the neve 
of the Gorner Glacier from that which 
feeds the Findelen Glacier. On ap- 
proaching the summit it is seen that 
while the side facing Zermatt has the 
form of a flattened cone, the Cima 
itself, and the entire ridge connecting 
it with Monte Rosa, as well as the E. 
side of the great mountain itself, form a 
continuous range of precipices, which 
for height, breadth, and steepness are 
unequalled in the Alps, and, perhaps, 
elsewhere in the world. Travellers are 
strongly cautioned against approaching 
too close to the verge, as the cap of 
frozen snow that covers the summit 
usually forms a cornice projecting 
several feet from the rock, and liable, 



every now and then, to break away and 
fall some thousands of feet down towards 
the Macugnaga Glacier. The view 
includes a great part of the circuit of 
peaks forming the panorama of the 
Gorner Grat, seen from a point in the 
circumference instead of from the 
centre. In the opposite direction it 
ranges for an enormous distance over the 
■valley of the Po and the Alpine ranges 
that enclose the lakes and valleys of 
Lombardy. The snowy chain which 
stretches farthest to the S. is often 
pointed out as the Ortler Spitze by per- 
sons who fancy that they recognise the 
form of that peak. It is, in fact, the 
range of the Adamello (§ 40 ), between 
the Val Camonica and the Italian 
Tyrol. 

The ascent of the Cima de Jazi may 
be easily combined with the passage of 
the Weiss Thor (Rte. F). It is also 
easy to descend to Zermatt by the 
Findelen Glacier, ultimately quitting 
the ice on the rt. bank, where a path 
over the Fliih Alp leads to Zermatt. 
The snow fields lying between the 
summit and Zermatt may be cited in 
support of the cautions addressed to 
travellers in the Introduction. Few 
glaciers are more free from real or 
apparent danger, for the crevasses are 
not numerous and the snow covering 
generally secure. It was on the upper 
Findelen Glacier that a Russian tra- 
veller was lost a few years ago, having 
been attached to his guides by a rotten 
rope (worse than none at all), which 
snapped as he slipped through a cre- 
vasse. In the following season one of 
the best Chamouni guides was very 
nearly lost in descending from the 
Cima to the Riffel. It is true that the 
accident of a snow-bridge giving way 
may not happen here once in a hundred 
times; but the insurance against the 
risk costs so little trouble that it is in- 
excusable to neglect it. 

3. The Ascent of Monte Rosa. This is 
an expedition involving much less 
labour than the ascent of Mont Blanc ; 
but it is more difficult, and should be 
attempted only by men accustomed 



ROUTE A. ASCEN' 



T OF MONTE EOSA. 



317 



to the upper regions of the Alps. The 
highest summit of Monte Rosa, formerly 
known at Zermatt as the Gornerhorn, 
but now generally distinguished as 
Hochste Spitze, is a sharp, jagged edge 
of mica schist connected by an arete 
with the Nord end, but cut off from the 
Zumstein Spitze to the S. by nearly ver- 
tical rocks about 400 ft. in height. The 
snows falling on the slope between it and 
the Nord End form the small Gornerhorn 
Gletscher, which joins the main Gorner 
Glacier between two masses of rock 
that rise on the 1. bank. The lower of 
these is called Auf der Platte ; the other, 
lying farther E., bears the name Ob 
dem See, from a small glacier lake 
which is sometimes found between the 
rocks and the edge of the glacier, but is 
often drained through some sub-glacial 
channel. The earlier attempts to reach 
the summit were made by the E. side 
of the Gornerhorn Glacier immediately 
under the rocks of the Nord End. It is 
sometimes rather troublesome to force 
a way through the seracs; but there 
are no very serious difficulties, and all 
those who have attempted to do so 
have reached the saddle which forms 
the lowest point in the ridge between 
the Hochste Spitze and the Nord End. 
To the rt. is the sharp and formidably 
steep crest leading to the summit. The 
first explorers were deterred by the dan- 
gerous appearance of this crest, which 
is only about 400 ft. above the lowest 
point of the ridge. It was climbed in 
1848 by Johann Madutz, of Matt, Can- 
ton Glarus,and Matthaus zumTaugwald, 
of Zermatt, and again in 1851 by MM. 
Adolph and Hermann Schlagintweit, 
with three Zermatt guides ; but it was 
found that the highest peak consists of 
a double tooth of rock, of which the 
western, higher by 24 ft., is quite inac- 
cessible from this side. 

This highest pinnacle, or Allerhochste 
Spitze, was reached for the first time in 
1855, by Messrs. G. & C. Smyth, Hud- 
son, Birkbeck, and Stevenson, accom- 
panied by Ulrich Lauener, of Lauter- 
brunnen, and three Zermatt guides. 
The route taken by them, which has 

T 



been followed in the numerous subse- 
quent ascents, starts from the rocks of 
Auf der Platte, mounting to SE. by 
snow-slopes, at first gentle, but ulti- 
mately very steep as they abut against 
a sharp, saw-edged crest of rock that 
extends about due W. from the Hochste 
Spitze. The passage along this crest 
constitutes the difficulty of the ascent 
On the S. side the traveller looks down 
rocks that appear almost vertical upon 
an upper bay of the Grenz Glacier. On 
the other side an ice- slope of perilous 
steepness falls away towards the Gor- 
nerhorn Glacier. The steadiness and 
endurance, both of guides and travel- 
lers, is tested in the passage of this 
long crest, especially if, as often hap- 
pens, a violent wind should be en- 
countered, and the rocks be found coated 
with a varnish of ice. Veils and spec- 
tacles are here discarded, as the utmost 
caution is required ; and, owing to the 
roughness of the way, and the unequal 
pace of men who are alternately climb- 
ing up or down the teeth of the crest, 
the rope is laid aside. It is, however, 
usually called into play at the last, 
where a mere knife edge of frozen snow 
abuts against a slippery face of rock, 
that leads immediately to the highest 
peak. From 11 to 14 hrs. are usually 
occupied in going and returning from 
the Riffel Hotel. The most distinctive 
feature in the view, as compared with 
that from other high peaks, is the 
extraordinary depth to which the eye 
plunges directly trom the summit, es- 
pecially towards the Val Anzasca and 
the basin of the Macugnaga Glacier, 
lying nearly 10,000 ft. below. 

In 1868, Messrs. K. E. Digby and R. 
B. Heathcote found a new, circuitous, 
but interesting way to the summit. 
From the upper eastern branch of the 
Grenz Glacier they reached the ridge 
by climbing the very steep rocks of its 
S. face, often described as a sheer pre- 
cipice. 

Owing to the frequent prevalence of a 
high wind from the E. or NE., and the 
slow pace at which it is possible to move 
when near the top, precautions against 

2 



318 



PENNINE ALPS. 5 20. MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



cold are more requisite on Monte 
Rosa than on Mont Blanc. Thick 
gloves, lined -with wool at the back, 
are recommended to save rhe hands. 

4. Secondary Peaks of Monte Rosa. 
"None of these is likely to attract much 
of the attention of mountaineers, and a 
brief notice will suffice. 

The Xord End was reached for the 
first time on the 26th August. 1861, 
bv Sir T. F. and Mr. E. Buxton, and 
Mr. J.J. Cowell. with Michel Payot. 
of Chamcuni. The arete connecting it 
with the Hochste Spitze is said to be 
even more difficult than the ascent to 
the western summit of the latter. It is 
less uneven, and in great part formed 
of hard ice. requiring to be cut with the 
axe. As the summit is 85 feet lower 
than its neighbour, and the view, there- 
fore, more limited, it is not likely to 
attract many visitors. 

The Zamstein Spitze and Signal 
Kuppe are both accessible without 
serious difficulty from the Grand Pla- 
teau of Monte Rosa. The first named 
peak was first attained from the S. side 
after three previous unsuccessful at- 
tempts by the late Herr Zumstein in 
1820. The summit was reached from 
the Riffel. in I860, by the Rev. L. 
Stephen and Mr. R. Liveing. The 
Signal Kuppe was first reacted in 1843 
by M. GnifettL, cure of Alagna, and for 
the first time from the N. side, in 1 861, 
by Messrs. Tuckett, C. H. and W. J. Fox. 
The Parrot Sp>tze. which is nearly 
400 ft. lower than the Signal Kuppe, 
and is easy of access from the S. side, 
was reached in 13^3 by Messrs. Mac- 
donali, Grove, and Woodmass. An 
active mountaineer may combine a visit 
to any one of these peaks with the 
passage or the Lys Joch (Rte. D). 

The Z'/aV'W/o//ewas ascended by M. 
von Welden. but apparently not by any 
reeeDt traveller. No account of an as- 
cent of the SeJiwarzhorv or the Balmen- 
hom has reached the editor. The Vin- 
cent Pyramide was the first conquered of 
the nine summits of Monte Rosa, hav- 
ing been reached in IS 19 by Nicholas 
"Vincent, whose name it bears. Al- 



' though the lowest of the peaks, this is 
in one respect the best situated for a 
view, being that most detached from 

the main range, 

5. The Lyskamm. The greatest of 
the tributary glaciers flowing from the 
range of Monte Rosa to the Gorner 
Giacier is that which flows NW. from 
the central plateau between the Hochste 
Spitze and the Lyskamm. The first 
and several subsequent ascents of this 
fine peak were made by this — formerly 
known as Monte Rosa Glacier — called 
on the Federal Map Grenz Gleischer. 
The best way is to mount from Auf 
der Platte diagonally to the W. side of 
the ice-fall, and on attaining nearly the 
level of the plateau to mount the steep 
snow-slopes that lead to the ridge of 
the Lyskamm. Turning back at an 
acute angle, the traveller follows this 

, to the summit. This has also been 
attained from the W. side : hut Messrs. 
C. E. Mathews and Morshead have 
shown that the easiest and most direct 
way is from the S. side, by a ridge run- 
> ning about due S. from the top, which 
.may be approached either from the 
head of the Felik Glacier, or from the 
: Gl. de Lys. The old route being both 
difficult and circuitous, from 16 to 18 
hrs. are generally required from the 
Riffel for going and returning. 

6. The Rothhorn. This excursion 
may be made eirher from Zermatt or 
from the Riffel. There are two summits. 
The Oher Ruthhom ( 1 1 .214') connected 
with the Rympfischwang, and the 
Unter Rotlihorn (10.191'), somewhat 
more detached from the range of the 
Saas Grat. and on that account com- 
manding the finer view. From Zermatt 
the a-cent lies by the n. bank of the 
Findelen Bach to the sennhiitten of 
Findelen (6.80>'\ On the slope ex- 
posed to the sun. rye and barley are 

: grown at a higher level than has 
been observed anywhere else in the 
Alps. A practised mountaineer may 
find his way alone to the summit of 
the TJnter Rothhorn — about 4 hrs. from 
Zermatt- The view is somewhat similar 
to that from the Gorner Grat. The 



ROUTE A. GORNER GLACIER. 



319 



summit is farther from the Matterhorn 
and Monte Rosa, but considerably 
nearer to the peaks of the Saas Grat. 
In making this excursion from the 
RifFel it is better to cross the Findelen 
Glacier to the Fluh Alp (8,464' f, 
and then reach the summit. The 
ancient moraines which border the 
glacier and the appearance of the valley 
below its lower end show that the 
Findelen Glacier has retired during 
the same period in which the Gorner 
Glacier is known to have advanced 
considerably. 

The two summits here spoken of are 
not to be confounded with the much 
higher peak of the Rothhorn, or Mo- 
rning, NW. of Zermatt. 

We now notice excursions that are 
more conveniently made from the 
village of Zermatt than from the RifFel. 

7. The Gorner Glacier. A visit to the 
lower end of this glacier is within range 
of an afternoon's stroll from the village. 

After flowing due W. for about 6 m. 
the Gorner Glacier sweeps round the 
base of the Riffelhorn, and descends 
nearly due N. into the head of the 
Nicolaithal. The easiest way lies by 
the W. bank of the stream for rather 
more then a mile , then, after crossing 
the torrent from the Zmutt Glacier, a 
very picturesque path leads to the 
ravine through which the Gorner Visp 
descends from its parent glacier. A 
wooden bridge gives easy access to the 
actual base of the glacier, which after 
advancing for many years, having 
shoved before it a bridge and several 
chalets, at the same time ploughing up 
the pasture land at the side of the stream, 
has of late retreated, and left a bare 
tract of debris and glacial mud. 

Unpractised visitors should be cau- 
tioned against approaching close to the 
ice, as blocks of stone lightly poised 
hang on the terminal slope, and from 
time to time slide with great force down 
the declivity. The lower slope of the 
Riffelhorn is steep, but it is pos- 
sible to mount some way and to ob- 
serve the process by which the glacier 
smoothes and polishes the surfaces of 



rock over which it moves. The ap- 
pearances may be compared with 
those seen on the upper ridge of the 
same mountain in the hollow between 
the Riffelhorn and the Gorner Grat, 
where an arm of the glacier passed 
when the ice rose many hundred feet 
higher than its present level. The 
pinnacles of ice formed in the steep 
part of the descent of the glacier cannot 
fail to excite admiration. They are 
quite equal to those seen near Cha- 
mouni. Practised ice-men may take 
the glacier on their way to the RifFel. 

8. The Schwarz See and, Hornli. 
This is deservedly one of the ex- 
cursions most often made by strangers. 
It is possible to ride as far as the 
lake. 

From the very base of the E. face of 
the Matterhorn a nearly level ridge 
or promontory of rock extends a little 
N. of E., terminating abruptly in a 
bold point conspicuous from Zermatt, 
called the Hornli (9,492')- In the angle 
between this and the higher ridge con- 
necting the Matterhorn with the Breit- 
horn is formed the Furgge Glacier. 
Below the Hornli th<e ridge separating 
the torrent of this latter glacier from 
that of Zmutt spreads out, and in one 
of its undulations forms the basin of a 
small lake or tarn, called Schwarz See, 
with a solitary chapel beside it, 8,393 ft. 
above the sea. In the ascent is one of the 
finest views of the Gorner Glacier, here 
seen while undergoing the process of ra- 
pid flexure, at the same time that it falls 
rapidly round the base of the Riffelhorn, 
with its surface torn by various systems 
of crevasses which finally intersect 
each other, forming a wild confusion of 
tottering pinnacles of ice. The view 
from the Schwarz See well rewards the 
ascent, but those who do not object to 
a short and sharp climb should ascend 
the Hornli. Nowhere perhaps does the 
Matterhorn appear more overpower- 
ingly grand than from this point. Other 
peaks, such as some of the Chamouni 
aiguilles, may appear as bold in out- 
line, but they want the air of solidity 
peculiar to this unmatched peak. With 



320 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



an audacity that seems to defy the 
universe, it rears its front 5,000 ft. 
above the snow-fields at its base, as 
though its massive framework could 
support the shock of a world in ruins. 
Its stability is but apparent. Those 
•who have attempted the perilous but 
fascinating task of its ascent, and 
ha^e passed successive nights on the 
ledges of its SW. shoulder, have 
witnessed the continued progress of 
destruction that, stone by stone, is un- 
building the marvellous structure ; 
though it is not yet possible to calculate 
how many millions of ages would be 
required to bring it down to the level 
of the lower ridges that surround its 
base. 

There is no difficulty in following 
the nearly level ridge which connects 
the Hornli with the actual base of the 
great mountain. In descending, it is 
usual to bear to the lv, so as to include 
with the excursion a visit to the lower 
end of the Zmutt Glacier. In return- 
ing that way. a remarkable chasm, cut 
through the rock by the Zmutt torrent, 
well deserves attention. It is crossed 
by a bridge over which a path leads to 
the hamlet of Zmutt (6,365'), the largest 
of those above Zermatt. (See § 19, 
Rte. D.) 

9. The Mettelhorn. The Mettelhorn 
(11,188') is the highest point of a pro- 
montory extending eastward from the 
Rothhorn, or Morning, and immediately 
overlooking the village of Zermatt. It 
commands one of the finest — some think 
the very finest — view in this neighbour- 
hood, distinguished from the others of 
the same class by its near neighbour- 
hood to the noble peak of the Weiss- 
horn, and by including a considerable 
portion of the Bernese Alps, in the 
opening between that peak and the 
Mischabelhorner. The ascent is a 
stiff climb of from 4 to 5 hrs., exclu- 
sive of halts, but is within the reach of 
an average mountaineer. Many ladies 
have reached the summit, but those 
who would avoid the most laborious 
part of the ascent content themselves 
with the view from a point overlooking 



the Schallenberg Glacier. aboutf hr. be- 
low the top, which is nearly equally fine. 

The most direct way commences 
from the village of Zermatt, opposite 
^he door of the Hotel du Mont Cervin, 
up the face of a rocky slope. This 
is extremely steep for lj hr. It is 
usual to take an easier course by a 
track which mounts at first obliquely 
to the N., and then bears to the 1. until 
a view of the Trift Glacier is opened, 
when the ascent continues direct to the 
summit. The last part, for about Jhr., 
is very steep, in part over a snow-slope, 
and in part over debris often mixed 
with loose snow. This is the best point 
for a view of the Schallenberg Glacier, 
which fills a considerable hollow be- 
tween the Weisshorn and the Morning. 
This latter fine peak (13.855') was at- 
tacked in 1863 by Mr. and Mrs. Wink- 
worth, with the lamented J. J. Bennen, 
and other guides. Having reached the 
peak, which is almost free from snow, 
they found the rocks very difficult, 
broken up into large masses, offering 
little hold. Towards the top they are 
very steep, and may be impracticable. 
A successful attempt was made in 1864 
from the Zinal side. See § 19. Rte. E. 

10. The Weisshorn. This is, per- 
haps, the most beautifully sharp and 
symmetrical of the pyramidal peaks of 
the Alps, and the ascent may be counted 
amongst the most difficult and laborious 
that have been yet achieved. It is 
formed by the intersection of a main 
N. & S. ridge, with a ridge, or arete, 
that descends on the E. side towards 
Randa. The NE. and SE. faces of the 
pyramid, as well as the upper parts 
of the three ridges leading to the 
top, are mainly formed of hard 
frozen snow. On the W. side the py- 
ramid is broken away, and displays 
those vast precipices that present so 
grand an aspect from the heights above 
Zinal. At first sight, it is not easy to 
guess which of the three aretes may be 
least difficult ; but as two attempts by 
the northern one, though made by first- 
rate mountaineers, have both failed, 
it may be assumed that that route is 



ROUTE A. — THE DOM. 



321 



impracticable. The S. arete has been 
condemned by very competent judges, 
and the only successful attempts have 
been made by the E. arete, approached 
from the Schallenberg Glacier, one 
branch of which lies in the angle 
between this and the S. ridge. It re- 
mains to be tried whether the approach 
may not more advantageously be made 
from the Bies Glacier, lying in the NE. 
angle of the mountain. The honour 
of achieving the first ascent fell to 
that eminent mountaineer, Professor 
Tyndall, whose genial little volume, 
'Mountaineering in 1861,' contains a 
narrative of the expedition. 

Accompanied by J. J. Bennen, of Laax, 
and Ulrica Wenger, of Grindelwald, 
Mr. Tyndall bivouacked at over 9,000 ft. 
above the sea, and reached the highest 
peak on the following day in 10 hrs. of 
severe exertion. The return was found 
to be not much less difficult than the 
ascent ; and they regained Randa at 
11 p.m., after about 20 hrs. of almost 
constant hard work. The second as- 
cent, in 1862, was made by Mr. Leslie 
Stephen. Starting with Melchior An- 
deregg and Franz Biener, of Zermatt, 
from a chalet below the Schallenberg 
Alp, nearly 2 hrs. lower than Mr. Tyn- 
dall's bivouac, that indefatigable walker 
gained the highest point in 9^ hrs., 
and returned to Randa in 1\ hrs. more, 
reaching Zermatt the same night. Seve- 
ral ascents have been made since 1862. 

The lower two-thirds of the E. arete 
are formed of successive teeth of rock 
which start out of steep snow-slopes, 
seamed by couloirs of ice. It has 
hitherto been found best to keep to the 
base of these projecting rocks, passing 
one after the other along their S. face, 
and Mr. Tyndall appears to have lost 
some time by attempting to make his 
way along the snow-slopes below them, 
where the ice-couloirs were found ex- 
tremely troublesome, and the attempt 
was abandoned. The snow-arete lead- 
ing from the upper rocks to the topmost 
pinnacle appears to be perilously sharp, 
and during some portion of the way 
the snow- slope on the 1. ends abruptly 



at the edge of precipices, of which Mr. 
Stephen says, ' I have never seen more 
fearful cliffs.' The summit has been 
found to be a solid angle of frozen 
snow, ending literally in a point, with 
the sides corresponding to the three 
faces of the mountain. The height of 
the Weisshorn has been determined 
trigonometrically to be 14,804 ft., and 
therefore a little below that of its rival 
next noticed. 

11. The Bom. Next to Monte Rosa, 
the Saas Grat is, of all the ranges in 
the Alps, that which maintains the 
highest continuous elevation, and pre- 
sents the greatest number of lofty sum- 
mits. The highest part of this range is 
formed by four peaks, arranged nearly 
in line, and about equidistant, called the 
Mischabelhorner. Reckoning from S. to 
N., these are as follows : — 

Feet 

Taschhorn .... 14,758 
Dom or Grabenhorn . . 14,935 
Nadelhorn .... 14,108 
Gasenriedhorn . • 14 219 

The differences of height are not so 
great but that one or other appears to 
be the highest, according to the point 
from which they are viewed. The true 
summit, called Grabenhorn in the Ni- 
colaithal, is a beautiful and very sharp 
snow-pyramid, broken away irregu- 
larly on the E. side towards Saas, 
whence it appears as a double-pointed 
peak, through some effect of perspec- 
tive bringing a lower point nearly into 
a line with the top. The two N. peaks 
are sometimes distinguished as the 
Nadelgrat, and the northern of the two 
— the Gasenriedhorn — which is not 
seen from Saas, nor from Fee, but from 
a point near the little chapel between 
these places (Rte. N), passed at Saas 
for the Bom, or highest summit of the 
ridge. This was apparently the point 
reaehed by Mr. Chapman, ascending 
from Saas, in 1856, and it was not until * 
1869 that the possibility of attaining 
the Dom from that side .was proved by 
Messrs. G. E. Foster and H. Walker,when 
they effected the so-called passes which 
they named Kadeljoch and Domjoch. 



322 PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 

The first successful ascent ■was made 
by the Rev. J. Llewellyn Davies, with 
Johann zum Taugwald and J. Kronig, 
of Zermatt, and a young man of Randa, 
who volunteered to accompany them. 
(See 'Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers,' first 
series.) Starting from Randa, and 
mounting about due E. to the highest 
pastures, the ascent is a continuous 
climb — steep, but nowhere very diffi- 
cult. The only side by which the 
summit is accessible is by the N¥. 
angle, between the ridge connecting it 
with the Nadelgrat and a western spur 
that descends between Randa and 
Tasch. From the snows accumulating 
in this angle, two glaciers descend to- 
wards the Visp — the Graben Glacier, 
whose torrent flows past the village of 
Randa, and the Hohberg Glacier, at 
first descending NW. and then bending 
to W. parallel to the Graben Glacier, 
and separated by a ridge which, on 
some maps, is wrongly laid down as if 
it were continued to the head of 
both glaciers and connected with the 
Nadelgrat. After ascending more 
than 4 hrs. from Randa, Mr. Davies 
found himself on the N. bank of the 
Graben Glacier, which he then traversed 
diagonally, without encountering many 
crevasses, towards some rocks which 
form the base of the proper peak of the 
Dom. The climb from thence to the 
top is long and steep, in part over rocks, 
and partly by snow-slopes. Towards 
the top it is necessary to follow the W. 
arete, which on the S. side falls away 
in a sheer precipice towards Zermatt. 
The summit was reached in less than 
9 hrs., including a halt, for breakfast. 
Mr. Leslie Stephen, who made the 
second ascent, with Mr. Liveing and 
two guides, Melchior Anderegg and 
Johann zum Taugwald, allows 8 hrs. for 
the ascent. The view is considered 
, by Mr. Stephen ' the very finest in the 
Alps.' It extends from the Dauphin< : 
Alps to the South Tyrol, and from the 
Jura and Lake of Geneva to the Apen- 
nines, with glorious rock scenery near 
at hand. 

The vertical height of the Dom 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 

above Randa is just 10,000 ft., and 
the distance in a straight line little 
over 4 m. This is, therefore, the 
longest and steepest continuous ascent 
yet made in the Alps. Thorough train- 
ing is requisite for the mountaineer 
who would undertake it; but it does not 
appear to involve any unusual diffi- 
culties. The descent may be accom- 
plished in 4 hrs. 

It is to be noted that the map in the 
first series of ' Peaks, Passes, and Gla- 
ciers ' tends to mislead those who rely 
on its accuracy. Nearly the whole 
ascent is made by the rocks on the 1. 
hand, or N. side of the Graben Glacier, 
and it is only at the base of the final peak 
that this is crossed towards the SE. 

12. The Taschhorn. The first ascent 
of this twin-brother of the Dom was 
made on July 31, 1862, by the Rev. J. 
LI. Davies and the Rev. J. W. Hay- 
ward, with Johann and Stephan zum 
Taugwald as guides. Starting at 2 a.m., 
they mounted through the forest to the 
Kien Glacier, and then took a nearly 
direct course to the top. The upper 
slope, which was ascended by zigzags, 
is extremely steep, and it was a matter 
of great difficulty to pass from the snow 
to the rim of rocks that crown the 
peak. The view scarcely differs from 
that gained from the Dom, but this is 
more difficult of access. The summit 
was gained at 1.50 p.m., and the return 
to Randa was not effected till 10.15 p.m. 

13. The Bympfischhorn. This fine 
peak, 13,790 ft. in height, lies between 
the Allalein and Adler passes described 
in Rte. O. It is not, however, accessi- 
ble from either of them, and must be 
made the object of a distinct expedition 
from Zermatt or the Riff el. Though 
higher by 40 ft. than the Strahlhorn 
(Rte. O), it seems that the latter has 
the advantage of a position more im- 
mediately overlooking the adjoining 
valleys of Piedmont. It is certain that 
they both command panoramic views 
of the grandest character. 

The editor has received a brief de- 
scription of the first ascent from Mr. 
L. Stephen, whose name so frequently 



ROUTE B. — COL DE ST. THEODULE. 



323 



recurs among the explorers of this dis- 
trict. The ascent, which is described 
as comparatively easy, was made by the 
Rympfischwang, a steep and lofty ridge 
extending westward from the peak, and 
separating the Tasch and Findelen 
Glaciers. Passing along the ridge, 
which commands noble views, the tra- 
veller should ascend the most southerly 
of the rocky ribs or aretes that con- 
verge towards the summit. The high- 
est point is the termination of the next 
arete, but when the first has been 
climbed there is no difficulty in reach- 
ing the true summit. Time, 7 hrs. 
from Zermatt ; descent about 5 hrs. 

In connection with routes included 
in this and the last section, are several 
excursions that may well be made in a 
single day from Zermatt. Of these may 
be particularly mentioned the excur- 
sion to the Col de St. Theodule, which 
the mountaineer may combine with the 
ascent of the Breithorn or the Petit 
Mont Cervin (Rte. B.) The ascent of 
the Strahlhorn is one of the most in- 
teresting; but for those who do not 
cross the Adler Pass (Rte. O), it is 
more easily made from the Mattmark 
See. The ascent to the Trift Joch and 
that of the Ebihorn (§ 19, Rte. E), 
are extremely interesting expeditions. 
The difficult ascent of the Ober Gabel- 
horn (13,363'), was first effected in 1865 
from the Zermatt side by Messrs. A. 
W. Moore and H. Walker, with Jacob 
Anderegg. They followed the NE. 
arete to the top. Time — 19 hrs. going 
and returning, including halts. On the 
following day they were followed by 
the late Lord Francis Douglas from the 
Zinal side. If practicable it would be 
a very fine excursion to pass from the 
Trift to the Arbe Glacier, between the 
Ober and Unter Gabelhorn, and return 
to Zermatt by the lower end of the 
Zmutt Glacier. The writer has enjoyed 
a considerable portion of the same grand 
scenery in a snorter excursion, ascend- 
ing the Trift to the shoulder of the 
Unter Gabelhorn, and descending near 
to the foot of the Zmutt Glacier. 



Route B. 

ZERMATT TO IVREA, BY THE VAL 
TOURNANCHE — COL DE ST. THEO- 
DULE BREITHORN MATTERHORN . 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

Col de St. Theodule 4 9 

Breuil ... 2 5 

Val Tournanche .If 5 

Chatillon 3£ 10 

Donnaz 4| 15 

Ivrea 3f 12£ 



191 



56J 



The Col de St. Theodule is one of 
the most frequented, and, in fine 
weather, one of the easiest glacier 
passes in the Alps. At certain times 
mules may be taken across, but the 
charge (40 fr. to Vah Tournanche) is 
high, and only excused by the uncer- 
tainty attending the return to Zermatt. 
Ladies who can walk a moderate dis- 
tance may ride part of the way, some- 
times quite to the top of the pass, and 
secure mules or horses to meet them at 
the foot of the glacier, by writing 
beforehand to the innkeeper at Breuil, 
but the path is so rough and slippery 
that who can do so may better walk. 
In settled weather mountaineers travel- 
ing two or more together do not require 
a guide, but are strongly advised not to 
neglect the use of the rope. Concealed 
crevasses rarely occur on the line 
usually taken by the guides, but are 
plentiful in some parts of the glaciers on 
either side, and several fatal accidents 
from this cause are recorded. In 
cloudy weather it is very easy to lose 
the true direction, and strangers may 
soon get involved in serious difficulties. 
The time required for the passage 
depends on the state of the snow. 
Ascending from Zermatt, 4| or 5 hrs. 
generally suffice, and 3 hrs. for the de- 
scent on the same side. From the top 
to Breuil 2 hrs., or 3 hrs. ascending from 
Breuil, is a fair average. In starting 
from the Riffel Hotel, about \ hr. may 
be saved in the ascent, but it is not 
prudent to attempt it without a guide. 
Owing to the roughness of the way, no 



324 



PENNDfE ALPS. § 20. M03TTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



time issavedbygoingfromthecoltothe ] ing the W. termination of the chain of 
Riffel instead of descending to Zermatt, Monte Rosa. On the N. side it pre- 
The new passes from Zermatt to sents ranges of dark rocks rising above 
Breuil, effected in 1863, are noticed j steep snow-slopes. On the S. side it is 
below. comparatively easy of access, by a con- 

After crossing the torrent from the tinuous slope of moderate inclination; 
Zmutt G-lacier, about a mile from the but the snow, exposed to the southern 
village the track mounts by the chalets ' : sun. is often soft, and therefore fatiguing 
of Platten on the W, side of the Gorner \ to the climber. The first recorded 
Glacier. Some arolla pines (P. Cembra) i ascent was by the late Lord Minto, one 
are passed, and the slope becomes of the earliest explorers of this district, 
steeper as the Gai-bach, a torrent de- and the next by our eminent living 
scending from the Furgge Glacier, ! countryman, Sir John Herschel. 
crosses the track. The way now be- j The Petit Mont Cervin (12,749') is a 
comes rough and difficult for mules, j detached peak of bold form, lying a 
especially when a stiff ascent has led j little S. of the ridge connecting the 
to the verge of the glacier amid loose . Breithorn with the Col de St. Theo- 
scattered slabs of gneiss. The ascent dule, and this with tbe Matterhorn. 
over the Theodule Glacier is easy, save j This is also most easily reached from 
after fresh snow*, and it is in great part the S. side. The way from the col to 
free from crevasses. Persons who, in the Breithorn passes to the S. of the 
descending from the col. have wandered Petit Mont Cervin. With the snow in 
too much to the L on this glacier have, very favourable condition, the top of 
however, encountered unexpected diffi- the Breithorn has been reached in 2 
culties. After | hr. it is usual to leave ! hrs. 20 min. from the pass, but a much 
the glacier for a ridge of low projecting longer time is generally employed, 
rocks, returning before long to the neve In descending from the Col de St. 
which leads in about f hr. to the top i Theodule the traveller must avoid the 
of the pass, 10,S99 ft. above the sea. j broad smooth basin of neve lying before 
It may be counted as the highest fre- ! him; it abounds with large concealed 
quented pass in Europe, though from crevasses. The proper course keeps well 
thirty to forty passes mentioned in this : to the rt. and lies for rather more than \ 
work deprive it of the distinction still hr. over glacier. On the rt., about 500 ft. 
claimed for it as the highest in the below the summit, are seen the traces of 
Alps. A small hut where travellers a redoubt long ago thrown up by the 
find refreshment, has been erected on a Swiss to defend this entrance into their 
small patch of bare rock just above the \ territory. At the foot of the glacier a 
lowest depression, nearly on the site steep slope of scattered rocks, called 
where Saussure passed three days in a j Les Fourneaux, leads down to the high- 
temporary shed. At the expense of M. . est pastures, and then an easy descent 
Dolifuss A asset, of Basle, meteorological leads in 2 hrs.. or little more, from the 
observations have been made here during col to Breuil (6.566'), -where travellers 
three successive winters. The view ; formerly took refuge in a rude chalet, 
from the pass is extremely grand, nor is but now find one of the most comfort- 
its extent much increased by climbing , able of Alpine inns — Hotel du Mont 
the Theodulhorn (11,391'), W. of the Cervin — affording good food andcivility 
pass. The mountaineer who seeks a ] in a place which is the starting-point 
wider horizon may ascend the Petit for several first-rate excursions. Ex- 
Mont Cervin or the Breithorn, and i eellent guides, named below, are gene- 
some have climbed both on the same : rally to be found here in summer, 
day. Of late years the attention of moun- 

The Breithorn (13.6S5') is the mas- ; taineers has been directed to discover a 
give, nearly flat-topped mountain form- j more direct passage between Zermatt 



ROUTE B. MATTERHORN. 



325 



and Val Tournanche than the old pass. 
In 1863 two new passes were made 
across the ridge at the head of the 
Furgge Glacier (Rte. A). The first, 
discovered hy Mr. Morshead, -with P. 
Perm and M. Andermatten, is on the 
left ; the second, found by Mr. Whym- 
per, with J. A. Carrel and Luc Meynet, 
lies to the right of a slight eminence, 
in the range connecting the Theodul- 
horn with the base of the Matterhorn. 
Eoth passes are more laborious, and 
require at least as much time as the 
old pass, but either may afford agree- 
able variety to the mountaineer. Mr. 
Whymper's pass is probably the more 
convenient of the two, but experience 
must decide that point. It seems con- 
venient to reserve the name Col de St. 
Theodule for the old pass, and give that 
of Matterjoch to the pass over the 
Furgge Glacier, lying nearer to the 
Matterhorn. In 1864, a much more 
difficult pass, practicable only when the 
snow is in very good order, was effected 
by Messrs. T, A. Hudson and F. W. 
Jacomb, with P. Perm and Ignatz 
Lauber. In rather more than 9 hrs. from 
Zermatt they climbed the formidably 
steep barrier that connects the Mat- 
terhorn with the Dent d'Herens, and 
reached the gap, called by them Col 
Tournanche (11,398', F. W. J.), already 
well known to the explorers of the Mat- 
terhorn, and called at Breuil Col du Lion. 

Breuil has gained fresh attractions for 
adventurous mountaineers since it has 
become the recognised starting-point 
for the ascent of the Matterhorn. 

The name Matterhorn is retained in 
this work because it is the vernacular 
name in the valley where the mountain 
is chiefly seen and approached by tra- 
vellers. In the Val d'Aosta and the 
Val Tournanche it is called Mont Cer- 
vin. Some Italian writers use the name 
Monte Silvio, not known in the neigh- 
bouring valleys. The Swiss engineers 
have determined the height at 14,705 ft, 
but M. Giordano's observations with a 
good barometer make it 14,780 ft 

The history of the successive attempts 
to vanquish this formidable peak, m& 



of the catastrophe that marked the first 
victorious attack, is well known to those 
interested in Alpine adventure. Pro- 
fessor Tvndall and Mr. Whymper had 
each attacked the peak several times 
from the Italian side; and experience 
slowly taught the means for overcoming 
one difficulty after another. The former 
reached a point approaching 14,000 ft. 
in height., but the first complete ascent 
was effected in 1865 from the Swiss 
side, by a route devised by Mr. Whym- 
per, who alone of four travellers sur- 
vived the expedition. The exploit has 
been frequently repeated ; the summit 
was reached seven times in 1868, and 
in 1871 two ladies accomplished the feat. 
The amplest information respecting the 
mountain is to be gained from a paper 
by Cav. Felice Giordano, in the third 
volume of the Bollettino of the Italian 
Alpine Club. Encounteringbadweather, 
that excellent mountaineer and geolo- 
gist passed five days and nights on the 
mountain in 1866, at a height of 13,564 
ft, and was forced to abandon the ex- 
pedition. In 1868 he made the ascent 
from the Italian side, and descended to 
Zermatt — a course previously taken by 
Professor Tyndail, and also by Mr. 
Crawford Grove. He has shown that, 
although in great part crystalline in 
structure, the rocks of the Matterhorn 
exhibit very regular stratification ; and 
that, about mid-height, a mass of dial- 
lage granite, l',600 ft in thickness (with 
no trace of stratification) conspicuous on 
the W. side, passes gradually into talcose 
gneiss on the E. face of the mountain. 

The opinion of all the most com- 
petent judges is, that the ascent on the 
Italian side is now quite safe. The 
difficulties were at first very serious, 
but ropes and chains have been placed 
at the most awkward spots, and a new 
way found that avoids one really dan- 
gerous passage. A refuge has been 
erected on this side at a height of 13,524 
ft, provided with sheepskins and cook- 
ing apparatus. The slopes on the Swiss 
side are less steep, but, in ascending to 
a hut which has been built by M. Seiler, 
at a height of 12,527 ft., travellers 



826 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. MONTE EOSA DISTRICT. 



are exposed to some real danger from 
showers of stones that descend, espe- 
cially during the -warm part of the day. 
It would appear that with good guides 
there is no serious risk in the ascent 
from the Swiss hut to the summit ; but 
the most practised mountaineers admit 
that the descent of the fatal slope where 
Michel Croz, Mr. Hudson, Lord Francis 
Douglas, and Mr. Hadow fell in 1865, 
is always extremely difficult, and if 
attempted by any but perfectly trained 
and steady men, may probably lead to 
new accidents. 

A very fhie view of the Matterhorn 
is gained from the Plete, a point reached 
in 2 hrs. from BreuiL 

Breuil is an excellent station for the 
botanist, who, among other rare Alpine 
plants, may here find Saponaria lutea, 
Silene vallesia, Tri folium sazatiU, Po- 
tentilla ncrvegica, and P. nivea. 

The track below Breuil enters a 
ravine, and is carried along a steep 
slope of rock to the little chapel of 
Notre-Dame de la Garde. It then tra- 
verses a green basin below which the 
Tournanche torrent has cut a very deep 
cleft through the serpentine rock, so 
narrow that in some places the oppo- 
site walls are in actual contact. This 
spot, called Govffre des Busserailles, has 
been made accessible from below, and 
well deserves a visit. Lower down the 
track crosses the torrent and follows 
the rt. bank until, after returning to the 
E. side, a short ascent leads to 

Val Tournanche (5,057 ), the highest 
village in the valley. — (Inn : H. du Mont 
Rose ; much improved, nearly equal to 
that at BreuiL) There are now several 
excellent guides in Val Tournanche. 
Joseph, Pierre, and Victor Maquignaz, 
J. Antoine Carrel, Salomon Meynet, and 
J. B. Bic have all ascended the Matter- 
horn. The first and fourth are first- 
rate. They expect 100 fr., and 150 fr. 
if they descend to Zermatt. The view 
here opened down the valley, closed by 
a distant peak of the Cogne mountains, 
is extremely fine. A steep descent leads 
from the village to the bridge, after 
•which the track is carried nearly all the 



| way along the rt. bank amidst v^ery 

\ beautiful scenery, wherein chestnut and 
walnut trees often form a framework 

J for the view of the Mont Cervin, 
About an hour below Val Tournanche 

| some extraordinary remains of a Roman 
aqueduct may be seen high up on the 

■ face of the rock on the rt., and they are 
continued at intervals for several miles. 
The finest portion consists of several 
arches, very perfect, hanging like a pic- 
tnre against a nearly perpendicular cliff 
several hundred feet above the valley, 
nearly opposite the village of Antey. 
The road continues on the rt. bank for 

i nearly 2 hrs., then crosses for about 
10 min., and returns to the rt. bank 

I for the rest of the way to Chatillon. 
The mule-track for the last 2 m. rises 
high above the torrent, but pedestrians 
can find a path near the stream leading 
more directly to Chatillon. 

Those who are bound from Zermatt 
to the valley of Ayas may combine the 
finest part of the scenery of Val Tour- 
nanche with a tolerably direct rouTe to 
the former valley, by crossing the Col de 
Portola from Antey to Ayas (Rte. H). 

Chatillon (Inn: H. de Londres, for- 
merly Palais Royal, very fair) is a large 
village (1,690') on the road from Aosta 

! to Ivrea, about 15 m. from the former 

! city (see Rte. I), at the junction of the Val 

| Tournanche with the Val d' Aosta, The 

I chief objects of interest are the bridges. 
A Roman arch, still standing, is sur- 

j mounted by a later bridge, which in 
its turn was superseded by the modern 
structure, a single arch boldly thrown 

j across at a great height above the stream. 
Ruined chateaux on the heights add to 
the picturesqueness of this part of the 
ValdAosta. An active walker starring 
very early from Zermatt may reach 

; Chatillon in 1 1 hrs., in time to hire a 

I vehicle, which will carry him down to 
Ivrea on the same evening in about 
4^ hrs. The high road is hot and dusty. 
At St. Vincent. l-£ m. below Chatillon, 

! are some mineral baths and two inns 
(Ecu de France ; Lion d'Or) much fre- 
quented in summer. This place, sur- 

[ rounded by magnificent chestnut and 



ROUTE B. — IVREA. 327 



•walnut trees, is the pleasantest spot for 
a halt between Aosta and Ivrea. Here 
turns off the mule-path to Gressonay, 
described in Rte. I. The Dora Baltea, 
which had flowed about due E. for 
25 m., now turns to SSE. The Pont des 
Sarasins, a picturesque bridge over a 
ravine, commands a last and beautiful 
view to the W., and the road enters a 
defile amidst syenite rocks, here in- 
terposed between the palaeozoic schists 
of the head of the valley and a 
zone of gneiss stretching from the S. 
side of the Graian chain to the head 
of the Val Sesia. 

The ruined castle of St. Germain 
surmounts the rocks which command 
the defile. At its S. end the valley 
widens out, and about 9 m. from 
Chatillon reaches 

Verrex (Inns : H. de la Poste ; Ecu 
de France, extortionate), a thriving vil- 
lage (1,280') at the junction of the 
Val Challant (Rte. C) with the main 
valley. The old tower of the castle 
of Challant belonging to the former 
lords of this district commands a noble 
view. The road continues to descend 
through a straight and narrow stretch 
of the valley to Bard, a poor village 
at the junction of the Val Champorcher 
(§ 14, Rte. D), with a mean and dirty 
inn (Sole), famous for its fort, which 
in 1800 all but changed the destinies of 
Europe, by barring the passage of the 
valley to the French army under 
Napoleon. It has been greatly strength- 
ened, and is now supposed to be 
impregnable. About a mile lower 
down is Donnaz, reached through a 
narrow pass where the road overhangs 
the river. A cutting through the live 
rock, of Roman work, retains the 
measurement, reckoned probably from 
Aosta, xxxii. m.p. About 1 m. more 
of rather rapid descent leads to 

Pont St. Martin (Inn : Rosa Rossa, 
tolerably good), one of the most 
beautiful places in the valley, at the 
junction of the Lys, descending from 
the glaciers of Monte Rosa. The road 
crosses a modern bridge near to a lofty 
Roman arch, which still serves for one I 



of the paths leading up the Val de Lys 
(Rre. D). At this point the Dora may 
be said to issue from the Alps, and the 
Val d' Aosta, no longer hemmed in 
between lofty ranges, widens out with 
a nearly level floor between the hills 
that gradually subside into the plain 
of Piedmont. The language under- 
goes a corresponding change, and the 
rude French dialect spoken in the Val 
d' Aosta and the tributary valleys above 
St. Martin gives place to an equally 
rude Italian dialect, characteristic of 
the province of Novara. The cul- 
tivation rapidly changes its character, 
and the mulberry takes the place of 
the chestnut, as the road, after passing 
under the castle of Montaldo, and past 
Settimo Vittone, lies at some distance 
from the Dora, traversing the rich flat 
that terminates at the walls of 

Ivrea (Inns: Europa, the largest — 
many complaints of bad accommodation 
and high charges; Lion d'Or, very 
fair), a rather large town, 768 ft. 
above the sea. The old castle, now a 
prison, has an imposing appearance, 
and the entrance from the S. by a 
fine bridge over the Dora is highly 
picturesque. The geologist should not 
fail to examine the hills, which appear 
to enclose the mouth of the valley 
below the town. They are the gigantic 
moraines of a glacier which once united 
the separate ice-streams that flowed 
from each lateral valley of the Pen- 
nine and Graian Alps, into the Val 
d' Aosta. 

Ivrea being now connected by rly. 
with Turin (2 hrs. 10 m.), and with 
Novara (3 hrs., or more, owing to 
delay at Chivasso), a traveller starting 
by the first train may with great ease 
reach, in a single day, almost any of 
the valleys of the Piedmontese or 
Lombard Alps. If his aim be some 
remoter point, he may sleep on the 
same night at Venice or Bologna, or 
reach Genoa in time for the evening 
steamer to Leghorn, or, after spending 
the day in Turin, he may be in Paris 
on the morning of the day next but 
one following. 



828 PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



Route C. 

ZERMATT TO VERREX, BY THE SCHWARZ 
THOR AND THE VAL i/aYAS. 

It has been a difficult matter to 
decide how the valleys radiating from 
the S. and E. sides of the range of 
Monte Rosa, and the passes connected 
with them, may most conveniently 
he described. Until lately travellers, 
selecting either the higher passes 
nearest the central mass, or those more 
distant and rather easier, made either 
partially or completely the circuit of 
the entire group included in the present 
section. But since the number of 
known passes between the adjoining 
valleys has been largely increased, and 
mountaineers have found their way 
across the range of Monte Rosa from 
Zermatt to the head of each of the 
four principal valleys, over what was 
long deemed an impassable barrier, the 
number of possible routes open to 
future visitors is multiplied to an extent 
rather inconvenient to the writer of 
a guide-book. In this, and the three 
following routes, the passes leading 
from Zermatt across the main range 
of Monte Rosa, and the course down 
each valley to its lower extremity, 
are described, while in the subsequent 
routes are included most of the passes 
lying in the circuit round the S. and 
E. sides of the range. As the passes 
across the range of Monte Rosa are the 
highest known in the Alps, there is a 
manifest advantage in taking them 
from the Riffel Hotel, except in the 
case of the Sesia Joch, as yet so little 
known that it is more prudent to at- 
tempt the ascent from the Val Sesia side. 

It has been already observed that 
the long, nearly flat-topped ridge of 
the Breithorn presents towards Zermatt 
and the Corner Glacier ranges of 
seemingly impracticable rocks. On its 
E. side it is separated from the broken 
masses of rock and ice that descend 
from the Zwillinge towards the Gorner 
Glacier by the Schwarze Glacier, 



expanding gradually in width as it 
descends from the summit of the ridge, 
and usually broken into a giant s'air- 
case by broad parallel transverse 
crevasses. This is bordered on one 
side by a range of nearly vertical rocks 
facing a little N. of E., at first very 
lofty, but diminishing in height as the 
glacier towards its source approaches 
the level of the ridge. At the head of 
the glacier is a small gently sloping 
plateau between the last rocks of the 
Breithorn and the NW. summit of the 
Zwillinge, fancifully called Pollux. 
This forms the pass of the Schwarz 
Thor, first traversed in 1845 by the 
editor of this volume, and described 
by him in the first series of ' Peaks, 
Passes, and Glaciers.' It is probable 
that with more experience than he then 
possessed, the difficulties described in 
that work might have been in great 
part avoided. It is an illustration 
of the varying nature of glaciers, 
that while others who have crossed 
the pass have met more or less of 
difficulty among the seracs on the E. 
side of the glacier, Mr. Leslie Stephen 
found the crevasses closed in 1861, and 
was able to run without interruption 
from the top to the level of the Gorner 
Glacier. The height, as determined 
by a boiling-water observation of Sir 
T. F. Buxton, is 12,777 ft, closely 
agreeing with the writer's estimate. 
From the actual col the view to the 
N., including the Bernese Oberland, 
and the nearer masses of the Weisshorn 
and the Saas Grat, is shut out by the last 
rocks of the Breithorn, and should be 
seen a short way before reaching the 
summit. It appears that the summit 
of Pollux (13,432') might be easily 
reached from the col. 

On the S. side it is necessary to keep 
to the rt. along the base of the Breithorn 
rocks, which rise but little above the 
level of the cox, passing quickly, as 
blocks of ice are sometimes detached 
from the topmost ledge. The descent 
to the upper plateau of the Verra 
Glacier is steep but free from difficulty, 
until after coming down about 3,000 ft. 



ROUTE D. — LTS JOCH. 



329 



a projecting barrier of rock splits the 
glacier into numerous crevasses. These 
are avoided by bearing to the 1., 
and ascending slightly, whereby the 
traveller reaches a ridge of rock di- 
viding the two lower branches of the 
Klein Verra Glacier. These are not 
distinct ice-streams, as laid down on 
the older maps ; but the dividing ridge 
extends higher up than is shown on 
Mr. Reilly's map. Bearing SE. it is 
easy to reach the foot of the glacier, 
where a hut, occupied by a herdsman 
for a few weeks in summer, is the first 
token of the presence of man since 
leaving the Riffel Hotel. Nearly an 
hour's walk along the torrent is re- 
quired to reach the hamlet of San Gia- 
como (TAyas. A native of the valley, 
named J. P. Fauchon, has lately opened 
a little mountain inn at the hamlet of 
Fiery, about half-way between San 
Giacomo and the chalets of Aventina. 
This is very convenient for ladies 
making the tour of Monte Rosa, and 
may facilitate the exploration of the 
neighbouring glaciers. 

Mr. S. Winkworth, with J. J. Ben- 
neu, effected in 1863 a new pass, which 
may serve as a variation on the Schwarz 
Thor. Bearing to the 1. above the ice- 
fall of the Schwaxze Glacier, they cut 
their way along the steep N. slope of 
Pollux, reaching a point whence it was 
necessary to descend to the col between 
the two Zwillinge, about 13,000 ft. in 
height. The descent by the icefall of 
the Klein Verra Glacier was found some- 
what difficult. This pass was called by 
Mr. Winkworth Col de Verra, but is now 
better known as Zwillinge Joch. 

The upper part of the valley into 
which the traveller has descended is 
called Val (TAyas. Not to speak of 
minor tributaries, it unites three main 
glacier torrents — that from the Aventina 
Glacier, lying on the S. slopes of the 
Breithorn, and those from the Verra 
and Klein Verra Glaciers of Mr. Reilly's 
map, laid down incorrectly on the older 
maps, and misnamed as Ayas Gl. and 
Verra Gl. respectively. The united 
stream is called Evanson. 



The people of this valley speak a 
patois which approaches to, but seems 
different from, the French dialect of 
the Val d'Aosta. Owing to the want 
of decent accommodation, travellers 
have hurried rapidly through beautiful 
scenery which would certainly reward 
a closer exploration than it has yet 
received. It is a walk of 3 hrs. from 
S. Giacomo, passing about half-way 
the village of Ayas, and the vestiges of 
a lake formed by a great landslip, 
to Brussone, a finely situated village, 
now possessing a mountain inn (Lion 
d'Or), which was well spoken of for 
two or three seasons, but has lately 
given cause for complaint. It lies on 
the most frequented route from Aosta 
to Gressonay. The various passes 
leading into the valley are described 
in Rtes. G, H, and I. 

Below Brussone the valley is called 
Val ChallanL Following the track 
along the stream, a walk of 3 hrs. leads 
the traveller to Verrex (see last Rte. ). 
The scenery continues throughout very 
beautiful, but the way is very hot, and 
the inhabitants are afflicted with goitre 
and cretinism to a painful extent. 



Route D. 

ZERMATT TO PONT ST. MARTIN, BY THE 
LYS JOCH, OR FEL1K JOCH, AND THE 
VAL DE LYS. 

Before the establishment of the hotel 
on the Riffel, the idea of attempting a 
pass across the central and highest 
part of the range of Monte Rosa, direct 
from Zermatt to Gressonay in the Val 
de Lys, had occurred to some moun- 
taineers, but the great distance to be 
traversed, the unusual height of the 
pass, and the uncertainty as to the 
means of returning in case of failure, 
were so many discouragements to the 
attempt. It was not until 1859 that 
the pass across the Grand Plateau of 
Monte Rosa was shown to be not only 
practicable, but in fine weather free from 



830 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



serious difficulty. Although more than 
14.000 ft, in height, it is not, -when 
taken from the Riffel, more laborious 
than many other snow-passes. In 1861 
another pass was effected between the 
Lys and Gorner Glaciers, passing be- 
tween the Lyskamm and Castor, the E. 
summit of the Zwillinge. Though 
lower, this is a more difficult pass thin 
the other, and less likely to come into 
general use. The merit of having 
been the first to open these routes, so 
full of interest to all Alpine travellers, 
is mainly due to Mr. W. Mathews, 
junr., and may be reckoned amongst 
the most useful achievements of that 
excellent mountaineer. 

1 . The Lys Joch, or SUber Pass. By 
one or other name the pass over the 
Grand Plateau of Monte Rosa is known 
at Zermatt and Gressonay. The way 
to the summit is clearly seen from the 
Gorner Grat or the Rothe Kumm. It 
lies by the Grenz Gletscher (see Rte. 
A), which descends to join the Gorner 
Glacier between the rocks of Auf der 
Platte and those of the Lyskamm. Se- 
veral of the Zermatt and other guides 
are now well acquainted with the pass, 
which may be made from the Riffel to 
Gressonay in 10 or 11 hrs.. exclusive 
of halts, and presents no unusual diffi- 
culty, but it would be extremely labo- 
rious if the snow happened to be soft. 
It is therefore desirable to start before 
davliaht, so as to make a part of the 
ascent before the sun has begun to tell 
on the surface. Ascending from Gres- 
sonay, 12 hrs., exclusive of halts, should 
be allowed, and if the snow be in 
bad order one or two hrs. more may be 
required- 
After crossing the Gorner Glacier, it 
is possible to ascend by the mid- channel 
of the Grenz Glacier, but, as the cre- 
vasses are numerous and difficult near 
the junction of the two streams, it is 
better to follow the ordinary route to 
Monte Rosa as far as ' Auf der Platte' 
before diverging into the great valley 
which separates Monte Rosa from the 
Lvskamm. In 5 or 6 hrs. from the 
Eiffel the traveller may reach the 



Grand Plateau, a nearly level tract 
more than 1 m. across, and higher than 
the summit of the Finster Aarhorn, 
around which the highest peaks of the 
range rise as low bills of snow broken 
by projecting rocks. The pass lies 
across the ridge which forms the 
southern boundary of the plateau, and 
connects the Lyskamm and the Parrot 
Spitze. There appear to be two cols, 
separated from each other by a low 
dome of snow, but that nearer the Lys- 
kamm is usually divided from the 
Plateau by an impassable bergschrund, 
so that it is necessary to effect the pas- 
sage by the opening on the left, between 
the snow-dome and the Parrot Spitze. 
This is the Lys Joch, elevated 14,010 
ft. above the sea. according to the ob- 
servations of Mr. Tuekett. On arriving 
at this point the traveller looks down 
I upou the great plain of Piedmont, 
j enclosed by the Ligurian Apennine and 
the curving line of the Maritime and 
: Cottian Alps, from which, at a distance 
I of nearly 100 m., rises the noble pin- 
nacle of Monte Tiso. In the immediate 
foreground is the eastern arm of the 
Lys Glacier, bounded on the rt by a 
long spur of the Lyskamm. and on the 
1. by the line of peaks from the Lud- 
wigshohe to the Vincent Pyramide. In 
1^ hr. the descent is made without dif- 
ficulty on the eastern side of the gla- 
cier to the northern foot of the Hoh.es 
Licht (11.633'). a rocky peak below 
. the Vincent Pyramide, with which it 
is connected by a low snow-ridge 
dividing the Lys Glacier from that of 
Garstelet. 

A few yards distant is a ruined 
miner's cabin (10,784'). used as a camp- 
ing-place by the earlier explorers of 
Monte Rosa, in some of their attempts 
to ascend the mountain from the S. 
From the foot of the Hohes Licht there 
is an extensive and beautiful view to the 
westward, where Alont Bianc is seen at 
the head of the Val d'Aosta, flanked by 
many of the Graian and Pennine Alps. 
A still more extensive panorama might 
probably be obtained by climbing to 
the summit of the peak itself. Looking 



ROUTE D. LYS TIIAL. 



331 



southward, the Lys Glacier is seen on 
the rt., occupying the deep hollow be- 
tween the Hohes Licht and the Felik- 
horn. It is formed by the union of two 
main streams — th e eastern, flowing down 
from the ridge which connects Monte 
Rosa with the Lyskamm, the western 
from that which connects the Lyskamm 
with the Twins. The two arms are 
divided from each other by the great 
southern buttress of the Lyskamm, 
which terminates in a steep rocky pro- 
montory called the Nase. The base of 
this is 11,155' above the sea, and the 
highest of its peaks, of which there 
appear to be three, 1 1,910'. [The Nase 
is most easily reached from the E. side 
by crossing the glacier from the Hohes 
Licht. Both may be visited in one day 
from Gressonay. Notwithstanding its 
great height, the Nase produces several 
species of flowering plants.] 

In taking the eol from Gressonay, 
always laborious, as the snow is soft, 
the traveller on reaching the plateau 
must keep well to the rt. Should he 
steer too far W., he will be stopped by 
an impracticable precipice of ice, and 
driven to a considerable detour. 

The descent from the Hohes Licht 
presents little difficulty. Easy snow- 
slopes on the E. side of the peak and 
equally easy rock slopes lead down near 
to the lower end of the Garstelet Gla- 
cier. There is here a choice of three 
ways to the Val de Lys: 1st, turning 
sharply to the rt., and passing near the 
Salzia See, the traveller may cross the 
Salzia Furke, a gap in the ridge S. of 
the Telchenhorn, and follow the Vor- 
dere Salze Bach into the head of the 
Val de Lys, a little below the extremity 
of the Lys Glacier ; 2nd, by descending 
due S. from the Garstelet Glacier, he 
may pass by the Indren to the Gabiet 
Alp, and thence by the Lavez Thai into 
the V al de Lys ; 3rd. a still shorter way 
is to pass by the Gabiet See, and de- 
scend into the Val de Lys, near to La 
Trinite (see Rte. H). 

[Alagna (Rte. E) may be reached 
from the Lys Joch quite as soon as 
Gressonay. From near the summit a 

PART I. 



snow couloir close to the peak of the 
Ludwigshbhe leads down to the head of 
the Indren Glacier. Crossing the neve 
in a direct line for the rocks dividing 
this from the Embours Glacier, a prac- 
ticable gully is found which leads down 
to the head of the Embours Thai. 
Alagna may then be reached by the 
Pile Alp (Rte. E), or more directly by 
a path turning to the rt. from some 
miners' huts, and crossing the low ridge 
that divides Embours from the Val 
d'Ollen.] 

Near the foot of the Lys Glacier is a 
chalet called Cuur de Lys (6,571'), with 
a large room and two good beds. It may 
be used by anyone attempting this, or 
the Felik Joch, from the S. side. This 
is the highest inhabited house in one of 
the main valleys on the S. side of Monte 
Rosa, called Val de Lys, Lys Thai, or 
Vallese, in the French, German, or Ita- 
lian dialects of the neighbourhood. As 
in the adjoining valleys of Sesia and 
Anzasca, the population of the upper 
part is German. The lower part appa- 
rently includes a mixture of the Pied- 
montese element with the Gaulish race 
of the upper Val d'Aosta. Much spe- 
culation has been excited by the pre- 
sence of a German population, separated 
from those of the same race on the Swiss 
side by the range of Monte Rosa, a 
barrier till lately thought utterly im- 
passable. There is now little doubt 
that they came originally from the Va- 
lais through the Saas Thai, and over the 
once frequented pass of Monte Moro, 
crossing in succession the passes lead- 
ing to the Val Sesia, and thence to the 
Val de Lys. They may probably have 
found the upper end. of each valley unoc- 
cupied, though their activity and indus- 
try have created prosperous villages not 
far from the foot of the glaciers. 

A little below the Cour de Lys is a 
large house belonging to Baron Peccoz, 
a native of the valley, who, having made 
a fortune in Germany, was ennobled 
by the late King of Bavaria, and re- 
turned to his birthplace to indulge in 
chamois-hunting. At St. Jean he has 
a collection of stuffed animals and birds,, 



332 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



killed by himself, ■which deserves a 
•visit. The first hamlet is San Pietro, 
followed by another called San Gia- 
como, and below these is the village 
of Gressonay la Triniie, about l£ hr. 
below the Cour de Lys. [The passes 
on either side are described in Ete. H.] 
Farther on is Noversch, where lived 
Herr Zumstein (the name is sometimes 
translated M. de la Pierre), one of the 
first explorers of the upper region of 
Monte Rosa. An account of his re- 
peated ascents of the Zumstein Spitze, 
abridged from Von Welden's work, is 
contained in King's ' Italian Valleys of 
the Pennine Alps.' About 2 J hrs. from 
the chalet is the principal and the lowest 
of the German villages. 

Gressonay St. Jean ( Inns : Hotel Dela- 
pierre, very good and reasonable ; an- 
other good new inn — H. Monte Rosa). 
In both hotels travellers wishing to halt 
some time may live cheaply en pension. 
The accommodation is very good for so 
remote a place, but the traveller must 
not expect as much preparation for his 
convenience as in the frequented parts 
of Switzerland. The guides are very 
inferior to those on the Swiss side of 
Monte Rosa. The editor has not heard 
of any in this valley deserving special 
mention. 

4 Gressonay is properly the name of 
the commune which includes all the 
upper part of the Val de Lys, or Lysthal, 
the principal hamlet being that of St. 
Jean, where alone good accommodation 
is to be found. Its height above the 
sea is 4,659 ft.' 

The situation of Gressonay, amidst 
meadows and fruit trees, in a green 
basin formed by the widening out of 
the valley, is very beautiful. Several 
days may be well spent here. Among 
the more interesting excursions are a 
visit to the Lys Glacier, the ascent of 
the Grauhaupt (Rte. H), the Telchen- 
horn (Rte. G), the Bee de Frudiere, 
and that of the Combetta (Rte. I). 

From Gressonay to St. Martin in the 
Val d'Aosta (Rte. B) is counted a walk 
of 6 hrs. The track is in great part 
practicable for rough country carts. ! 



About h hr. below St. Jean the valley 
contracts, and the track crosses to the 
rt. bank. At the limit of the commune 
of Gressonay the German dialect ceases. 
The scenery here is very picturesque, 
as the path is carried among huge 
blocks that have fallen from the sur- 
rounding heights. The traveller re- 
turns to the 1. bank before reaching 
Gaby, 2 hrs. below St. Jean, where the 
appearance of the walnut denotes a 
change of climate. [A path leads 
hence in about 4 hrs. to Pie di Cavallo 
in Val Andorno, Rte. K.] Below Gaby 
the path returns to the rt. bank, and is 
for some way nearly level. Before 
reaching Issime (1 hr. beyond Gaby) 
the Lys torrent traverses a remarkably 
deep and narrow chasm, which it has 
cut through the gneiss rock. The dif- 
ferences between ice-worn and water- 
worn rocks may be well studied here, 
as they are seen in close proximity. 
The chestnut becomes the prevailing 
tree, as the traveller (in a very short 
hour) descends to Fontainemoire (very 
fair quarters at the house of the baker, 
in the middle of the village), where 
the track once more takes the 1. bank. 

[A path leads hence in about 6 hrs. to 
the Sanctuary of Oropa by the Col della 
Balma d' Oropa (Rte. K). The ascent 
is rather long through a lateral glen, 
richly wooded below, wild and stony 
towards the top. Thence to the Alpe 
della Strada, about 1 hr. above Oropa, 
the path is faintly traced, and a guide 
is almost necessary.] The scenery of 
the main valley is throughout very fine. 
After passing Lillianes, the track is 
carried high above the 1. bank, opposite 
to the village of Perloz. Hamlets and 
scattered houses are seen perched on 
steep slopes up to a height of 2,500 
ft. above the stream. A steep descent 
over ice-worn rocks takes the traveller 
down to Pont St. Martin (Rte. B). 

2. The Felik Joch (about 13,400'). 
First traversed in 1861 by Messrs. W. 
Mathews and Jacomb. It is described 
in the second series of ' Peaks, Passes, 
and Glaciers ' under the name Zwillinge 
Joch, which has since been applied with 



ROUTE E. SESIA JOCH. 



333 



more strict propriety to the pass (Rte. 
C) between the two summits of the 
Zwillinge. The route is described by- 
Mr. Mathews as taken from the S. side. 

' At 2.20 a.m. we left the chalet of 
Cour de Lys, with a brilliant moon and 
cloudless sky, crossed the Lys at once, 
and walked along the moraine on the 
W. side of the Lys Glacier until we 
were clear of the Felik Horn, and had 
reached a ravine coming down from 
the NW. We turned into this ravine, 
and after mounting some grassy slopes, 
climbed up the rocks on our rt., which 
led us up to an immense tract of snow 
extending from the Felik Horn to the 
Zwillinge. Here, at 6 a.m., we halted 
for breakfast, and started again at 7, 
making straight across the snow-field 
for the base of a summit which turned 
out to be an eastern outwork of Castor, 
the E. summit of the Twins. We were 
forced to take this course, as the snow 
plateau is elevated far above the W. 
arm of the Lys Glacier on very 
steep precipices of rock, and they are 
united only by their uppermost por- 
tions. Instead of making for the 
apparent col, which lies somewhat to 
the rt, we thought it would be easier to 
make for another apparently higher 
and more to the L This was at the 
summit of a steep and wide couloir of 
snow, with a deep crevasse on the rt., 
and a vertical icicle-fringed wall of 
snow beyond it. We cut steps up the 
1. hand lip of the crevasse, and crossing 
it at the top, gained the ridge at 9.45. 
Here we found that we had really 
taken the right course. That which 
looks from below the true col rises 
beyond the sky line and joins our col 
at the same level.' — [W. M.] 

Messrs. Mathews and Jacomb attained 
the summit of Castor, which is not the 
snow summit nearest the pass, but a 
second and higher one, 13,879 ft. in 
height. The view included the whole 
of the Pennine and Graian Alps, and 
nearly all the summits of the Bernese 
chain. To the SW., it extended to the 
Monte Viso and to the range of the 
Ligurian Apennine. 



The summit of the pass had already 
been reached by Mr. Tuckett in his 
first attempt to ascend the Lyskamm ; 
and his barometer observation, com- 
pared with Geneva, Aosta, and the St. 
Bernard, gives 13,517 ft. for the height 
of the col. Preferring the comparison 
with the St. Bernard, we reckon the 
height at about 13,400 ft. 

Quitting the col at 12.45 the party 
ran down the upper slopes of the Zwil- 
linge Glacier until they reached the 
difficult seracs into which it is broken 
before uniting with the Gorner Glacier. 
These afford some of the finest snow 
and ice scenery in the Monte Rosa 
chain. At 2.30 they had cleared this 
difficulty, and were upon the ice of the 
great Gorner Glacier. In if hr. more 
they reached the Riffel Hotel. 

It would appear that 10 hrs., exclu- 
sive of halts, suffice for the pass from 
the S. side ; 9 hrs., therefore, may be 
allowed from the Riffel to Cour de 
Lys, or 11^ hrs. to Gressonay, being a 
little more than is needed for the Lys 
Joch. It must be recollected that these 
estimates refer to the performances of 
good mountaineers in thorough train- 
ing. None others should attempt these 
passes. 

Route E. 

ZERMATT TO VARALLO, BY THE SESIA 
JOCH AND THE VAL SESIA. 

In a former edition the pass here de- 
scribed was not admitted without hesi- 
tation. The passage of the ridge between 
the Signal Kuppe and the Parrot 
Spitze, first made by Messrs. H. B. 
George and Moore, and since repeated 
by a few travellers, must always be a 
difficult, if not a dangerous expedition. 
Although the descent was effected in 
1869 by two English ladies, excellent 
mountaineers, with Jean Martin of 
Sierre as guide, it must not be supposed 
that that course will always be found 
practicable. 

A traveller who has reached the 
Grand Plateau, after ascending the 
Monte Rosa Glacier, has on the E. the 
summit of the Signal Kuppe (14,964') 
2 



334 PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 

and to the SE. that of the Parrot Spitze 
( 14,57 7')< connected together by a ridge 
which rises about 300 ft. above the 
level of the Plateau. On gaining this 
ridge he looks down upon the Sesia 
Glacier and the head of the Val Sesia, 
lying some 8,000 ft. below him, and 
separated by a series of precipices 
and ice-slopes that are only less for- 
midable in appearance than those 
of the E. face of Monte Rosa over- 
hanging the Macugnaga Glacier. The 
attempt to force a direct passage across 
this barrier, certainly not less than 
14,300 ft. in height, must be counted 
amongst the most darins; of recent ex- 
ploits in the Alps. The editor has 
been favoured with the following notes 
by Mr. H. B. George. The guides were 
Christian Aimer, of Grindelwald, and 
Matthaus zum Taugwald, of Zermatt. 

' We slept at some good chalets about 
2| hours from Alagna, reached by the 
1. bank of the torrent from the Sesia 
Glacier, and left our quarters at 2.35 
a.m. For 3 hrs. we marched over slopes 
generally knee-deep in rhododendrons, 
and at last very stony, to a point some 
way up the left bank of the Sesia 
Glacier. After a short halt we made 
our way across the glacier to the right 
hand corner of the base of the Parrot 
Spitze, which lay nearly opposite us, 
and began climbing the rocks of which 
it, is composed. After 2 hrs. of very 
easy but rapid ascent we had some 
steep snow-slopes to mount, and then 
came to the foot of the arete that took 
us almost to the top. The ascent of 
this is an affair of extreme difficulty, 
and would scarcely have been possible 
but for Aimer's skill and determina- 
tion. After climbing some way we bore 
to the rt., and tried to get along the ice- 
slope to the couloir between the Parrot 
Spitze and Signal Kuppe, with a view 
to making our way up to the lowest 
point on the ridge between them, but 
the couloir itself looked frightfully 
steep, besides being dangerous from 
avalanches ; so we relinquished it for 
the arete. This consisted of extremely 
steep rocks, often affording very slight 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 

footing, intermixed with narrow edges 
of snow, so steep as hardly to admit of 
steps being cut in the sides of thein„ 
After 3| hrs. of this work we came 
to a slope of ice, covered a few inches 
deep with snow varying from 43° to 
50°, which in rather more than an hour, 
or nearly 13 hrs. from our starting- 
point, brought us to the top ; i.e. to a 
point on the ridge going up from the 
saddle to the summit of the Parrot 
Spitze, about 120 ft. (?) below the peak, 
and perhaps 60 ft. above the true col, 
which is practically inaccessible. The 
descent of the Monte Rosa Glacier to 
Zermatt was straight forward. It 
would be impossible to take this pass 
from Zermatt, or either way late in the 
year, when the snow was gone from the 
gaps in the rock arete, and off the ice- 
slope below the top. Christian Aimer 
led the way throughout, never being at 
fault for a moment, although he had 
only seen the mountain for 10 minutes 
through a break in the clouds two days 
before, our whole route remaining hid 
in cloud until we were fairly on the 
base of the Parrot Spitze. The view 
from the summit, including the Italian 
lakes and Monte Viso, was marvellous.' 
— [H. B. G.] 

In the second ascent the party slept 
at chalets higher up, and reached the 
pass in 9^ hrs., and this exclusive of 
halts. 

The Sesia Glacier is formed in the 
angle between the eastern ridge of 
Monte Rosa extending from the Signal 
Kuppe to the Monte delle Loccie, and 
the southern ridge connecting the Par- 
rot Spitze and the Vincent Pyramide. 
Owing to the great steepness of the 
walls of rock that enclose it, no great 
accumulation of snow takes place at 
a high level, and the dimensions of 
the glacier are small as compared 
with the height of the surrounding 
mountains. The N. branch of the 
glacier, which is not separated by a 
ridge of rock, as erroneously laid down 
in Schlagintweit's map, descends from 
the Col delle Loccie described in 
»te. G. 



EOUTE E. PJVA. 



335 



To the S. of the Sesia Glacier on the 
E. side of the ridge connecting the 
Vincent Pyramide with the Col delle 
Piscie (Rte. G), is the Embours Glacier 
which sends down its torrent through 
the Embours Thai to join the Sesia, 
below the pastures and chalets of the 
Pile Alp. Travellers visiting the Vai 
Sesia should not fail to approach the 
"base of Monte Rosa at least as near as 
this point, which may be reached in 
2 hrs. from Alagna. The view may 
rank as second only to that from 
the Macugnaga Glacier. A still nearer 
view may be gained by ascending the 
ridge N. of the Embours Thai about 
l|hr. from the Pile Alp. At the head 
of the latter vallev is seen a very fine 
waterfall, 600 ft. (?"> in height, fed by 
the snows of the Vincent Pyramide. 

The first ascent of the Signal Kvppe 
was made by M. Gniffetti, the veteran 
cure of Alagna. whose recent loss is de- 
servedly regretted by all mountaineers 
who visit his native village. 

After three abortive attempts in 1834, 
1836, and 1839, he was finally successful 
on the 9th of August, 1843. All these 
expeditions were made by the Lys Joch 
and the Grand Plateau, occupying two 
days, and involving a night's encamp- 
ment on the rocks. As the Plateau is 
so easily reached from the side of the 
Gorner Glacier, persons desirous of as- 
cending this peak should do so from 
the Riffel, from which place the whole 
excursion may read : ly be effected in a 
single day. This route to the summit 
of the Signal Kuppe was first taken in 
1861 by Mr. Tuckett, accompanied by 
Messrs. C. H. and W. F. Fox. 

In descending from the Sesia Glacier 
to Alagna it is best to keep to the 1. 
bank of the torrent until, after joining 
the track from the Turlo Pass ( Rte. 
H), a bridge with an oratory beside it 
is crossed. The way then lies chiefly 
on the rt. bank, again crossing and re- 
crossing the Sesia. In descending from 
the Pile Alp the path lies on the rt. 
bank of the Sesia, descending a steep 
staircase of rock at the base of the 
Staffelberg, which shuts out the view of 



Monte Rosa, until at the oratory above 
mentioned it joins the main track to 

Alagna (Inn: H. Monte Ro»a, newly 
built, good and reasonable). ' Unrea- 
sonable demands are made here both 
for guides and mules, which ought to 
be resisted.' — [M.] 

The position of the village is nof. 
very striking, but the neighbourhood 
offers some of the finest scenery in the 
Alps. Besides the passes described in 
Rtes. G, H, and I, the mountaineer may 
devise many excursions of the highest 
interest. One deserving of especial no- 
tice, hitherto neglected by English 
tourists, is the ascent of the Corno 
Bianco (11,014'), the highest summit in 
ranges S. of Monte Rosa. This is 
reached with little difficulty from the 
S. side in one long day from Alagna. 
The best guide here is a young man 
named Viottl, who has not yet gained 
much experience in ice-work. The 
commune of Alagna, including all the 
upper part of Val Sesia, is German, 
but frequent intercourse with their 
Italian neighbours has caused some 
intermixture of dialects. The most 
frequented route to or from Alagna is 
that descending the Val Sesia to Va- 
rallo. The distances are as follows : — 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

: 4 

I 



Riva . 
Mollia 
Piode . 
Scopello 
Varallo 



3| 

H lo 



22 



Bridle-path to Mollia — carriage road 
thence to Varallo. 

A rough path leads from Alagna to 

Jtiiva, the highest Italian village, 
with an indifferent inn. There is a 
striking contrast between the apparent 
poverty of the people and the compara- 
tive splendour of the church, covered 
within and without by fresco paintings 
of considerable merit, the work of a 
native artist, one amongst many who 
have attained celebrity. From the 
village is a grand view of the peaks 
and glaciers at the head of the valley. 

M. Carestia, the cure of Riva, is an 



336 PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 

excellent botanist, but has lately suf- 
fered from ill-health. The flora of 
the southern and eastern valleys of 
Monte Rosa offers a great general re- 
semblance, but includes several species 
very rare or unknown elsewhere in the 
Alps. Of these may be noted Senecio 
uniflorus. Campanula ercisa, Potentilla 
prammopetala, and Saxifragaatenopetala. 
Still more interesting is the discovery 
by M. Carestia of CUerleria imbrieata 
on the Nase, and near the Vincenthiitte 
above the Lys Glacier. 

Close to Riva the metamorphic slates 
constituting the rocks at the head of the 
Val Sesia give place to gneiss, which 
extends from hence to the Y'al d'Aosta, 
and farther east passes into syenite. 

The descent is easy and agreeable 
from Riva to Mollia, where there is a 
fair inn. The valley, which is through- 
out its length very sinuous, here makes 
a sharp bend nearly due S. to Piode 
(poor inn) : the scenery is extremely 
grand, though without distant views. 
A short way farther the road, turning 
N. of E., reaches Scopetlo (inn poor and 
dear), where the copper ore raised near 
Alagna and elsewhere in the valley is 
smelted. ' Chars mavbe obtained from 
Scopello to Varallo for 7k fr.'— [M.] 
The next village is Scopa, with a bear- 
able inn, kept by Giuseppe Topino. 
The vegetation increases in richness as 
the track reaches Balmuccia, at the 
junction of the Vol Sermenta, or Val 
Piccola (Rte. I). Here the stream, 
which had flowed NE. for some miles, 
turns due E., and the valley gradually 
opens out as the traveller approaches 

Varallo (Inns : Albergo d' Italia ; 
La Posta; both good, the first rather 
more frequented by strangers, the 
second has the finer view; Falcone 
Nero, a trattoria). The situation of 
this little town, at the junction of the 
Val Sesia with the Val Mastalone 
(Rte. L), and in the immediate neigh- 
bourhood of much beautiful scenery, 
suffices to render it attractive, but the 
main object of interest to most visitors 
is the Sacro Monte, a famous sanctuary 
founded in 1486, and adorned byfamous 



MONTE EOSA DISTRICT 

] artists with works that mark a stage in 
the development of Italian art. 

The hill, now called Sacro Monte, is 
, covered with a series of fifty chapels or 
oratories containing modelled groups of 
life size, painted and clothed, represent- 
ing events nearly all taken from the 
New Testament. The majority are of 
no importance as works of art, but 
some of them, painted by Gaudenzio 
Ferrari and his pupils, are extremely 
interesting. The chapels are numbered, 
and those best worth examination are : 
5. The Appearance of the Star in the 
East. 17t Transfiguration. 38. The 
Crucifixion. The paintings on the 
walls and ceiling of the latter chapel 
are considered the best works of Gau- 
denzio Ferrari. Other works of im- 
portance by the same master are the 
frescoes which cover the screen between 
the choir and the nave in the church of 
St. Francesco at the foot of the Sacro 
Monte, and an altarpiece in the church 
of St. Gaudenzio. A branch of the 
Italian Alpine Club has been opened at 
Varallo, and members of the English 
Club who may call there will find 
books, maps, &c, in addition to that 
courteous kindness usual among all 
ranks in Italy. 

' Varallo stands upon true granite, 
f which forms a band extending N. to 
the head of the Val Bapnola, and SSW. 
to Biella (Rte. K). Outlying masses 
of the same rock are seen in the well- 
i known sites of Mont Orfano and the 
Motterone near the Lago Maggiore. 

Travellers going from Varallo to 
Turin or Milan have a choice between 
various routes. Luggage may best be 
j sent by the omnibus which plies twice 
a day to the rly. station at Novara. 
The shortest way for pedestrians is to 
walk about 12 m. to Gozzano. now con- 
nected by rly. with Novara. A way 
deservedly frequented by pedestrians 
travelling E. or S from Varallo is by 
the lake of Orta (Rte. L). A more 
direct, and, for the first part of the way, 
j a very beautiful route, is to follow the 
! carriage-road along the Sesia due S. to 
! Borgo Sesia, about S m., then amidst 



ROUTE F. — THE WEISS THOU. 



337 



richly wooded slopes, picturesque with 
churches and ruined castles, 9£ m. 
farther to Romagnano. Here the river 
Sesia enters the plain of Piedmont, and 
flows to Vercelli. The high-road goes 
direct to Novara, about 22 m. farther, 
at the junction of the railways to Turin, 
Milan, Genoa (by Alessandria), and 
Arona on the Lago Maggiore. 

Between Borgo Sesia and Romagna- 
no the road lies between porphyritic 
rocks, in which masses of jurassic lime- 
stone and marine tertiary molasse are 
strangely intermixed. 



Route F. 

ZERMATT TO VOGOGNA, BY THE "WEISS 
THOR, AND THR VAL ANZASCA. 

It is certain that a passage across 
the head of the Gorner Glacier, and 
down the face of the rocks which form 
the W. enclosure of the Macugnaga 
Glacier, was long ago known to some 
of the people of Zermatt. Damatter, 
an old chamois-hunter, remembered by 
the early visitors to Zermatt, had fre- 
quently crossed it, but he assured the 
writer in 1845 that the pass had be- 
come impracticable owing to the accu- 
mulation of ice overhanging the rocks 
whereby the descent was formerly 
made. It is certain that the old pass lay 
somewhere between the Cima de Jazi 
and the base of the Nord End, and 
equally certain that notwithstanding 
the above statement of Damatter the 
pass from the Gorner Glacier to the 
head of the Filar Glacier was effected at 
or about the same point as the old pas- 
sage by Adolph Schlagintweit in 1851. 
From that time the old route seems to 
have been abandoned until 1861, when 
Mr. F. F. Tuckett made the ascent from 
the E. side, by the Jazi Glacier and the 
rocks above it, and some weeks later 
Professor Tyndall achieved another 
passage from the Macugnaga Glacier. 
They selected different routes, Mr. 



Tyndall having mounted by a couloir 
above the Filar Glacier, and there is 
reason to think that neither followed 
the exact line of the old pass, while 
both of them encountered such serious 
difficulties as to make their example 
unfit for general imitation. Except as 
a matter of curiosity to an adventurous 
mountaineer, the old Weiss Thor may 
now be considered as closed to travel- 
lers. The height of the ridge where 
passed by Schlagintweit is about 
1 1,800 ft., while Mr. Tuckett's pass is 
11,976 ft. in height. 

As early as 1845 there was a report 
that another pass by the N. side of the 
Cima de Jazi had been found by some 
chamois-hunter, and that now known 
as the New Weiss Thor was certainly 
effected in 1849 by Mr. Marshall Hall, 
with Bliiver of Grindelwald, and in 
If 50 by two other English travellers; 
although its discovery has been gene- 
rally attributed to Professor Ulrich in 
1852. It lies but a short way N. of the 
Cima de Jazi. so that by starting early 
from the Riffel, there is ample time to 
enjoy the view from that summit be- 
fore making the descent to Macugnaga. 
See Rte A, Excursion 2. 

The following description of the 
pass, from the pen of the present writer, 
is for the most part extracted from 
' Murray's Handbook.' 

After skirting the NW, base of the 
Cima de Jazi, or on descending from it, 
if the traveller should be tempted by 
clear weather to make the ascent, he 
will reach a slight depression in the 
ridge connecting it with the Strahlhorn. 
After ascending for a short distance on 
the N. side of this depression — 
11,851 ft. above the sea — a point is 
reached where in two or three steps 
the scene is changed as if by enchant- 
ment. Instead of toiling over a snow- 
field, with no object visible save 
boundless fields of neve and occasional 
black rocks, the traveller on gaining 
the E. edge of the ridge finds himself 
on a narrow ledge of rock apparently 
overhanging a precipice. On the N. 
or left-hand side this terminates in a 



838 PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE EOSA DISTRICT. 



projecting buttress only a few yard* 
distant ; in the opposite direction the 
precipitous wall on whose summit he 
is standing is seen to extend far to the 
southward, until it is united to the 
tremendous eastern face of Monte Rosa. 
The highest intervening summit is that 
of the Cima de Jazi, not more than 
700 ft. higher than where he stands. 
The precipice terminates only a few feet 
from the summit of the Cima ; and 
there, and in many other places, the 
thick layer of snow which coats the 
top of the ridge is seen to form an 
overhanging cornice that might he 
easily broken away by the weight of 
an unwary traveller. Looking down- 
ward, if the valley below be clear, the 
traveller sees the lower end of the 
Macugnaga Glacier, about 6,000 ft. 
below him, appearing so near that a 
stone flung from the hand might reach 
it. It far more commonly happens, 
even in fine weather, that a sea of 
cloud hangs like a pall between the 
valley below and the spectator. Lying, 
as they do, some thousands of feet 
below him, he supposes the clouds to 
fiil the valley, while the people of 
Macugnaga, seeing clouds three or four 
thousand feet above their heads, ima- 
gine that they cover the mountain tops. 
The point at which the edge of the 
precipice is most conveniently reached 
is often selected by the guides as a 
halting-place for luncheon. The ad- 
joining rocks afford a home to a few 
flowering plants : e. g., Androsace gla- 
cialis, Eritrichium nanum, Gentiana 
brachyphylla , and Saxifraga planifolia. 
This is one of the highest stations at 
which flowering plants have been 
found in the Alps. However unin- 
viting the appearance of the precipice 
may be, even to mountaineers, it is 
quite possible to descend directly from 
this point, and the guides sometimes 
choose that course. The topmost rocks 
are excessively steep, and there are one 
or two points that are scarcely safe, 
except to practised cragsmen. When 
these are past the way lies alternately 
over short snow-slopes and moderately 



steep rocks, presenting no difficulty to 
the mountaineer. 

Several other courses for descending 
the rocks are now known, but the more 
common way is to ascend a short dis- 
tance farther to the N., until a few pro- 
jecting rocks are reached. At this 
point the great wall connecting Monte 
Rosa and the Strahlhorn is joined by a 
transverse ridge running eastward, and 
forming the boundary between Switzer- 
land and Italy. This ridge is much 
lower than the wall against which it 
abuts, and at the point of junction it is 
united by a steep buttress of rock partly 
coated with snow and ice. It is by this 
buttress that the pass of the New Wiess 
Thor is usually effected. The N. side 
looks towards Saas, and overhangs the 
Schwarzberg Glacier, which descends 
near to the Distel Alp. The S side of 
the buttress faces the Macugnaga Gla- 
cier. It is by the N. side that the first 
part of the descent is made, along some 
steep, but not dangerous faces of rock. 
There is good Uolding-ground for 
hands and feet. After about a quarter 
of an hour the chief apparent difficulty 
of the pass is encountered in the shape 
of a very steep ridge of snow, sometimes 
frozen hard, along the edge of which 
the descent lies. With good guides, and 
a good rope, there is no danger. 

At the foot of this are some steep 
rocks where the track takes to the 
Macugnaga side of the ridge, and the 
remainder of the descent is alternately- 
over rocks, piles of debris, and snow- 
slopes which sometimes permit a glis- 
sade. Here the rope, which ought to 
have been in use since reaching the neve 
of the upper part of the Gorner Glacier, 
may be laid aside, and the remainder of 
the descent presents no difficulties. From 
9 to 10 hrs. (according to the state ot 
the snow) should be allowed for reach- 
ing Macugnaga from the Riffel Hotel, 
exclusive of halts. At least an hour 
more should be allowed in taking the 
pass from Macugnaga to the Eiffel, 
which involves a much longer and 
steeper ascent. Clouds often gather 
round the summit, and the services o£ 



ROUTE F. — MACUGNAGA. 



339 



a thoroughly experienced guide are 
essential. [From the foot of the arete 
it is easy to reach the Schwarzberg 
Glacier, and so descend into the -valley 
of Saas, a little above the inn at the 
Mattmark See, which is easily reached 
in 3^ hrs. from the summit of the pass. 
(See Rte. N).] 

On attaining the level of the valley 
just below the end of the Macugnaga 
Glacier, the torrent of the Anza, which 
issues from it, is crossed and recrossed, 
and in less than 1 hr. the traveller 
reaches 

Macugnaga, the highest village in the 
Val Anzasca, 5, 1 1 5 ft. (?) above the sea. 
The H. du Mont Moro, near the bridge, 
well kept by Oberto, whose brother is 
a good guide, is preferred by ladies; 
the other house, Zum Monte Rosa, kept 
by Franz Lochmatter, the most expe- 
rienced guide of the valley, is large and 
fairly comfortable. Mules are kept here, 
but in insufficient numbers. Ladies 
crossing the Monte Moro from Saas on 
foot, and intending to continue their 
journey on muleback, should order them 
in advance. By whatever route a travel- 
ler may reach Macugnaga he should not 
fail to devote a day to visit the Macug- 
naga Glacier. 

The best plan is to make a circuit, 
so as to vary the points of view. In 
approaching from Macugnaga the tra- 
veller has before him the precipices on 
either side of the Cima de Jazi, and, 
seen from here, the various points 
at which the passage to Zermatt has 
been effected will all appear nearly 
equally inaccessible. Mounting along 
the rt. bank of the Anza, he will first 
ascend a steep rocky eminence, called 
the Belvedere, which breaks the de- 
scending ice-stream, and divides its 
lower end into two branches. Mules 
may be taken in 2 hrs. from the village 
nearly to the top, and ladies usually 
content themselves with going so far. 
The traveller should now cross the W. 
arm of the glacier, and ascend from 
its 1. bank to the Chalets of Jazi, at the 
base of the Cima. He should then con- 
tinue along the slope to the Chalets of 



Filar, the highest on this side, at the 
foot of the Filar Glacier, which de- 
scends from the ridge between the Kord 
End and the Old Weiss Thor. Crossing 
a steep moraine, he should now return 
to the glacier, here much crevassed, 
and make his way towards its head, 
immediately under the 8,000 ft. of pre- 
cipice that is crowned by the Hochste 
Spitze and the Nord End. The usual 
limit of the excursion is near to a 
waterfall — fed by the snow -slopes that 
cling here and there to the face of the 
precipice — which disappears in a chasm 
in the ice. The monotonous roar of 
the cataract is broken from time to time 
by the thunder of avalanches. Language 
is incompetent to give any idea of the 
grandeur of the scene. 

Returning, and bearing towards the 
E. moraine, the glacier is left near the 
Chalets of Pedriolo, at the base of the 
Pizzo Bianco, which forms the E. side of 
the great amphitheatre. The enormous 
size of the blocks that cover the lower 
slopes near the chalets excites wonder. 
A very rough path leads along the 
mountain side, for the most part high 
above the glacier, and finally descends 
into the main valley near the foot of 
the Belvedere. The branch of the 
glacier that once descended SE. of that 
ridge has now retired. The whole ex- 
cursion need not take more than 8 hrs. 

The Ascent of Monte Rosa from the 
E. side, one of the boldest achievements 
of modern mountaineers, was effected 
in 1872 by Messrs. R. and W. M. Pen- 
dlebury, and the Rev. C. Taylor, with 
Gabriel Spektenhauser, of Fend, Fer- 
dinand Imseng and Giov. Oberto, of 
Macugnaga. After a bivouac at the 
Jager-Rucki, 5 hrs. above Macugnaga, 
they mounted for 8 hrs., in great part 
before sunrise, the formidable slopes 
which in the day-time are swept by 
falling ice and stones, and at 10.30 
stood at the base of the Hochste Spitze. 
In 5 hrs. more, after climbing over the 
Eastern tooth, which stopped Prof. 
Ulrich's guides in 1848, they reached 
the highest point and descended to the 
Eiffel. 



340 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. MONTE EOSA DISTRICT. 



The ascent of the Pizzo Bianco 
(about 11,000'), long ago made by 
Saussure, offers a view unsurpassed 
in the Alps. The way is hy the track 
leading to the Belvedere. V»~hen near 
to its base a cattle track turns sharply 
to L, and mounts by zigzags the rocky j 
slope. Bearing always to the L you 
pass an alp, and steer towards the 
ridge connecting the Pizzo Nero, a 
prominent point overlooking Macug- 
naga, with the much higher Pizzo 
Bianco. Before attaining the ridge, 
bear somewhat to rt. and keep straight 
up over rocks and snow-slopes. The 
summit lies some way back, and is 
reached, by following the crest along a 
snow-ridge, in 4 hrs. from Macugnaga. 
The height of the peak has been under- 
rated by the Piedmontese engineers. 

Moderate walkers, who object to risk 
and fatigue, should not fail to ascend 
the Monte Moro (Bte. N), even though 
they do not intend to cross the chain 
into Switzerland. The view is scarcely 
surpassed even in this neighbourhood, 
andin returningtoMaeugnagaitremams 
constantly before the traveller's eyes. 

In descending the Val Anzasca from 
Macugnaga the traveller has the disad- 
vantage of turning his back upon Monte 
Rosa, which at intervals comes into 
view; but the near scenery is through- 
out so beautiful that it fully engages his 
attention ; and, if he be wise enough 
not to hurry, he may halt at intervals 
to enjoy the wonderful views of the 
great mountain. The first of these is 
found at Borca, about § hr. below 
Macugnaga. The owners of the cswo- 
fortable inn once open here have moved 
down the valley to Vanzone. So far 
the population is German. For a few 
miles farther it appears to be mixed, and 
lower down it is exclusively Italian. 

Pestarena (Inn : Albergodelle Miniere. 
fair and reasonable), about h hr. below 
Borca, is a poor-looking village with a 
mining population. Gold, associated 
with iron pyrites, is found here in quan- 
tities which repay the working, and this 
is one of the few spots in Europe where 
it has been continuously extracted for 



centuries, apparently since the time of 
the Romans. A short way below the 
village the track passes to "the rt. bank 
of the Anza, and soon encounters a low 
rocky hill, called the Moryen, which 
appears to bar the valley, and has im- 
peded the construction of a road up to 
the mines. The Anza forces its way 
through an impracticable ravine, while 
the mule-path, and a miner's track, easier 
for pedestrians, after mounting a short 
way, descend more steeply on the E. 
side of the barrier, and at its base re- 
turn to the L bank of the stream, near 
the hamlet" of Campiolo. In the early 
summer the beautiful Saxifraga coty- 
ledon is plentiful on the rocks herea- 
bouts. A short distance farther, at 
Prequartero, a path descends from a 
glen to the L, which leads into the valley 
of Saas (Rte. N) by a pass shorter and 
easier than that of' Monte Moro. As it 
misses the grand scenery of that pass 
it is never taken by tourists. From 
hence a char-road is open to Ponte 
Grande. A view of the E. face of 
Monte Rosa combined with a new fore- 
ground, hut always surpassingly grand, 
opens out on reaching Ceppo Morelii, a 
small hamlet with a tolerable inn. The 
near scenery increases in richness, and 
the view of Monte Rosa in grandeur, as 
the traveller, in about 3% hrs. from 
Macugnaga. finds, at 2,284 ft. above the 
sea, the principal village of the vallev, 
Vanzone (Inns : H des Chasseurs, 
pretty well kept by Albasini, formerly 
of Borca ; Sole ; More). Two churches 
connected together are well worth a 
visit. It is hard to say that anything is 
wanting to complete the beauty of the 
Val Anzasca. Monte Rosa remains 
constantly in the background, unsur- 
passed in the boldness of its form and 
the vastness of its proportions. The 
middle distance presents mountain 
ridges of varied form, clothed with pine 
forest, or broken into rocky masses. 
The vegetation of northern Italy is in 
the foreground, rich with chestnuts, and 
vines, and fig-trees, and all the accesso- 
ries are characteristically Italian. In- 
stead of small, dark, wooden houses, 



ROUTE G. — COL DELLE PISCIE. 



341 



grouped round the pointed spire of a 
village church, -we have here massive 
buildings in solid masonry, brilliantly 
white, and nearly all covered, within 
and without, with rude frescoes ; and 
the square campanile marks from a dis- 
tance the village place of worship. Two 
m. from Vanzone is 

Ponte Grande (Inn : Albergo al Ponte 
Grande, a large house with good rooms, 
much improved of late years, and charges 
reasonable. Price of a char to Vogog- 
na — 8 fr. The village took its name from 
a high arch that spanned the Anza, 
carried away some years ago, but since 
replaced by a more substantial structure. 
The Val OUoccia (Rte. I) from the S. 
here joins the main valley, and the vil- 
lage of Banio, on the S. side of the 
Anza, stands on rising ground, amidst 
fine chesnut trees, close to the junc- 
tion. 

A" day or more may well be given to 
a halt here, or at Vanzone. 

The road to Vogogna, which is about 
9 m. distant, and may be reached in 1^- 
hr. in a carriage, is carried along the N. 
side of the valley, at first near the bank 
of the Anza, and gradually rising to a 
great height above the stream. A short 
way below Ponte Grande the torrent 
issuing from Val Bianca forms a 
pretty waterfall, and some way farther 
the road passes Calasea. said to have a 
tolerable inn. On the S. side of the 
valley is seen the opening of Val Ser- 
piano, leading to the Val Strona (Rte. 
M). About 5 m. from Ponte Grande 
is Castiylione (1,720'), with a country 
inn. Beyond the village the traveller, 
once again looking back, may see the 
view of Monte Rosa in great perfection, 
and soon begins to descend rapidly, 
passing through two short tunnels. The 
hamlet of Cima di Mulera is left on the 
way, and the road issues into the Val 
d'Ossola at Pie di Mulera. This vil- 
lage is little more than I m. from 
Vogogna, on the high-road of the Sim- 
plon, which is reached by a new 
bridge over the Tosa (§21, Rte. A). 
A road turning to the 1. at Pie di Mu- 
lera soon joins the great road, and leads 



| in about 7 m. — rather less than 15 m. 
from Ponte Grande — to Domo d'Ossnla. 

The passes from Ponte Grande to the 
Val Sesia and to Orta are described in 
Rtes. I, L, and M. 



Route G. 

TOUR OF MONTE ROSA, BY THE HIGH 
GLACIER PASSES. 

By choosing a wider or a narrower 
circle round Monte Rosa, a traveller 
may completely change the character 
of the scenery through which he will 
pass in making the tour of the moun- 
tain, and in the same degree vary the 
difficulty of the undertaking. Suppos- 
ing the Col delle Loccie to be constantly 
passable, the circuit from Zermatt may 
be made by the series of passes included 
in the present rte. in 5 days, and can 
scarcely be equalled by any other con- 
tinuous route in the Alps, not excepting 
the ' High Level Route' from Zermatt 
to Chamouni. 

On the first day Macugnaga would 
be reached by the Weiss Thor, de- 
scribed in the last Rte. ; the second day 
leads to Alagna, or the Pile Alp, by 
the Col delle Loccie ; the third, by the 
Col delle Piscie to the head of the Val 
de Lys ; the fourth, by the Betliner 
Pass, or the Betta Furke, to San 
Giacomo, or the new inn at Fiery, 
in the Val d'Ayas; and the fifth, 
back to Zermatt by the Cimes Blanches 
and the Col de St. Theodule. Fine 
weather is indispensable for the first 
two, and the last days' walk. The 
second and third days' journey may be 
much reduced by sleeping at the Pile 
Alp, nearly 2 hrs.' walk above Alagna, 
but some travellers will think the saving 
dearly purchased at the price of endur- 
ing chalet fare and sleeping quarters. 
A very active walker might doubtless 
combine the Col delle Piscie and the 
Betliner Pass in one day from the Pile 
Alp, but most travellers will prefer a 
day of comparative rest. 

The Colle delle Loccie, leading from 



342 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



Macugnaga to the head of the Val i 
Sesia. was crossed for the first time in 
1S62 by Messrs. W. E. Hall and J. A. 
Hudson, with Franz Lochmatter and 
his brother Alexander. Both are good 
guides, but disposed to set a high value 
on their services. The pass must be 
reckoned as first-rate. bo r h for the 
grandeur of the scenery, and for diffi- j 
culty. A short but very steep ice-slope I 
close to the top, on the Macugnaga 
side, would be a serious obstacle to any 
one attempting the pass from Alagna. 
but with practised ice-men, and an 
ample supply of stout rope, it should 
not be insurmountable. 

Having reached the Chalet of Ped- 
riolo (Rte. F) in rather more than 2 
hrs., Messrs. Hall and Hudson com- 
menced the ascent over the upper and 
gently-sloping portion of the Macu- 
gnaga Glacier. 

Locking about due S., an arm of the 
glacier, cut up by numerous wide cre- 
vasses, leads to the ice-slope below the 
col. To the rt. are massive precipices 
of dark rock, seamed by couloirs in 
great part clear of snow. After ascend- 
ing as far as possible by the glacier, in 
4^- hrs. from Macugnaga, the party 
commenced the ascent of these rocks, 
having first traversed a rather difficult 
bergschrund. Irrespective of two short 
halts, 2$ hrs. were consumed in climb- 
ing up this steep and difficult barrier. 
Above is a region of seracs, which was 
traversed in 1^ hr. more, and then 
another bergschrund defends the base 
of the final ice-slope. This is very 
steep, the inclination being estimated at 
50° ; but 74 steps sufficed to reach some 
projecting rocks, separated by a few 
yards only from the summit of the pass. 

borne slight doubt remains whether 
the peak immediately to the E., and 
seemingly easy of access from the col, 
is the same with the Monte delle Loccie 
laid down on most maps, and conspicu- 
ous from many points in the neighbour- 
ing ranges. It seems certainly to be 
the same with the Cima del Pisse of 
Siuder's map. also called Cima del 
Pizzo, and it is generally believed that 



the three names are synonyms for" 
one and the same summit. As the pass 
undoubtedly traverses the lowest point 
in the ridge connecting the Signal 
Kuppe with the Monte delle Loccie, 
the name Col delle Loccie, proposed by 
Mr. Hudson, seems unobjectionable. 
It was estimated, by comparison with 
the Weiss Thor, to be about 12,000 ft. 
in height. 

Notwithstanding a few troublesome 
crevasses, the descent of the branch of 
the Sesia Glacier, lying on the S. side 
of the col, was rapidly effected, and in 
little more than 1^- hr. of rapid pro- 
gress the travellers reached the highest 
pastures. A little lower down they 
found a chalet, which might be turned 
to account by anyone attempting the 
pass from this side. Rather more than 
2\ hrs. were employed in descending 
thence to Alagna. The chalets of the 
Pile Alp, at the junction of the stream 
from the Val d'Embours with that from 
the Sesia Glacier, might be reached in 
Hhr. less time, and nearly 2 hrs. would 
thus be saved in the next day's jour- 
ney. 

The Col delle Piscie is the passage 
over the ridge extending S. from the 
Vincent Pyramide. which separates the 
Val d'Embours from the Indren and 
Garstelet Glaciers. At the top of 
the pass, which is 10,374 ft. in height, 
is a stone hut known as Vmcenthiitte. 
originally built for the men engaged 
in working a supposed gold mine long 
since abandoned. It was occupied 
for fourteen days, in 1851, by the 
brothers Schlagintweit, while engaged 
in scientific observations, and is ad- 
mirably situated for an Alpine Ob- 
servatory. On the Embours side the 
ascent is said to be steep and rather 
difficult; but on the W. side the Col 
delle Piscie is unusually easy of access, 
a mule-path, intended for the use of the 
miners, having been carried up to a 
large shed, 9,672 ft. in height, | hr. 
below the col. Two small glaciers — 
Indren Glacier and Garstelet Glacier — 
lie on the S. side of the Vincent Pyra- 
mide, and send down their streams to 



ROUTE G. BETLTNER PASS. 



343 



join the Lys about 1| mile below the 
chalet of Cour de Lys, already noticed 
in Rte. D, where a mountaineer may 
find tolerable quarters. A traveller 
bound from the Col delle Piscie to 
Gressonay, or to the Betta Furke, 
should follow the Lavez Bach, which 
unites the streams from both glaciers, 
but to reach Cour de Lys or the 
Betliner Pass it is better to cross the 
Salzia Furke direct to the foot of the 
Lys Glacier. A mountaineer, having 
a few hours to spare at the head of 
the Val de Lys, may well ascend the 
Telchenhorn, lying immediately E. of 
the chalet, and commanding a very 
fine view of the neighbouring glaciers. 
The summit may be reached in 2 hrs. 
The most direct way from Alagna to 
the Col delle Piscie and the head of the 
Val d'Embours is by the Val d'Ollen, 
and by a path, mentioned in Rte. D, 
that crosses the ridge N. of that glen. 

The shortest way from the Cour de 
Lys to San Giacomo d'Ayas is by the 
Betta Furke (8,639'), reached by a glen 
opening to the W., about ^ hr. below 
the chalet. An ascent of about lj hr. 
suffices to reach a small oratory, with a 
fine view of the snowy chain to the N., 
and about as much more to gain the 
summit of the pass. Several clusters of 
chalets are passed in descending to San 
Giacomo, near which village tolerably 
good quarters are now found at the 
hamlet of Fiery (Rte. C). The inn 
may, by this route, be reached in 5 hrs. 
from Cour de Lys, or in 7 hrs. from 
Gressonay. 

The Betliner Pass, lying N. of the 
Betta Furke, is a somewhat longer but 
more interesting pass. After crossing 
the bridge nearest the foot of the Lys 
the traveller meets the mule-track, 
which is carried along the rt. bank of 
the stream, and leaving to the 1. a path 
to the Betta Furke, mounts in a direc- 
tion somewhat N. and W. After some 
winding, to avoid steep rocks, the Col 
is reached in about 3 hrs. The line of 
descent is first W., then NW,, passing 
to the N. of a crumbling tower of rock 
called Mont Rouge. The course is at 



last SW., through the Combe de Verra. 
The moraines show that the Verra 
Glacier has undergone many changes 
during the present century. 

Fiery stands near the junction of 
the torrent from the Verra Glacier with 
that from the more westerly Aventina 
Glacier. The way to Zermatt lies 
across the snowy range extending SSW. 
from the Petit Mont Cervin, and known 
as the Cimes Blanches, and then by the 
St. Theodule. An experienced guide 
is indispensable. 

A very active walker gives the fol- 
lowing distances from San Giacomo to 
Zermatt: — "San Giacomo to Cimes 
Blanches, 3^- hrs., the first half-hour 
being the steepest and hardest : Cimes 
Blanches to St. Theodule Pass, 1^ hr. : 
St. Theodule to Zermatt, 2| hrs.' The 
time required varies, of course, with 
the state of the snow; but an ordinary 
walker, under ordinary circumstances, 
may safely add one-fourth to the above 
-reckoning. Rather more than half- 
way to the summit the traveller passes 
the chalets of Aventina, and in about 
| hr. more reaches the neve. In cross- 
ing here without a rope, the Syndic of 
Gressonay was lost in a concealed cre- 
vasse in 1852. Having managed to 
scramble up close to the edge of the 
crevasse, the ice gave way a second 
time, and the unfortunate man fell so 
deep that, though men were let down 
with long ropes, his body was never 
seen again. 

' The approach to the Col de St. 
Theodule from the Cimes Blanches is 
much harder than from Breuil, or from 
the Zermatt side; the last pull being up 
a very steep snow-slope for 25 min. 
At the same time, the views are in- 
comparably grander, and to anyone 
coming from the SE. to Zermatt this 
combination of the two passes saves 
a day without involving a very hard 
day's work.' — [J. II. K.] 

If bound for Val Tournanche, the tra- 
veller starting from Fiery might pro- 
bably take on the way the summit of the 
Grand Toumalin, which commands a 
very fine view. 



844 PENNINE ALPS. § 20. MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



Route H. 

V AXiT^URNANCHB TO MACUGNAGA, BY 
THE MIDDLE PASSES. 

A traveller •wishing to make the tour 
of the Italian valleys of Monte Rosa 
may choose an intermediate course be- 
tween the somewhat arduous passes 
mentioned in the last Rte., and the 
easier and more frequented paths de- 
scribed in Rte. I, and in four days of 
very moderate walking may include 
much of the most beautiful scenery of 
this district. Starting from the W. 
end of the circuit, the first pass may be 
taken either from Chatillon or Breuil, 
according as the traveller may happen 
to approach from Aosta or Zermatt; 
but it is most easily made from the vil- 
lage of Yaltournanche (Rte. B), and it 
would be possible, though not advisable, 
for an active walker to cross the Col 
de Portola and the Pinter Joch in a 
single day, so as to reach Gressonay at 
night. 

To reach the Col de Portola from 
Yaltournanche the traveller descends 
the valley for a short distance along the 
1, bank of the stream, and soon takes a 
path to the 1., which Defore long begins 
to ascend through a wood. This splits 
up into numerous tracks, and a guide 
here is almost indispensable. The 
true path keeps a general direction 
nearly parallel to the main valley, 
mounting a little E. of S., along steep 
ledges of rock, until it gains a point 
about 2,000 ft. above the stream, whence 
the greater part of the beautiful Yal 
Tournanche is seen backed by the peak 
of the Matterhnrn,andthe range extend- 
ing S. from the Chateau des Dames. 
Quitting the verge of the mountain side, 
the path now bears SE., across Alpine 
pastures, and before long reaches the vil- 
lage of Chamois ( 6,004'). A rather long 
but gentle ascent leads thence to the 
summit of the pass, 7,995 ft. in height, 
lying across a ridge of limestone rock 
that steeply overhangs the valley and 
village of Ayas. Though rapid, the 



I descent is quite free from difficulty. If 
solicitous for comfort, the traveller will 
j descend the valley for 1^ hr. to Brus- 
i sone (Rte. C), but it is said that tolera- 
j ble accommodation for the night may 
now be had at Ay as, or a little higher 
up the valley, at Champolien. 

At the last-named hamlet commences 
the ascent to the Pinter Joch, or Col 
de Cunea, crossing the range between 
the valleys of Ayas and Lys, imme- 
diately to the S of the Grauhaupt. The 
pass may be effected in 6 hrs., or even 
less ; but a traveller, favoured by toler- 
able weather, should not omit the ascent 
of the adjoining peak, which commands 
the finest view of the S. side of Monte 
Rosa. The greater part of the ascent 
from Champolien to the Col is easy- 
enough, commanding at intervals fine 
views of the Matterhorn, but after about 
3 hrs. the way becomes steep, and dif- 
ficult to find. It lies along the 1. bank 
of a waterfall, and in f hr. farther leads 
to the crest of the Col. The summit is 
probably about 8,200 ft. in height. It 
has a wide view to the W., which in- 
cludes Mont Blanc and the higher 
peaks of the Cottian Alps, but is shut 
out from Monte Rosa by the adjoining 
peak of the Grauhaupt, ovGraues Haupt, 
which may be attained in hr. The 
ascent is rough, lying in great part 
over and amidst large loose blocks ; 
but except close to the top, where the 
rocks become steep, it presents no diffi- 
culty. The height is 10,702 ft., over- 
topping all the nearer summits, and the 
panorama is one of the finest on the S. 
side of the Alps. Campanula cenisia, 
Eritrichium nanum, Linaria Alpina, Ca- 
rex curvula, and a few other flowering 
plants, have been found close to the 
summit. 

The descent from the Pinter Joch 
towards the Yal de Lys is easy and 
practicable for mules. In less than an 
hour, following at first the bank of an 
Alpine rivulet, the track reaches the 
highest chalet, and in ^ hr. more 
arrives at a larger establishment in the 
midst of fine pastures. The last part 
! of the descent is steeper ; the path is 



ROUTE H. COL D'OLLEN. 



carried down the 1. side of a waterfall, 
joining, in about 2 hrs. from the Col, 
the road from Noverseh to Gressonay 
St. Jean, about ^ hr. above the latter 
village. In taking the pass from Gresso- 
nay, at least 3| hrs. should be allowed 
for the ascent to the Col, and about 2| 
hrs. for the descent to the Val d'Ayas. 

Visitors to Gressonay should on no 
account omit the ascent of the Grau- 
haupt if favoured by moderately propi- 
tious weather. Mountaineers who do 
not fear a stiff scramble will find it 
more interesting to make the ascent by 
the E. end of the mountain over- 
hanging the Val de Lys, and to reach 
the summit partly along the shattered 
ridge, partly along the ledges of its S. 
face: they can return by the Col de 
Pinta. The bouquetin still haunted 
this range in 1840. The range sepa- 
rating the valleys of Ayas and Lys 
is passable at many points, but the 
path of the Pinter Joch is the most inte- 
resting, while the Col de Ranzola 
(Rte. I) is the easiest pass. 

The traveller, following the line of 
the so-called Middle Passes, will do 
best to select the Col d'Ollen for his 
route from Gressonay to Alagna. 

This very beautiful pass is practi- 
cable for mules, though it is expedient 
to dismount for part of the descent on 
the E. side. Mules take 8 hrs. ex- 
clusive of halts, but an active walker 
may gain an hour on four-footed beasts. 

On leaving Gressonay the way lies 
up the valley for 1^ hr. Beyond La 
Trinite a track bears to the rt., and 
mounts in 1^- hr. more through beautiful 
scenery to the Gabiet See, a small tarn 
where milk is found at several chalets. 
A steeper ascent, bearing first N., and 
then NE., lends in less than 2 hrs. more 
to the crest of the pass, 9,544 ft. in 
height. The view here is already very 
fine, but in clear weather the traveller 
should not fail to reach the summit of 
the Gemstein, but half an hour's climb 
from the pass, and commanding a view 
of the nearer peaks of the great range, 
preferable even to that from the Grau- 
haupt. The range separating the head 



of the Val de Lys from that of the Vai 
Sesia. though lofty, is easily traversed 
in various directions, and it is not 
diflicult to reach the Val d'Embours 
and the Pile Alp on one side, or the 
track descending to the Cour de Lys 
on the W. side of the Col delle Piscie 
(Rte. G) on the other. It is in the 
same degree easy to lose the way in 
cloudy weather ; and, except in the 
finest weather, the mountaineer should 
not attempt this pass without a guide. 

The descent from the Col d'Ollen to 
Alagna is for some time rather steep. 
About If hr. from the top, at the chalet 
of Laglietto, the pedestrian crosses to 
the S. side of the torrent, and by a steep 
path reaches Alagna in 3 hrs. from 
the summit. In the opposite direction 
4 hrs. are allowed to attain the pass, 2£ 
hrs. for the descent to the Val de Lys, 
and H hr. more to reach Gressonay. 

Several other passes, known to the 
native hunters, connect Alagna with 
Gressonay. The most direct of these 
are approached from Alagna by the Val 
d'Oltro, which opens just below the 
village. After ascending rapidly for 2 
hrs. the glen forks near some chalets. 
The rt. hand branch leads to the Passo 
del Suber. The way is trackless, and 
lies over a considerable extent of rough 
rock alternating with beds of snow, and 
a rather steep descent leads to the 
Gabiet See, where the beaten track of 
the Col d'Ollen is found. The other 
branch of the Val d'Oltro leads to the 
Passo dell' Uomo S tor to, which is rather 
higher, but shorter. The descent on 
the Gressonay side is extremely steep. 
A more circuitous way is by the Passo 
di Bissuolo, lying N. of the Col di Val 
Dobbia. It is approached by the track 
leading through Val Macagno (next 
Rte.) to that pass. 

The traveller who would reach Ma- 
cugnaga in one day from Alagna, must 
choose between the difficult Col delle 
Loccie (Rte. G) and the Turlo Pass. 
This is somewhat tedious, but in any 
other district would be reckoned as a 
fine pass. Those not pressed for time, 
however, do well to leave the direct 



346 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



course and choose one or other of the 
beautiful lateral valleys described in 
Rte. I, reaching Macugnaga from Rima, 
or Ponte Grande by the Barranca Pass. 

The Turlo Pass is longer but not 
quite so high as the Col d'Ollen, and 
demands rather less time, though im- 
passable for mules. The path ascend- 
ing along the Sesia is followed from 
Alagna, till in nearly 1 hr. it crosses to 
the 1. bank, leaving on the opposite side 
the track along the base of the Staffel- 
berg leading to the Pile Alp, and soon 
begins to mount the slope to the rt., 
with grand views of the Signal Kuppe 
and the Parrot Spitze rising above the 
Sesia Glacier. The ascent is rough 
and stony, especially when, after pass- 
ing some poor huts, and keeping to the 
rt. of a small pool or tarn, it climbs the 
final slope, and in about 4 hrs. from 
Alagna gains the Col, marked by a 
cross. The top, 9,088 ft. in height, is 
a very sharp ridge of crystalline slate, 
shut out from the view of Monte Rosa 
by the Monte delle Loccie, which is 
itself a fine object. From a rocky 
point in the ridge to the rt., the Todi, 
Adula, and the Tessin Alps are visible. 
The descent on the NE. side is for 
some distance rather steep. After 
crossing some snow-slopes the faintly 
marked track winds to the 1., and after 
reaching a chalet, the highest on this 
side of the pass, is carried down some 
steep ledges of rock. Valeriana celtica 
is rather abundant. A long descent 
finally lands the traveller at the head of 
the Vol Quarazza, and looking back 
he finds himself surrounded by a semi- 
circular range, in which tiers of rock 
alternate with green slopes, and several 
fine waterfalls complete the picture. 
The track descends gently through the 
lower part of the glen, amid pleasing 
scenery, to Borca (Rte. F), reached in 
2g hrs. from the pass, and about ^ hr. 
higher up the main valley is Macug- 
naga. There is a track bearing to the 
L across the point projecting between 
the Val Quarazza and the Anza, avoid- 
ing Borca, and thus shortening the way 
to Macugnaga. 



Route I. 

AOSTA TO PONTE GRANDE, BY THE 
LOWER PASSES. 

The tour described in this Rte. is in 
great part a frequented line, now 
traversed every year by numerous 
tourists. As it is that most generally 
followed by unambitious travellers who 
wish to connect a visit to Courmayeur 
with the easily accessible parts of the 
Monte Rosa district, it has been thought 
convenient to include in this Rte. the 
entire line from Aosta to Ponte Grande. 
Assuming that the traveller adheres 
to the easier mule-track first described, 
not less than four days must be allowed 
between those places ; but by using one 
or other of the passes connecting the 
upper Val Sesia with the Val Sermenta, 
the distance might be brought within 
the compass of three days' journey. 
It is scarcely necessary to say that 
a judicious traveller will, when possible, 
give at least double that time to a 
route which traverses some of the 
most beautiful scenery of our continent. 
Tolerable accommodation is now found 
at many places on the way. The 
following distances are approximately 
correct ; — 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

Chatillon 



Brussone 

Gressonay 

Riva 

Mollia . 
Balmuccia 
Rimaseo . 
Carcoforo j 
Col d'Egua 
Ponte Grande 



15 
10 
11 
15 

n 
I' 

5 
10 

92f 



The high-road from Aosta to Cha- 
tillon is hot and dusty, and few tra- 
vellers pass it on foot. Those who 
hire a vehicle may best arrange to take 
it to St. Vincent, 2 m. beyond Chatillon, 
where the path to Brussone turns off 
from the high-road; and by starting in 
good time they may easily reach 
Gressonay before sunset. About 2 m. 
from Aosta the Chateau de Quart 
stands in a commanding position on the 



ROUTE I. — MONT NERY. 



347 



N. side of the valley, and the pedestrian 
may turn aside to enjoy the fine view, 
and return to the high-road near to 
Villefranche, without much loss of time. 
About 7 in. from Aosta is the opening 
of the Val de St. Barthelemi (§ 18, 
Rte. H), and a little beyond is the 
village of Nus. Nearly opposite is St. [ 
Marcel, at the opening of the Val de I 
St Marcel, a glen leading up to the j 
PuTita di Tersina, one of the principal | 
peaks of the Cogne Alps. A little 
farther E. is the castle of Fenis, and 
beyond it to the S. opens another 
valley bearing the same name. The 
next village on the higli-road is Cham- 
bave, which gives its name to a wine of 
some repute in Piedmont, and 3 m. 
farther is Chatillon (Rte. B). At the 
baths of St Vincent, 2 m. farther on, 
the mule-path to Brussone turns off to 
the I. from the high-road, which here 
bends to SSE. For a while the magni- 
ficent chestnut-trees screen Jie traveller 
from the hot sun, which bea r s upon 
him with full force as he emerges 
on the slope of the mountain. As he 
winds upwards the view along the Val 
d' Aosta becomes continually more com- 
manding, and at the little chapel of St. 
Grat he may well halt to enjoy the 
prospect, which lays before him the 
finest part of that beautiful valley for 
a length of more than 25 m., backed 
by the mass of Mont Blanc. Towards 
the summit of the Col de Jon the way 
lies over broad sweeps of rich pasture 
on the S. slope of the Mont Zerbion. 
The summit of this mountain, 9,003 
ft. in height, is said to command a 
noble view. It may be reached in 5 
hrs. from Chatillon, or in rather less 
time from St. Vincent, or from Brus- 
sone. 

In ascending from St. Vincent 2^ hrs. 
must he allowed to reach the summit of 
the Col de Jon, and f hr. suffice for 
the gentle descent to Brussone (Rte. C), 
where there is now a good (?) mountain 
inn, and where a day or two may well 
be spent in exploring the Val d'Ayas 
and the ranges that enclose it. In 
ascending by the mule-track to the 

PART I. A 



Col de Ranzola, leading to Gressonay, 
the traveller looks due S. over the 
lower part of the valley of the Evan- 
son, called Val Challant, terminating at 
Verrex, in the Val d* Aosta (Rte. B). 
Approaching the summit (7,136') an 
unexpected view of Mont Blanc is 
gained by looking back towards the W., 
but Monte Rosa, much closer at hand, 
is shut out by nearer masses. After 
descending some way on the E. side, a 
portion of that great mountain comes 
into view, and in the middle distance 
the village of Gressonay, set in a frame- 
work of green meadows, and pine 
forest, and rugged rocks, forms an ex- 
quisite picture. A still finer and more 
extensive view is obtained from a sum- 
mit called Pointe de Combetta, on the 
rt. of the path, and accessible in £ hr. 
from the Col de Ranzola. Those "who 
make the detour may find their" way 
direct to Gressonay without returning 
to the mule-path. The descent from 
the col is in part rather steep, lying for 
some time through a pine-forest, and 
in 4 hrs. from Brussone the traveller 
reaches Gressonay (Rte. D). 

A somewhat circuitous way from 
Brussone to Gressonay will enable the 
traveller to make the ascent of the 
Mont Nery, or Bee de Frudiere. It 
commands a panoramic view of the first 
order, considered by Mr. W. A. Ward, 
to whom the Editor owes much in- 
formation as to the Val de Lys, deci- 
dedly superior to that from the Grau- 
haupt, which it equals or surpasses 
in height. It lies on the S. side of the 
Col de Frudiere (a pass lead ng from 
Brussone into the Val de Lys at a point 
about 1 hr. below Gressonay St. Jean), 
and N. of tho Col de Chasten, which 
leads from the Val Challant to Issime. 
The peak may be reached from either 
of these passes, but most easily from 
the Col de Chasten. In descending to 
Gressonay it would probably be feasible 
to take the Pointe de Combetta in the 
way. 

In going from Gressonay to the Val 
Sesia, travellers who are deterred by 
I bad weather or the fear of fatigue from 

A 



348 PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 

attempting the Col d'Ollen (Rte. H), 
choose the easier but less interesting 
way by the Col di Val Dobbia. The 
ascent to the Col commences a little 
below the village of Gressonay St. Jean, 
and is so well marked by a frequented 
mule-path that a guide is quite unne- 
cessary. There is a more agreeable 
foot-path ascending behind Delapierre's 
inn along the edge of an ancientmoraine, 
then mounting along the torrent until 
the mule-track is joined at a point where 
it crosses the torrent about 1 hr. from 
the village. Except to the botanist, 
who will find a good many rare plants, 
the pass offers less of interest than most 
of those in this neighbourhood ; yet the 
views of the Val de Lys from the W. 
side, and of the Graian Alps from the 
top of the Col, are very fine. There is 
a small stone house or hospice at the 
summit, 8,360 ft. above the sea, where 
bread, eggs, and wine are to be had. 
On the E. side of the Col the path tra- 
verses Alpine pastures, and the remains 
of a pine forest, before reaching a mise- 
rable hamlet called Peccia. The re- 
mainder of the descent lies along the 
Yogna torrent, which in one place forms 
a fine waterfall. The glen (called Val 
Macagno) narrows to a ravine before 
finally opening into the Val Sesia, close 
to the village of Riva (Rte. E). Going 
from W. to E., 3 hrs. suffice for the 
ascent, and 2| hrs. for the descent to 
Riva. In the opposite direction 3| hrs. 
may be allowed to reach the Col. and 
2 hrs. thence to Gressonay. Those who 
follow Rte. E down the Val Sesia may 
avoid Riva, joining the mule-track just 
below that poor village. 

[Those who would vary the way from 
Gressonay to the Val Sesia may choose 
between several passes which are all 
reached from the hamlet of Loomatten, 
nearly I hr. below Gressonay St. Jean. 
A well-traced mule -path leads thence 
eastward to the Loo Alp, and follows 
the upland valley to the chalets of the 
Ober Loo Alp. At the head of the glen 
are two passes, both called Colle di Loo. 
The principal pass is that farthest S. 
It is marked by a stone man, and to the 



MONTE EOSA DISTRICT. 

rt. is a rocky height which may be 
reached in 20 min., and which com- 
mands an admirable view, deserving to 
be ranked among the excursions from 
Gressonay. On the E. side of the Col 
the track descends through the rather 
uninteresting Val di Rassa, traversed 
by the Sorba Torrent (Rte. K), which 
joins the Sesia above Piode, about 3£ 
m below Mollia. The northern Colle 
di Loo leads to a plateau where the 
tracks from three passes converge. 

Bearing to the rt., or nearly due 
E , a low pass called Colle della Gran- 
da leads to the head of a valley whose 
torrent, called Sassotenda, is nearly 
parallel to the Sorba, and joins that 
stream at Rassa (Rte. K). This is a 
rather shorter way to Val Sesia than 
that by the main branch of the Sorba. 

About due N. of the plateau is the 
Colle della Meja, leading to the head of 
the Val Artonia, traversed by a stream 
which joins the Sesia £ m. below 
Mollia. | 

By bearing to the 1. or NW., and 
following the torrent which drains the 
plateau, the traveller may follow the 
main branch of the Macagno valley, 
and in little more than 1 hr. may join 
the mule-path which descends into that 
glen from the Col di Val Dobbia.] 

The very beautiful track down the 
Val Sesia offers the easiest, though 
a circuitous, way for reaching the 
upper end of the Val Sermenta, and 
the passes leading to the Val Anzasca. 
A moderate walker may easily push on 
from Gressonay to Mollia, avoiding the 
wretched inn at Riva, or even to Scopa, 
2jf hrs. farther. About 2 miles below 
Scopa, at the hamlet of Balmuccia, is 
the junction of the Val Sermenta with 
the Val Sesia. This is sometimes called 
Val Piccola, in contradistinction to 
the main Yalley, called Val Grande. 
The scenery of the lower part is ex- 
tremely beautiful. It is a narrow and 
tortuous glen, where trees, rocks, and j 
Alpine torrents present in ceaseless 
variety the most exquisite pictures. A 
char-road has been for some time in 
progress. It is a walk of 2£ hrs. from 



i 



ROUTE I. BOCCHETTA d'aLAGNA PASS. 



349 



Balmuccia — passing on the way the 
village of Buccioletto — to 

Rimasco, with a poor inn, kept by 
Antonietti, where the traveller finds 
civility, dirt, and scanty provisions. 
Here the valley divides. The W. 
branch, noticed below, leads to Rima, 
while the way to Ponte Grande lies 
through the E. branch. The scenery 
of the latter is beautiful as far as Car- 
coforo (Inn better than at Rimasco, and 
will be further improved), the highest 
village, 2 hrs. from Rimasco. Above 
it the slopes are bare, and the scenery 
rather tame. Mules take nearly 2^ hrs. 
from Carcoforo to reach the summit of 
the Col (TEyua (7,388'), the track being 
rather steep, but the trouble is repaid 
by a magnificent view of Monte Rosa, 
and the minor ranges that diverge from 
it. The view is still more extensive 
from a point about 10 min. N. of the 
Col. An easy descent leads NE. in 1 
hr. from the Col to the Barranca Alp. 
This is reached close to the summit of 
the Barranca Pass (Rte. L), marked by 
a small oratory. The track here joins 
'hat leading from Fobello, in the Val 
tlastalone, to Ponte Grande. The 
3arranca Pass lies over an undulating 
dateau of Alpine pasture, and is but 
5,749 ft. in height. On approaching 
the N. slope there is a beautiful view 
over the Val Olloccia, a tributary of 
the Val Anzasca, through which this 
route lies. At various points in the de- 
scent Monte Rosa conies into view. 
The way is steep and troublesome for 
mules, and in places so ill-marked that 
it is easy to go astray. The level of the 
Val Olloccia is reached in 1 hr. from 
the Barranca Pass. Much of the mag- 
nificent timber that clothed its slopes 
has of late years fallen before the 
axe. The track is carried along the 1. 
bank of the torrent to Banio, one of 
the chief villages in the Val Anzasca, 
most beautifully situated, but without 
an inn. A walk of 15 min. leads to the 
bridge over the Anza, at Ponte Grande 
(Rte. F), 5h hrs. from Carcoforo. 

A glance at the map will show that 
the route above described, involving the 



descent of the Val Sesia from Riva to 
Balmuccia, and the re-ascent of the Val 
Sermenta to Rimasco. requires a long 
detour. A much more direct way to 
Ponte Graude may be taken by crossing 
the range dividing Alagna from the W. 
branch of Val Sermenta. Two passes 
lead that way. The Bocchetta d' Alagna, 
also known as La Moanda, is the lower, 
but less direct. From 2^ to 3 hrs. arc 
required for the long and" rather steeji 
ascent to the Col, which lies S. of the 
Tagliaferro, between that and the Cima 
Camera. The fine view from the 
summit may be much extended by as- 
cending the peak of the Tagliaferro 
(9,731'), reached in 2 hrs. Descending 
nearly due E. from the Col, and passing 
a fine waterfall, the traveller in 5 hrs. 
from Alagna reaches Rtma S. Giuseppe, 
about 1 hr. above Rimasco. 

The other pass, rather shorter and 
more frequented, is the Col de Moud. 
This lies between the summits of the 
Moudhorn. to N., and the Tagliaferro to 
SE. It is practicable for mules, but a 
pedestrian may pass over the very rough 
track in much less time. 

'Following the Val Sesia for a short 
distance above Alagna, the torrent is 
crossed to its 1. bank by either the first 
or second bridge. The path then takes 
to the hill, and zigzags up the 1. hand 
of two ravines, which are seen in front. 
Fine views of the summits of Monte 
Rosa from the Signal Kuppe to the 
Vincent Pyramide are disclosed on the 
1., and in about 1^ hr. after quitting 
Alagna, the Chalets de Moud are 
reached. Excellent milk may be ob- 
tained here. The remainder of the 
route to the summit of the Col is com- 
paratively uninteresting, and may be 
easily accomplished in 1 hr,' — [F. F. T.] 
Mules take 3 hrs. to reach the sum- 
mit, which is 7,467 ft. in height. 

'The track leads down a snow-slope, 
beneath the rocks of the Tagliaferro, 
and on reaching the bottom the Val 
Sermenta is seen at a considerable depth 
below. Slopes of grass, interspersed 
with a rich growth of rhododendrons, 
are succeeded by a pine forest, through 
A 2 



350 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE EOSA DISTRICT. 



■which the pretty path winds steeply 
down to Rima.' — [F. F. T.] 

An active pedestrian need not employ 
more than 1 hr., if so much, in the de- 
scent, but mules require 2 hrs. Rima 
(Inn : Depaulis) is a very poor village, 
with a German population, while the 
rest of the Val Sermenta is peopled by 
Italians. It is the last in the VV. branch 
of that valley, and to reach Carcoforo, 
at the head of the E. branch, it is 
necessary to descend to their junction 
at Rimasco. This is a walk of nearly 
2 hrs., the Italian village of Rima Sati 
Giuseppe being nearly half-way. 

A traveller wishing to visit the Pile 
Alp (Kte. E) may enjoy the grand 
scenery at the head of the Val Sesia, 
and reach Rimasco on the same day, 
without rede.^cending near to Alagna. 
From the lower part of the ascent to the 
Turlo Pass a little-used track bears to 
the it., and mounts to the Col di Rima, 
lying on the N. side of the Moudhorn. 
This leads into the head of the Val 
Sermenta, a little above the village of 
Rima. 

Those who wish to reach Macugnaga 
directly from the Val Sesia may avail 
themselves of passes leading to that 
village from either branch of the Val 
Sermenta. The shortest and most in- 
teresting of these is by the Bucchetta 
di Carcoforo. The track diverges from 
the way to the Col d'Egua at the vil- 
lage of Carcoforo, 4j hrs. from Bal- 
muccia. ' The ascent from Carcoforo 
is very steep; in ascending it takes more 
than 3 hrs. to reach the summit. This 
commands a magnificent view of Monte 
Rosa and the Saas Grat. In descending 
there is a faintly-marked track along 
a steep slope until an abandoned mine 
(gold?) is reached. Bel >w this the path 
descends into the short Val Quarazzola, 
a branch of, or rather a recess in, the 
Val Quarazza, down which descends 
the path from the Turlo.' — [M. j 

By this pass a traveller, starting early 
from Varallo in a char for Balmuccia, 
may reach Macugnaga on the same 
day. Time from Balmuccia, fully 10 
hrs.' steady walking, exclusive of halts. 



| It is also possible to pass from Rima 
to the head of the Val Quarazza by a 
track wh'ich joins that of the Turlo 
(Rte. H). Further information as to 
mo«t of the passes here noticed is much 
desired. 



R.UTE K 
IYREA TO ORTA, BY BIELLA. 

Tourists, attracted by the grand 
scenery of the valleys radiating from 
the Italian side of Monte Rosa, have 
generally neglected the lower ranges 
that separate the plain of Piedmont 
from the ridges immediately con- 
nected with that great mountain. There 
is, however, ample room for interesting 
excursions among the exterior valleys 
of this region, which may well be visited 
at a season when the higher mountains 
are not easily accessible, or during in- 
tervals of bad weather, which is often 
confined to the immediate neighbour- 
hood of the snowy Alps. A few days 
may be much better spent by a moun- 
taineer amidst the beautiful scenery of 
the outer valleys of Piedmont, than in 
fretting in an Alpine inn, or plodding 
over a pass whose attractions are hid- 
den by clouds, rain, or fresh snow. The 
present route is suggested with the hope 
of hereafter obtaining further informa- 
tion respecting the district which it tra- 
verses. 

Ivrea (Rte. B) is not more than 10 
or 11 m. in a direct line from Biella, 
but most of the routes commonly tra- 
velled are very circuitous. Both towns 
are connected by branch railways with 
the main line from Turin to Novara, 
but the trains are so arranged that from 
3^ to 5 hrs. are consumed in going 
from one place to the other. There is 
a country road by Mongrande, hilly, 
but tolerably direct, which is the best 
way for those who want to save time. 
If the weather be not too hot, the most 
agreeable way is to walk along the 
lower slopes of the hills, diverging a 



ROUTE K. LAKE OF ORTA. 



little to visit the sanctuary of Graglia. 
This stands on an eminence overlook- 
ing the plain of Piedmont, and is said 
to afford excellent head -quarters for 
visiting the neighbouring district. A 
large number of rooms are available 
for the use of strangers, except for a 
few days in the year when pilgrims 
resort here, and all available space is 
occupied. Tolerably good food is sup- 
plied at a restaurant adjoining the sanc- 
tuary. About 6 m. from hence is 

Biella (Inns : Testa Grigia, good 
and reasonable ; Corona Grossa), a 
thriving little town at the opening of 
the Val Andorno, whence the Cervo 
flows to join the Sesia, near Novara. 
The church of San Sebastiano deserves 
a visit. The neighbourhood abounds 
in hydropathic establishments, which 
receive a large number of visitors in 
6ummer. One of these is at Cosilla, 
about 1^ m. N. of Biella; another is 
close to the large and thriving village 
of Andorno; and a third is at Guelpa, 
near the sanctuary of Oropa. Tra- 
vellers approaching Biella from Gres- 
sonay, or from the Val d'Aosta, may 
best avail themselves of one or other 
of the passss leading eastward from 
the lower part of the Val de Lys (Rte. 
D). The southernmost of these is the 
Col de Corisey, between Lillianes and 
Graglia. A little farther N. is the Col de 
la Balma, leading from Fontainemoire to 
the famous sanctuary of Oropa, about 
9 m. NNW. of Biella. Though at a 
considerable height, this is reached by 
a good road. Strangers find accom- 
modation in a handsome building of 
vast extent, said to be capable of lodg- 
ing 4,000 pilgrims ; and good food is 
supplied at an adjoining restaurant. 
The church, containing some pictures 
by Gaudenzio Ferrari and Luini, is 
curious. A mule-path leads from Oropa 
to the village of Andorno in 2 hrs., 
and another, more interesting, crosses 
a ridge and descends to the sanctuary 
of San Giovanni d? Andorno, very finely 
situated in the middle portion of the 
Val Andorno. The highest village in 
the valley is Pie di Cavallo, connected 



with Issime, in the Val de Lys, by the 
Col de Torion. The best way from 
Biella to Val Sesia is by the Bocchetta 
del Creus (about 6,600'). A good road 
ascends through Val Andorno, passing 
Campiglia (very fair inn). About 2 m. 
farther a mule-path turns to the rt., 
passing Monte Asinaro, and ascends 
through rather a dreary glen that leads 
to the pass. This leads to the quarries 
of Masucco, in the Val di Bassa. A 
French company is making a road over 
the pass to convey the excellent white 
marble worked here to the rly. station 
at Biella. An easy walk of 2 hrs. leads 
to Bassa (Osteria del Croso, tolerable); 
and 1 hr. more to Piode— 6 hrs. from 
Monte Asinaro. The traveller bound 
for the upper Val Sesia should avoid 
Piode, bear to the 1., and cross the 
Sesia some way below Campertogno, 
which is reached in 1^ hr. from Rassa. 

The shortest way from Biella to Orta 
is by the railway to Novara, and by the 
new line thence to Gozzano, less than 5 
m. from Orta. A more agreeable way 
is by Mosso Sta. Maria, reached from 
Biella by Andorno, and thence by 
Crevacuore, near the junction of the 
Sessera with the Sesia. At Borgo 
Sesia (Rte. E) the pedestrian may find 
tolerable accommodation, and it is an 
easy walk thence to the lake of Orta by 
a low pass, amidst wooded hills, to 
Gozzano, the present terminus of a 
branch rly. intended to connect Novara 
with Orta and the Val d'Ossola. 

The Lake of Orta is, perhaps, the 
most attractive of the smaller lakes on 
the S. side of the Alps. It lies in a 
depression about 9 m. long, parallel to 
the S. branch of the Lago Maggiore, 
but is said to be 500 ft. above the level 
of that lake. The scenery of the shores 
combines richness with boldness of 
form, but does not offer the variety 
that characterises the shores of the 
greater lakes. The heights that sur- 
round it command views of extreme 
beauty, and the panorama from the 
Monte Motteroue (§ 21 , Rte. B) is cele- 
brated as one of the finest in the Alps. 
The little town of Orta (Inns : Posta, 



352 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. MONTE EOSA DISTRICT. 



new, -well spoken of ; Leone d'Oro, on 
the lake, small but very fair ; Albergo 
San Giulio, kept by Ronchetti, fallen 
off, not cheap) is a tempting place for a 
halt of some days. Boating is one of 
the chief amusements here. Hire of a 
hoat, with one man, to Omegna, 2 fr. 
Mules are not easily had, but tolerably 
stout donkeys are commonly used for 
excursions. Charge (including the boy 
who leads the donkey). 10 fr. a day. 
The Monte Sacro, forming a rocky 
promontory projecting into the lake, is 
a sanctuary dedicated to S. Francesco 
d'Assisi, with numerous chapels ar- 
ranged in imitation of the more famous 
Sacro Monte of Varallo (Rte. E). 
Though less remarkable as works of 
art, these well deserve a visit, and the 
views over the lake and the surround- 
ing mountains are of great beauty. 
The Isola di San Giulio should not be 
omitted by a stranger. Besides the 
extreme beauty of the position, the old 
church, partly modernised, contains 
many objects of interest. Among the 
frescoes is one by Gaudenzio Ferrari, 
and others by Tibaldi, an antique 
carved pulpit, &c. Some bones of a 
whale are exhibited as remains of a 
monstrous serpent destroyed hy S. 
Giulio, who retreated hither in the 
fourth century. 

Orta is connected by a good road 
with Omegna (Rte. M) at the N. end of 
the lake, nearly 7 in. distant, and with 
Gozzano, scarcely 5 m. distant, now 
connected by rly. with Novara, one of 
the centres of the railway system of 
Piedmont. A new road leads to Arona 
(§ 21, Rte. A). The distance is about 
12 m., hut the road is very hilly ; the 
omnibus takes nearly 3 hrs., and car- 
riages not much less time. 

Route L. 

ORTA TO PONTE GRANDE, BY THE VAL I 
MASTALONE. 

(About 35 Eng. miles.) 
None of the ways for approaching 
Monte Rosa, described in this volume, 



offer greater variety of beautiful and 
grand scenery than those described in 
this and the following Rtes. The Val 
Mastalone opens into the Val Sesia at 
Varallo (Rte. E), and it is better to 
sleep at that place, or at the capital inn 
at Fobello, than attempt to reach Ponte 
Grande from Orta in one very long day. 

The way from Orta to Varallo "is 
to cross the lake to Pella, on the W. 
shore (boat with 2 oars, 2 fr.), where 
donkeys are found by those who wish 
to ride over the Col di Colma, which is 
the low ridge separating the lake from 
the valley of the Sesia. An active 
pedestrian may easily accomplish the 
distance in 4 hrs., but it is a pity to 
hurry through the exquisite scenery. 

A rather steep, paved path mounts 
along the channel of a little torrent 
amidst vines and fig-trees, with masses 
of crumbling granite projecting here 
and there from the hill-slope. In less 
than 1 hr. the little village of Arola is 
reached. A paved track turns N. to 
the village of Cesara, and doubtless 
offers a charming way to Omegna, but 
the way to Varallo lies nearly due W., 
partly amid chestnut trees, with occa- 
sional slight descents, till in 2 hrs. the 
summit of the ridge is reached. From 
a slight eminence to the L Monte Rosa 
and some more distant peaks are in 
view. The track winds down the hill- 
side, and enters a little open glen where 
it passes the hamlet of Civiasco, and 
winds round the declivity to the rt. till 
it joins the high-road about f m. helow 
Varallo (Rte. E). The botanist will 
observe Hieracium porrifolium growing 
on granite rocks. 

The Val Mastalone joins the Sesia 
close to the town, and there is a good 
carriage-road open for about 9 m. to 
the Barracone, close to the junction of 
the two main branches of the valley. 
Nature, which has done so much to 
adorn this region, seems to have sur- 
passed herself here. The most exquisite 
combinations of rock, and wood, and 
water succeed each other throughout 
the valley. In one place, called La 
Gula, about 3 in. from Varallo, it is 



ROUTE IT. VAL STRONA. 



35S 



contracted to a mere gorge, and a stone 
bridge of a single arch, too narrow for 
carriages, spans the torrent. Another 
bridge has given a passage to the 
new road. About j m. from Ferrera 
the valley divides. 

The W. branch, though longer, offers 
the easier way to Ponte Grande. Keep- 
ing to the 1. at the fork of the valley, a 
walk of \ hr. leads to Fobello (Inns: 
Albergo d'ltalia, A. Nazionale, A. 
Reale. The first is excellent, and the 
charges reasonable, considering the 
comfortable quarters and first-rate cui- 
sine). The low ridge of the Barranca 
Pass (5,759') closes the head of the 
valley. The ascent is easy and short, 
but the scenery diminishes in interest 
towards the head of the valley. To 
the rt. is the Pizzo del Moro, said to 
command a very fine view : it may 
be reached in 3f hrs. from Fobello. 
At a group of chalets near a small 
oratory, reached in 2 hrs. from Fobello, 
this path joins that from the Col 
d'Egua, described in Rte. I. The view 
towards the Val Anzasca, though beau- 
tiful, is not first-rate. Ponte Grande 
is reached in 3 hrs. from the Barranca 
Pass. See Rte. I. 

The most direct way from Varallo to 
Ponte Grande is by the Rocchetta Pass, 
which is reached by the E. branch of 
Val Mastalone. It is higher than the 
Barranca, and not passable for mules, 
but the view is much finer. The sum- 
mit may be attained in 3 hrs. from the 
Barracone, or in about the same time 
from Fobello by a path that mounts 
steeply to the dividing ridge, and then 
runs nearly at a level to the pass. 
Crossing a sterile alp and descending 
through forest, the traveller joins the 
mule-path of the Barranca Pass 10 m. 
above Banio, and reaches Ponte Grande 
in 2 hrs. from the summit. 

Route M. 

ORTA TO PONTE GRANDE, BY THE VAT, 
STRONA. 

The Val Strona, of which it is 
enough to say that it is worthy to 



compete with the tributary glens of 
the Val Sesia, pours its torrent into 
the stream that drains the Lake of 
Orta just as this flows out close to 
Omegna (Inn poor and dear). Like most 
of the neighbouring valleys, this is nar- 
row, sinuous, and richly wooded, giving 
finely varied scenery but no distant 
views. An excellent path leads chiefly 
along the 1. bank to Forno (Leone d'Oro, 
not bad), 3^ hrs. from Omegna. The 
path through the Val Strona above 
Forno is very rough, and l£ hr. must 
be allowed to reach Campello, the 
highest village. The usual course hence 
to the Val Anzasca is circuitous, but 
throughout very interesting. A track 
mounting SW. from the village leads in 
1^-hr. to the Col di Campello (about 
6,400'?). This commands one of the 
finest distant views of Monte Rosa. A 
very rough track, scarcely practicable 
for a laden mule, passes by San Got- 
iardo, and in 3 hrs. from Campello 
reaches liimella (poor inn), the chief 
village in the E. branch of Val Masta- 
lone, on a steep slope about 700 ft. 
above the stream. Ponte Grande may 
be reached from hence by the Rocchetta 
Pass, but it is a better plan to make 
the circuit by Fobello in the W. branch 
of Val Mastalone (Rte. L). Mr. F. Mills 
has favoured the Editor with notes of 
the direct way between Campello and 
the Val Anzasca. It lies over the ridge 
of the Cima di Capessone N. of Cam- 
pello, and the descent is through a glen 
called Vallon di Segnara (see the Swiss 
Federal Map, sheet 23), which opens 
into Val Anzasca below Calasca. The 
ridge is steep, and the way a little diffi- 
cult, from the want of a traced path near 
the summit. A track is found below the 
highest chalet in V. di Segnara, but it 
has been carried away in a narrow gorge 
which must be avoided by a detour. 

[ A very interesting way from Omegna 
to Varallo is by the village of Quanta, 
and then over the Monte Mazzucone to 
Camasco. This mountain is rather 
higher than the Motterone (§21, Rte. 
B), and Monte Rosa is some miles 
nearer, but it misses in great part the 



354 



PEXXINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



beautiful views over the lakes that have 
obtained for its rival the title of the 
Italian Righi. 7 or 8 hrs. should be 
allowed for this route from Omegna to 
Varallo.] 



Route N. 

V1SP TO MACEGNAGA, BY THE MONTE 
MURO. 

Hrs.' walking Eng. miles 

Stalden . . 1§ 5 

Saas . 3f 10 

Mattmark See . 3 8* 

Monte Moro . 2 5 

Macugnaga. . 6 1\ 

13 36 

In the preceding portion of this sec- 
tion we have supposed the traveller to 
approach the Monte Rosa by the western 
branch of the valley of the Visp, or 
else from the side of Italy. There 
remains another route, in grandeur of 
scenery vying with any of those 
hitherto described, by the eastern 
branch of the Visp, best known as the 
Saasthal. For those who intend to 
make a complete tour of the entire dis- 
trict, commencing and concluding on 
the side of Switzerland, the best ar- 
rangement is to begin with the present 
route, and after passing some time in 
the Italian valleys, to reach Zermatt by 
the Col de St. "Theodule. The expe- 
rience and training acquired in the course 
of a month thus spent will enable the 
traveller to conclude the tour by one or 
other of the high passes described in 
the two following Rtes. 

The path through the valley of Saas 
is practicable for mules nearly to the 
top of the Monte Moro Pass. The 
charge at Visp for a mule to Saas is 
20 fr. — exorbitant; from Saas to the 
Monte Moro, 10 fr. 

The way from Visp to Stalden is 
described in Rte, A. Above the latter 
village a path turns to the I. from the 
more frequented track to St. Niklaus, 
crosses the Kinnbriicke, a single arch, 
150 ft. above the Gorner Visp, and 
entering the E. branch of the valley 



mounts rapidly along the L bank of the 
Saaser Visp. The valley narrows to a 
defile between steep and high moun- 
tains, whose summits are not seen from 
below, and scarcely a house is met till 
the track, in 2 hrs. from Stalden, reaches 
a little green plain where stands the 
village of Balen, at the base of the 
Balfrin or Balenfirn. with a little new 
inn, opened in 1863. The path here 
crosses to the rt. bank of the Visp, and 
the valley widens out a little so as to 
show some of the neighbouring peaks. 
In 3^ hrs.' steady walking from Stalden 
the traveller reaches 

Saas. For some years past there have 
been two inns at Saas, and they have 
undergone many vicissitudes ; but in 
1869 there was but one rather poor inn 
at the S. end of the village. The inn 
at the Mattmark See, better situated 
for many excursions, is now improved. 
Franz Andermatten is an excellent 
guide, and Moritz Zurbrucken and J. 
Venetz, also of Saas, are well spoken 
of. The former priest of the parish, 
Herr Imseng, renowned as an intrepid 
mountaineer, well known personally to 
most strangers who have visited Saas, 
and by name to the readers of Mr. 
Wills's 'Wanderings among the High 
Alps,' was drowned in the Mattmark 
See in 1869. 

The village of Saas, 5,267 ft. above 
the sea, does not command very striking 
views, but is situated in the imme- 
diate neighbourhood of scenery of 
the first order, and is a centre whence 
the traveller may undertake many 
excursions of the utmost interest. 
Most of these are included among the 
passes described in the two following 
routes, and in § 21. Those who do 
not undertake any of these rather 
difficult expeditions should on no ac- 
count omit to visit the valley of Fee 
and the Gletscher Alp. The upland 
valley of Fee, whose existence is 
scarcely suspected by a traveller pass- 
ing along the main valley, lies in a 
recess in the range of the Saas Grat, 
whose highest peaks rise in a grand 
amphitheatre round the Fee Glacier 



ROUTE N. — MONTE MORO. 



355 



which fills the larger part of the valley. 
Below it are the pastures belonging to 
the hamlet of Fee, a short distance 
S VV. of the village of Saas. The Gla- 
cier is divided into two large branches 
by the Gletscher Alp, a mass of rock 
rising in the midst of the ice. The 
view from the hamlet of Fee is already 
very fine, but to form an adequate idea 
of the grand scale on which nature is 
here exhibited, travellers are recom- 
mended not only to reach the Gletscher 
Alp, but to ascend to its highest point, 
a distance of about 3^ hrs. from Saas. 
It is possible to attain the lower part 
either by passing between the two arms 
of the Glacier, or by keeping to the rt. 
above Fee, and crossing the N. arm to 
the foot of the rocks. In some seasons 
the two branches have approached so 
nearly together that in passing between 
them there has been risk from blocks of 
stone detached from the surface of the 
ice on either hand ; but during the last 
few years the ice has retreated. Facing 
the range of the Saas Grat, the three 
highest peaks of the Mischabelhbrner, 
all exceeding 14,000 ft., form the rt. 
side of the amphitheatre; to these suc- 
ceeds the flattened summit of the Alp- 
hubel (13,803'), and the depression 
forming the Alphubel Pass (Rte. O), 
followed by the Allaleinhorn (13,235')- 
The latter peak throws out a great spur 
terminating in the Mitta^horn, which 
encloses the valley of the Fee on the S. 
side, and completes the circuit. An- 
other interesting excursion from Saas is 
to the Trift Alp, about 2| hrs. above 
the village on the E side of the valley. 
The view of the Saas Grat, which is 
the main object of the excursion, is, 
however, equally fine from many other 
points on the same side. 

The path from Saas to the Monte 
Moro lies all the way along the rt 
bank of the Visp. The scenery is wild, 
and in part dreary, but at intervals the 
eye is relieved by grand views of the 
surrounding peaks arid glaci< rs. The 
first village is AlmageU, nearly at the 
.limit of tree-vegetation, at the junc- I 
tioa of the Lehmbach with the Visp. ! 



This torrent, which has a fine water- 
fall some distance above the village, 
leads to the Zwischbergen Pass (§ 21. 
Rte. E). Little more than a mile farther 
the more considerable torrent from the 
Furgge Thai descends to join the Visp 
by the pastures of Z'meigeren. Beyond 
this the scenery increases in wildness, 
and the vegetation becomes more de- 
cidedly Alpine ; the path mounts, but 
not very rapidly, and at length, in 
about 3 hrs. from Saas, the traveller 
overlooks the Mattmark See. This 
small lake has been formed by the accu- 
mulation of the waters of the Visp 
behind the Allalein Gletscher, which, 
like that of Miage in the Allee Blanche, 
has dammed the valley across. The 
lake is kept within moderate limit be- 
cause the waters find an exit beneath 
the bed of the glacier. The very rare 
Pleurogyne carinthiacu is found in grassy 
spots near the lake, and Cherleria im- 
bricata in the neighbouring glen of the 
Of en thai. On the alp S. of the Matt- 
mark See, a small and pretty good inn 
(7,031') is annually opened to travellers 
about July 8. Being nearer to many 
of the passes, hereafter described, than 
Saas, it is often found a more convenient 
stopping-place. This holds especially 
in regard to the Monte Moro, which is 
thus reached at an early hour, and the 
chance of a clear view from the top 
thereby much increased. Not far from 
the inn are some huge blocks ofgabbro, 
brought down from the Strahlhorn by 
the Schwarzberg Glacier. At no great 
distance from the inn are the chalets of 
the Distel Alp (7,125'). Amidst wild and 
dreary scenery the ascent continues by a 
tolerable mule-path, and in some spots 
the remains of an ancient paved track 
attest the former importance of the 
pass. In most places it has been car- 
ried away or buried beneath debris. On 
reaching a moderately steep snow-6lope, 
if not sooner, the mules are left behind, 
and in 2| hrs. from the Mattmark inn 
the Pass of Monte Moro is attained. 
Many of the passes in this district may 
tempt more than this does the adven- 
turous traveller who loves the flavour 



356 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



of difficulty, not to say danger, but 
there is perhaps none which offers a 
scene of such surpassing grandeur as 
that here unrolled before his eyes, and 
none certainly that deserves a prefer- 
ence. The view from the Pizzo Bianco 
of the eastern face of Monte Rosa, with 
the continuous range of precipice that 
extends to the Weissthor, is perhaps 
more wonderful and unique, but the 
elements of the sublime and beautiful 
are here combined in a more complete 
picture. According to the Swiss Fede- 
ral map, the height above the sea of the 
rross marking the summit is 9,390 ft. 

It is well worth while to ascend in 
| hr. a point E. of the summit of the 
pass called the Joderhorn. The view of 
Monte Rosa is not finer, for, in truth, 
that cannot be surpassed, but the eye 
is enabled to contrast it with the dis- 
tant view over the plain of N. Italy, in- 
cluding a glimpse of the Lago Maggiore, 
and the southern ranges of the Alps. 
Without going so far, you may extend 
the range by mounting the rocks 
behind the wooden cross, whence you 
gain the view of Monte Rosa on one 
hand, and of the whole extent of the 
Saas valley on the other. 

In 1S64 a party comprising two 
English ladies made an expedition 
which is likely to be often repeated. 
Having gained the top of the Moro pass 
from Macugnaga, they turned to the 
W., kept for \ hr. along the S. side of 
the ridge, and then passed by a snow 
col to the upper neve of the Seewinen 
Gl cier. Keeping the same direction, 
they passed to the neve of the Schwartz- 
berg Glacier, joined the usual course 
from the Hattmark inn to the Weiss- 
thor, and reached the Eiffel inn in 15 
hrs., including numerous halts. 

The descent from the Col to Macug- 
nagaislong, and for a pass so frequented 
very steep; but the view which re- 
mains before the traveller's eyes pre- 
vents the way from becoming tedious. 
The lower half of the slope is less 
rapid, and on approaching the valley, 
some scattered pines represent the 
remains of the forest that once cover- 



ed the valley. In taking this pass 
from Saas nearly 6 hrs. must be al- 
lowed for the ascent, and 2 hrs. nearly 
suffice for the descent. In the oppo- 
site direction, 4 hrs. are needed to 
reach the top from Macugnaga, and 
about the same time for the descent to 
Saas. 

It is scarcely necessary to say that 
the name Monte Moro applies to the 
pass, and not to any of the neighbour- 
ing summits. All the ancient passes 
of the Alps received similar designa- 
tions, while distinct names for separate 
peaks were not recognised by travellers 
or geographers till a much later date. 
The names .YiscbabeL Allalein, Alma- 
gell, &c, and, as some suppose, the 
name of the pass also, point to an early 
occupation of this route by the Saracens, 
who are known to have attempted to 
penetrate into Switzerland by several of 
the passes of the Pennine chain. 

In going from Saas to Zermatt, or 
vice versa, most travellers descend to 
the Kinnbriicke, and then remount by 
the muie-path along the other branch 
of the Visp. More than an hour may 
be saved by a short cut. 'In descend- 
ing from Saas, soon after you come in 
sight of Stalden, a path turns to the L 
about 50 yards below a place where 
the road, carried at a great height, is 
guarded by rough railing. Ascending 
steeply for 5 min. by the path above- 
mentioned, you reach a watercourse, 
and when this comes to an end a track 
in the same direction leads to the maiu 
road near the second bridge bvlow St. 
Niklaus.' — [R. S. W.] 



EOUTE 0. — ALPHUBEL JOCH. 



Route O. 

8AAS TO ZERMATT, BY THE SAAS GRAT. 

The range of the Saas Grat, extend- 
ing from the Strahlhorn to the Balferin, 
ranks next in height to those of Mont 
Blanc and Monte Rosa, and the four 
passes leading to Zermatt, as well as 
the Ried Pass described in the next 
Rte., may be counted amongst the 
most considerable in the Alps, not to 
be attempted except by men in thorough 
training, with good guides, and in set- 
tled weather. We do not count as 
passes the very difficult, if not dangerous 
expeditions made by Messrs. G. E. 
Foster and H. Walker in 1869. They 
went from Saas to Zermatt over the 
ridge of the Nadelgrat, reaching the 
latter place in 19 hrs. ; and four days 
later started from a bivouac above the 
Fee Alp. climbed the formidable ridge 
connecting the Dom with the Tasch- 
horn, descended by the Kien Glacier, 
and reached Zermatt in 20 hrs. from 
their starting-point. 

1. Mischabel Joch. This pass, the 
most northerly of those leading from 
Saas to Zersiatt, was first effected in 
1862 by Messrs. H. B. George, C. and 
W. Trotter, and Thomason, with Chris- 
tian Aimer and Peter Bohren. Having 
followed the usual course to the Alp- 
hubel Joch (see below) for about 4 hrs. 
from Saas, Mr. George and his com- 
panions turned to the rt, and ascended 
a steep ridge of rocks and several 
snow-slopes, keeping to the 1. of the 
ice-fall which descends from the basin 
below the col, and ascending almost 
direct towards the summit of the Alp- 
hubel. When they had reached a 
height about 300 ft. below the col, they 
turned again to the rt., and made their 
way nearly at a level till they were 
able to cross the bergschrund, above 
which a short steep ice-slope led (after 
cutting 180 steps) to the summit of the 
pass. This lies between the Tiischhorn 
and the Alphubel. but nearer to the 
latter, and is probably about 12,800 ft. 



357 

in height : it was reached in 8| hrs. 
from Saas. The descent lies over the 
Weingarten Glacier, which falls very 
steeply from the W. side of the Alphubel. 
This was found by the first explorers to 
be extremely difficult. The rocks on 
either side appear quite impracticable, 
and it was necessary to cut the way 
down by the ice-fall of the glacier. In 
1867 Messrs. T. H. Carson, D. W. 
Freshfield, and C. C. Tucker, with D. 
Ballay and F. Andermatten as guides, 
were accidentally led by chamois tracks 
to a point in the rocks on the 1. of the 
ice-fall from which the descent was 
found quite easy. Below the glacier a 
stony glen leads down to the Tiisch Alp, 
whence a path, mentioned below, takes 
the traveller in less than 2 hrs.to Zermatt. 

2. The most direct way from Saas 
to Zermatt is by the Alphubel Joch, 
SE. of the Alphubel. It was first dis- 
covered by Mr. Leslie Stephen. The 
difficulties encountered in the first pas- 
sage were afterwards avoided, and the 
pass is now comparatively frequented. 

Having gained the summit of the 
Gletscher Alp above Fee (see last Rte.), 
a range of rocks is seen to descend from 
the Alphubel, being probably a con- 
tinuation of the same ridge. A little 
to the 1. another ridge, nearly parallel 
to the first, descends from the direction 
of the pass, which lies between the 
Alphubel and the Allaleinhorn, SSW. 
of the traveller's position. The na- 
tural course is to follow the line ot 
the second ridge, which leads by 4 a 
long narrow snow-valley, or rather 
shelf,' to the lowest point (12,474' — - 
Fed. Engineers) in the range connect- 
ing the two above-named summits. 
In making this pass it is important to 
hit the lowest point in the ridge, or 
true col. This is connected with easy 
snow-slopes that fall to the westward 
till they reach the verge of a steep 
rocky escarpment. Here it is neces- 
sary to bear to the 1., when the precipice 
gradually diminishes in height, and the 
descent to the glacier is quite free from 
difficulty. By striking the ridge too 
far S. on the first passage of the Joch, 



858 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



Mr. Stephen and his companions, 
Messrs. Fisher, Jacomh, and Short, 
were led to seek a way over the sum- 
mit of the Allaleinhorn. 

Another course was afterwards dis- 
covered hy Mr. Stephen. From the top 
of theGletscher Alp he directs travellers 
to follow the ridge descending from 
the Alphubel, keeping close under the 
rocks, and on reaching the watershed 
to hear as much as possible to the rt., 
or towards the Alphubel. From the 
point reached on the shoulder of the 
Alphubel, about 250 ft. above the 
actual pass, the descent is said to he 
perfectly easy. It lies over a small 
secondary glacier, leading down to 
grassy slopes connected with the Tasch 
Alp, which is reached by following the 
stream from the small glacier. Neither 
the Tasch Glacier nor its moraine is 
touched in following this route. There 
is a foot-path through the pine forest 
from ihe Tasch Alp to Zennatt, carried 
for a considerable distance along a 
watercourse. It joins the main track 
of the valley a short distance below 
the bridge over the Visp between 
Tasch and Zermatt. In taking the 
pass from Zermatt, the stream leading 
to the secondary glacier is the second 
on the 1. hand in ascending the Tasch 
valley. 

From 10 to 12 hrs., exclusive of 
halts, must be allowed for this pass, 
according to the state of the snow. 

The summit of the Alphubel was 
reached by Mr. Stephen in 2 hrs. from 
the col. The view is not much more 
extensive than that already seen from 
the pass, which includes the Bernese 
Oberland and the grand circuit of 
peaks surrounding Zermatt, but in 
ascending the peak the seracs are 
described as exceedingly grand. 

This pass is known to Melchior 
Anderegg, Peter Perm, Johann Kronig, 
Victor Tairraz, and to most of the 
Zermatt guides. 

3. Allalein Pass, or Tasch Joch. This, 
though rarely used, was long known as 
the only pass connecting Zermat: with 
the head of the vulley of Saas. Like 



that next described, it is more easily 
taken from the Mattmark See than 
from Saas, but being inferior in scenery 
to its rivals, and a less direct way from 
Saas than the Alphubel Joch, it is not 
likely to be henceforward much fre- 
quented. 

The Allalein Glacier originates in a 
snow-basin lying between the Strahi- 
horn and the Allaleinhorn. but the 
principal part of the ice-stream sweeps 
in a curve convex to the N. under rhe 
steep SE. side of the latter pe. k. The 
Rympfischhorn, which stands a little 
W. of the line joining the above-named 
summits, also contributes the snows of 
its E. slope to the upp--r reservoir. 
The ice-stream not only descends to 
the level of the main valley, but, as 
mentioned in the last lite., it bars the 
channel of the Visp and forms the 
Mattmark See. 

It is possible to approach the Alla- 
lein Pass by commencing the ascent a 
little above Almagell, and mounting 
the slopes on the L bank of the Alla- 
lein Glacier, but in the ordinary way 
from the Mattmark See the ascent 
begins by the steep slopes of a ridge 
projecting eastward from the Strahl- 
horn, whose two summits are some- 
times called respectively Inner and 
Ausser Thurm. After mounting for 
about 2jt hrs. it is necessary to cross the 
upper basin of the glacier, and it is 
usual to make a considerable sweep by its 
northern edge, under the Allaleinhorn, 
in order to avoid the great crevasses 
which occupy the centre. When the 
snow is in good order 4^ hrs. from the 
inn suffice to reach the summit of the 
pass, 11,654 ft. in height, and there- 
fore considerably lower than any other 
pass from Saas to Zermatt. It is 
sometimes necessary to take a very cir- 
cuitous course over the upper part of 
the glacier, and when the snow is in 
bad condition the ascent may take 6 or 
7 hrs. The view includes the range of 
great peaks enclo^ng the Nicolai Thai 
from the Lyskamm to the Weisshorn. 
The most striking object near at hand 
is the craggy peak of the Rympfischhorn 



1 



ROUTE 0. — THE ADLER PASS. 



359 



(13,790'), "which from this side appears 
utterly inaccessible. In the opposite 
direction is the summit of the Allalein- 
liurn (13.235'), reached for the first time 
in 1856 by Mr. Ames, guided by Franz 
Andermatten. The ascent lies along 
a sharp ridge, in some places rather 
difficult, and nearly 2 hrs. are required 
for the ascent from the pass. The view 
is, of course, very fine, and well de- 
serving the extra labour; but considered 
as the object of an independent expe- 
dition it is not equal to that from 
the adjoining and higher peaks of the 
same range, that from the Strahlhorn 
being pre eminent. The descent by the 
Tdsch Glacier is free from difficulty. 
There are some concealed crevasses 
which the guides often avoid by taking 
to the rocks. There is, however, no- 
thing to prevent a party properly tied 
together from making nearly the entire 
descent by the neve and glacier, until 
this is left a short way above the Tasch 
Alp, whence, as already mentioned, a 
path through the forest leads to Zermatt, 
which may thus be reached in 9 hrs., 
exclusive of halts, from the Mattmark 
See. 

4. The Adler Pass. This, perhaps 
the most interesting of the passes con- 
necting the valleys of Saas and Zermatt, 
was discovered by M Imsenir, the cure 
of Saas, and is well described by Mr. 
Wills in his ' Wanderings among the 
High Alps.' When possible, it is a 
better plan to make the ascent from 
the Zermatt side, as the difficulty of 
cutting steps in the descent of the ice- 
slope is greater than in ascending. 

The first part of the way from the 
Mattmark See is by the same ascent 
that leads to the Allalein Pass. That 
pass lies over the NW. corner of the 
quadrangle enclosing the head of the 
Allalein Glacier, while the Adler Pass 
crosses the SW. corner of* the same en- 
closure, between the Strahlhorn and the 
fly mpfisch horn. The course across 
the upper slopes of the Allalein Glacier 
is free from serious difficulty, but some- 
times troublesome from the softness of 
the snow and from concealed crevasses. 



The summit of the pass (12,461'), 
usually reached in about 4^ hrs. from 
the Mattmark See, commands the great 
range from Monte Rosa to the Gabel- 
horn, and is interesting not only i\a' 
the distant objects in view, but also for 
the striking position in which the tra- 
veller finds himself, separated from the 
upper part of the Findelen Glacier by 
an ice-slope so steep as to occasion some 
involuntary anxiety to those who pass 
for the first time. 

Before undertaking the descent, most 
travellers who are favoured by clea 1 .- 
weather are tempted by the aspect of 
the adjoining peak of the Strahlhorn 
(13,750' ), easily reached in 1 hr., or even 
less, by a moderately steep snow-slope, 
and commanding one of the most mag- 
nificent panoramic views in the Alps. 
Though a few feet lower than the 
Rympfischhorn or the Alphubel, it is 
better situated, the view to the E. and 
S. being comparatively clear of obstruc- 
tion, and it is hard to point out a rival 
view in which all the elements that 
make up the grandeur of Alpine scenery 
are so perfectly combined. The return 
to the col may be made in \ hr. 

The descent from the Adler Pass 
usually requires all the skill of practised 
ice-men, and at times, when fresh snow 
lies upon the ice-slope, it cannot be un- 
dertaken without unavoidable danger. 
The slope, which usually consists ol 
hard ice, rests against very steep rocks 
descending from the Rympfischhorn, 
too smooth to offer hold for feet or 
hands. An ample supply of good rope 
and two ice-axes should be at hand as 
security against accidents. The descent 
is generally made close to the rocks, 
and owing to the difficulty of cutting 
steps in so steep a declivity it usually 
takes longer time than when the ascent 
is made from the Zermatt side. The 
distance is fortunately not great, and 
from \ hr. to f hr. generally suffices to 
land the travellers on the head of the 
Findelen Glacier. The NE. corner of 
this glacier, lying below the ridge of 
the Rympfischwang, is much broken, 
and care and experience are requisite 



360 



PENNINE ALPS. § 20. 



MONTE ROSA DISTRICT. 



to thread the way through the intricate 
network of crevasses. Some previous 
study of the surface as viewed from 
above may save time in this part of the 
route. From 1 hr. to 1^ hr. usually 
suffices to set the traveller clear of these 
last difficulties, and then the way lies 
for about f hr. more either on the mo- 
raine or along the N. side of the glacier. 
This is finally quitted when easier foot- 
ing is obtained on the rt. bank, and the 
descent to Zermatt continues by the 
Fliih Alp and the beaten track descend- 
ing thence to Zermatt. The steep 
ridge of the Rympfischwang separates 
the Findelen from the Tasch Glacier, 
and offers the only way yet found to 
reach the peak of the Rympfischhorn. 
As this ascent cannot conveniently be 
combined with any of the passes here 
described, it is noticed amongst the 
excursions from Zermatt, Rte. A. 

When taken from Zermatt to the 
Mattmark See this pass may usually be 
made in 9 hrs., exclusive of halts, and 
some active mountaineers have accom- 
plished it in 8 hrs. In the opposite 
direction not less than 10 hrs. should 
be allowed. When the pass is made to 
or from Saas, instead of the inn at the 
Mattmark See, time is saved by avoid- 
ing the latter, and crossing diagonally 
the lower end of the Allalein Glacier, so 
as to reach the main track through the 
Saas Thai just where it leaves the side 
of the glacier. 

In going from the Adler Pass to the 
Riffel Hotel, travellers may either pass 
by the E. side of the Stock horn to the 
head of the Gorner Glacier, or cross 
the rocky tract N. of the Gorner Grat 
from the 1. bank of the lower Findelen 
Glacier. 

Besides the four passes already de- 
scribed, Zermatt may be reached from 
the Mattmark See by the Schwarzberg 
Glacier and the New Weiss Thor, as 
mentioned in Rte. F. This is, by many 
degrees, the easiest and most direct way 
for reaching the Riffel Hotel from the 
head of the valley of Saas. 



Route P. 

SAAS TO ST. NEEXAUS, BY THE RIED 
PASS. 

This interesting pass was discovered 
by Professor Ulrich, but has been 
rarely used, probably because the fre- 
quented mule- paths through both 
branches of the Visp valley offer a 
much easier and shorter mode of com- 
munication. The editor has been 
favoured with an account of the pass by 
Mr. Leslie Stephen. 

It has been already mentioned 
(Rte. A) that the range of the Mis- 
chabelhomer includes four summits. 
Reckoning from S. to N., these are the 
Taschhorn (14,758'), the Dom (14,9350, 
a third nameless and little prominent 
point (14,108'), and a fourth, sometimes 
called Gasenriedhorn (14,219')- The 
two latter are collectively called JSadel- 
grat. N. of the Nadelgrat the ridge of 
the Saas Grat sinks considerably, and 
the next summit, NE. of the Gasen- 
riedhorn, is the Ulrichshorn (12,891'), 
sometimes called Klein Mischabelhorn; 
the last high summit, due N. of the 
last, is the Balferin (12,4020- The 
Hied Pass, lying between the two last- 
mentioned peaks, gives access from 
Saas to the head of the Ried Glacier, 
descending NNW. from the Nadelgrat. 
A ridge sinking rapidly towards the 
valley of Saas projects to the eastward 
from the Gasenriedhorn, having on its 
N. side the Bider Glacier, and on the 
S. the small HocJibalm Glacier, whose 
torrent joins that from the Fee Glacier. 
Access to the pass has hitherto been 
obtained only by crossing the upper 
part of this ridge from its S. base near 
the hamlet of Fee. Following up the 
course of the stream, and keeping 
along the NE. bank of the Hochbilm 
Glacier, it is easy to reach the higher 
neve, which must be crossed towards 
the angle of the glacier immediately 
under the Ulrichshorn. A snow couloir 
will then be found to lead up to the 
highest point in the ridge already 



§21. SIMPLON DISTRICT. 



361 



mentioned. By this couloir, or by the 
rocks beside it, the traveller gains the 
ridge and looks down upon the Bider 
and Hochbalra Glaciers. Turning up 
this ridge to the point where it diverges 
from the main chain, a little N. of the 
peak of the Ulrichshorn, he reaches 
the edge of a broad level plateau of 
neve, dividing the latter mountain 
from the Balferin. 

' It took us a good ^ hr. of fast 
walking on hard snow to cross this, 
which we did, keeping well to our 
left under the rocks of the Ulrichshorn. 
Here, as the Ried Glacier began to 
sink towards the NW., we were obliged 
to leave it and keep to the W. along 
the lower slopes of the Nadelgrat, 
somewhat helped by old avalanche 
snow, and once endangered by falling 
stones. There is considerable difficulty 
at the point where the great glacier 
fall occurs. It is necessary to leave 
the bank of the glacier, keeping over 
a small secondary glacier which lies on 
the slope of the Nadelgrat, after cross- 
ing which a steep couloir will be found 
leading to the lower plateau of the 
Ried Glacier. This couloir, however, 
is impracticable in its upper part, and it 
is necessary to descend by the rocks 
on its right (or eastern) bank. They 
j.ook at first difficult, but are in fact 
pretty easy. On reaching the foot of 
the couloir the grass slopes on the W. 
bank of the glacier are soon reached. 
A little lower is the Schallbet Alp, 
whence there is a path to St. Nicolas. 
The vast dimensions of the Ried 
Glacier will surprise those who pass 
here for the first time. It is possible 
to climb the Ulrichshorn or Balferin 
en route. The weather was too un- 
certain for us to do so. Time required. 
5 hrs. ascending from Saas, and 5 hrs.' 
descent to Sr. Niklaus. Melchior 
Anderegg, Johann Kronig, of Zermatt, 
Franz Andermatten, and Franz Loch- 
matter, of Macugnaga, all know the 
pass. 

' The route laid down on Studer's 
map principally differs from this in 
placing the track along the NE. bank 



of the Ried Glacier. I believe our 
route was the best. The pass is very 
interesting in showing the interior of 
the Mischabel range, which is invisible 
in other directions.' — [L. S.] 

The summit of the Balferin (12,402') 
is easily reached from the summit of 
the Ried Pass in 1^ or 2 hrs. An ac- 
count of the ascent by Mr. and Mrs. 
R. S. Watson is given in the ' Alpine 
Journal.' The view is admirable, and 
all the more striking that the still 
higher peaks of the Dom, Weisshorn, 
&e , are near at hand. In returning 
to Saas the travellers effected a diffi- 
cult descent by the Balferin Glacier 
without going back to the Ried Pass. 



SECTION 21. 

SIMPLON DISTRICT. 

Between the valley of Saas, described 
in the last section, and the Pass of the 
Simplon is a very considerable moun- 
tain range, parallel in its general 
direction to the Saas Grat, and im- 
portant enough in any other neighbour- 
hood than that of Monte Rosa to fix 
the attention of mountaineers. After 
long neglect, this fine range has of 
late years excited the notice of se- 
veral travellers, and it has now been 
partially explored, though there is 
doubtless scope for many new and 
interesting expeditions. From the 
Joderhorn, near Macugnaga, to the N. 
peak of the Fletschhorn, the range in 
question forms the watershed between 
Switzerland and Italy. N. of the 
above limit the chain forks, and two 
parallel ridges of no great height, 
enclosing between them the Gainsen 
Thai, descend towards the Rhone. At 
its N. end the range is high, and so 
steep that the road of the Simplon and 
the valley of Saas are in some places 
not more than 7 m. apart. Farther 
S. the summits are lower, but the range 



362 



PENNINE ALPS. § 21. SIMPLON DISTRICT. 



throws out considerable branches to 
the E., -which enclose the valleys of 
Antrona and Bugnanco. 

It is convenient to include ir) this 
district the nearly isolated mass 
crowned by the peak of the Monte 
Leone, which is enclosed on two sides 
by the road of the Simplon, and on the 
third by the Yal Cherasca. 



Route A. 

MARTIGNY TO ARONA — PASS OF THE 
SIMPLON. 

Swiss leagues Eng. miles 

Sierre (by railway) . 8f 26£ 

Tnrtman (by road) . 3 9 

Visp .... 3 9 

Brieg ... If 5| 

Berual ... 3 9 

Simp'on ... 5 15 

Iselia ... 3 9 

Domod'Ossola . ^ 10§ 

Vogogna ... 3 9 

Ornavasso . 2£ 7£ 
Baveno . . . 2f 

Arona . 4± 13£ 



43| 



13)i 



Three trains dnily from Bouveret to 
Sierre in 3 hrs., by the so-called Ligne 
d'ltalie. Passengers from Geneva, 
Lausanne, or Berne by the Ouest 
Suisse line join the former by chang- 
ing carriages at St. Maurice. Diligence 
in 22 hrs. from Sierre to Arona twice 
daily in summer; once only at other 
seasons ; sometimes interrupted in win- 
ter. Those who wish to travel by day 
and to avail themselves of the diligence 
that starts in the morning from Brieg, 
should reach that place on the previous 
evening by ch-ir or omnibus from Sion. 
When the diligence is full, extra 
carriages are provided for passengers, 
hut those who travel in this way are 
liable to much discomfort, as these 
carriages are usually of an inferior 
description. A two-horse carriage 
from Sion to Brieg may be hired 
for 40 or 50 fr. ; from Brieg to 
Domo the charge is from 80 to 150 
fr., with a bnnnemain. This should 
include all charges for extra horses 
engaged to assist in the ascent. Pedes- 



trians who may avail themselves of the 
diligence to send their heavy luggage 
across the Alps, while they follow some 
less convenient route, should not forget 
to send the key of each article fastened 
outside, as otherwise it will be detained 
at the Italian custom-house. 

We include in this route the greater 
portion of the celebrated road designed 
by Napoleon to connect France and 
Italy by way of Geneva and Milan, 
which continues to be one of the main 
lines of communication across the Alps, 
and one of the most interesting for 
those who are condemned by infirmity 
or indolence to keep to carriage-roads, 
The original road was carried along the 
S. side of the Lake of Geneva (§17, 
Rte. I), and then by the 1. bank of the 
Rhone to Martigny. It was then con- 
ducted through the valley of the Rhone 
to Sion, and thence to Brieg. The 
main difficulties and the heaviest ex- 
penditure were encountered in travers- 
ing the pass between Brieg and Domo 
d'Ossola, especially in the descent on 
the Italian side. From Domo d'Ossola 
the course selected was along the valley 
of the Tosa, and, after some doubt as 
to the relative advantages of a line 
by the Lake of Orta or by the Lago 
Maggiore, the latter was ultimately 
selected, and the road was carried past 
Arona to Sesto Calende at the S. end of 
the lake, and thence across the plain to 
Milan. The extension of railways and 
steamers has reduced to secondary im- 
portance the portions of the road be- 
tween Geneva and Sierre, and between 
Baveno and Milan ; and though the 
works on the rly. between Sierre and 
Brieg have been partially suspended, it 
is probable that the only part of the 
original road which will long continue 
to serve for general traffic is that be- 
tween Brieg and Domo d'Ossola. The 
Simplon road has been surpassed, 
during the last half-century, espe- 
cially by some of the great Austrian 
roads, such as the Stelvio, yet this re- 
mains a remarkable monument of skill 
and labour, owing to the great difficul- 
ties that were successfully encountered. 



ROUTE A. SION. 



363 



m making the road. It happens, unfor- 
tunately, that the narrow gorge through 
which it was necessary to conduct the 
descent towards Italy is peculiarly 
exposed to the effects of storms and 
heavy rain. The road has thus often 
suffered serious damage, and, in truth, 
is scarcely safe in stormy weather. It 
is reckoned that the sums expended 
for maintenance and repairs during the 
last 50 years have borne a large pro- 
portion to the original cost, which was 
nearly £700,000. The breadth of the 
road is nowhere less than 25 ft, and 
the slope rarely exceeds 1 in 15. To 
give an idea of the amount of work 
involved in making such a road, it is 
said that between Brieg and Sesto 
Calende it crosses 613 bridges of 
various dimensions. 

The way from Geneva to Martigny 
is described in § 18, Rte. A. The 
valley of the Rhone between that place 
and Sion is so devoid of picturesque 
interest, that most travellers are glad to 
hurry over it in the rly. train. On 
either side of the valley mountains of 
uniform slope and hue, just high enough 
to conceal the great ranges of the Pen- 
nine and Bernese Alps, hem in the 
valley, whose bed is so nearly level that 
undrained swamps extend afar, and at 
some seasons make it unhealthy as well 
as unsightly. The geologist, who sees 
in these appearances the record of the 
processes that have fashioned the moun- 
tains and the valley, will not find the 
way irksome. The uniformity of the 
slopes and the absence of salient points 
are here due to the passage of a vast 
glacier through a trench in the yielding 
carboniferous strata, and this immense 
planing tool has left its mark perma- 
nently impressed on the face of the 
country. 

Near the first station on the rly. 
from Martigny are the mineral waters 
of Saxon, containing iodine and bro- 
mine, and deemed very efficacious in skin 
complaints. There are here seveiaJ 
hotels and pensions, well fitted up, with a 
Casino, open throughout the winter. The 
next station is Riddes. Looking back, 

PART I. Ti 



there is a fine view of the Grand 
Moevran (10,043') (§ 22), while to the 
N. is the Haut de Cry (9,698'), which 
has acquired a sad celebrity from the 
fatal accident in February, 1864, which 
cost the life of a Russian traveller and 
his more widely-known and regretted 
guide, J. J. Bennen, of Laax. The 
peaks of the curious limestone range 
connecting the Dent de Morcles with 
the Diablerets come in view from the 
road between Saxon and Sion. The 
junction of the gneiss and other crys- 
talline rocks with the limestone is very 
conspicuous nearly opposite Saxon. 
After leaving that place the rly. crosses 
to the rt. bank before reaching the next 
station, Ardon, near the opening of the 
Val de Lizerne, through which lies 
the way to the Pas de Cheville (§ 22), 
About 4 m. farther is 

Sion (Inns : Poste, best ; Lion d'Or), 
the ancient capital of the Valais 
(1,732'), whose former importance is 
told by the massive style of the houses 
of many of the old families of the 
place, and by the ruins of several cas- 
tles. The monotony of the valley of 
the Rhone is here broken by some 
masses of rock that rise abruptly in the 
midst, and are crowned by three castles, 
greatly enhancing the picturesque ap- 
pearance of the town. These buildings 
contain many remains of antiquity, com- 
mencing with the Roman period, but 
they chiefly tell of the period when the 
Bishops of Sion reigned as secular 
princes over the Valais. In going to 
visit these buildings the traveller is 
first conducted to the Majoria, once the 
residence of the majors, or governors, 
of the Valais, now inhabited by the 
bishop and canons. Passing a very 
ancient All Saints' Chapel, he next 
reaches the Tourbillon, a ruined castle 
picturesquely placed on a steep rock, 
seen to the 1. in approaching the town 
from Martigny. This commands a very 
fine view up the valley of the Rhone, 
with the snowy Alps of the Lotschen 
Thai in the background. The third 
and most ancient castle is called Valeria, 
and now serves as an ecclesiastical 



364 



PENNINE ALPS. § 21. SIMPLON DISTRICT. 



seminary; it is said to have been origi- 
nally the Roman Prsetorium. This 
edifice includes the old cathedral, a 
curious specimen of the Early Pointed 
style, with a very perfect rood-loft of 
the 13th century, a chapel dedicated 
to St. Catharine (said to date from the 
9th century), and some ancient fres- 
coes. The view from this castle ex- 
tends down the valley of the Rhone, 
including, in the background, the Dia- 
blerets, the Dent de Morcles, &c. 

' There is a comfortable pension 2 
min. walk from Sion, kept by Madame 
Muston, late landlady of the Lion d'Or.' 

The flora of this part of the valley 
is remarkable for the presence of many 
species characteristic of the Mediter- 
ranean region, some of which, such as 
the pomegranate, have probably been 
introduced by man, but others are of 
spontaneous growth. Among those 
more interesting to the botanist may be 
enumerated, Eruca sativa, Buffonia 
tenuifolia, Ononis Columnar, Genista 
radiata, Cytisus nigricans, Trigonella 
monspeliaca, Telephium Imperati, Cen- 
taurea Crupina, Ephedra distachya (on 
tne rocks below the castle), Iris lutes- 
cens, Tulipa oculus solis, Malax is 
Lozselii, Tragus racemosus, and Sclera- 
chloa dura. 

From Sion diverge the paths through 
the Val d'Herens and the Val d'Here- 
menee, described in § 19, and those 
leading to the Sanetsch and Rawyl 
passes included in § 23. 

The way between Sion and Sierre is 
less monotonous than the lower part of 
the valley. On the sunny slopes of the 
N. side much wine of local repute is 
produced. The flat part of the bed is 
in great part covered with sand and 
gravel by the frequent inundations of 
the Rhone. 

Sierre (Germ. Siders) (Inns : Hotel 
Baur, outside the town, a new large 
house; Soleil, good and reasonable; 
Bellevue, new, pretentious ; the dili- 
gence from Brieg stops at an inferior 
inn) seems a more thriving place than 
usual in the Valais. Here is the divi- 



sion between the Swiss-German of the 
Upper Valais and the French dialect of 
the lower part of the Canton. Sierre is 
the present terminus of the Ligned'Italie 
railway, and travellers here take the 
high road which crosses to the 1. bank 
of the Rhone, opposite the opening of 
the beautiful Val d'Anniviers (§ 19). 
For a distance of 2 m. the road passes 
amidst hills formed of gravel and trans- 
ported blocks, which occupy a great 
part of the bed of the valley. These 
are now believed to have originated 
mainly in a great bergfall from the 
mountain on the N. side of the valley, 
formed of jurassic limestone, which 
occurred towards the end of the glacial 
period, when the great glacier of the 
Rhone was retiring towards the upper 
part of the valley. After passing Pfyn 
(ad fines ?), where the remains of an 
extensive forest mark a spot where the 
Valaisans gallantly resisted the French 
invasion in 1798, the road traverses the 
torrent from the Ulgraben (§ 19, Rte. I), 
which has poured into the valley an 
enormous mass of disintegrated mate- 
rials (quartzose sand mixed with talc), 
the former contents of the vast hollow 
whose dimensions are constantly in- 
creasing. Soon after, the traveller 
reaches Susten (with a comfortable 
inn, the best on this road), opposite the 
picturesque little town of Levk. This 
stands at the opening of the gorge of 
the Dala, descending from the Baths 
of Leuk and the Pass of the Gemmi 
(§ 23). 

About 3 m. farther is Turtman (Fr. 
Tourtemagne) (Inns: Poste, good and 
reasonable ; Soleil, fair), at the opening 
of the Turtman Thai, 2,208 ft. above 
the sea. The torrent issuing from the 
valley makes a fine waterfall, which is 
but 10 or 15 mins.' walk from the inn, 
and deserves a visit. On the rt. bank 
of the Rhone, about 2 m. from Turt- 
man, is Gampel, at the junction of the 
considerable stream from the Lotschen 
Thai (§ 25), and a little farther on, near 
Karon, on the same side of the valley, 
the opening of the Bietschthal gives a 
glimpse of the fine peak of the Bietsch- 



ROUTE A. — SIMPLON PASS. 



365 



horri (12,969')- After traversing a 
swampy tract the road reaches 

Visp (Fr. Vieye), (Inns : Poste, very 
good, the landlord forwards luggage 
to Zermatt; Soleil, very fair), a village 
(2,362') now often crowded by tourists 
bound for Zermatt. Three good 
guides, by name Moritz Anderniat- 
ten, Alexander Albrecht, and Theodor 
Fuchs, all of them well acquainted 
with the Monte Rosa district, live at 
Visp. In hot weather avoid sleeping 
here, as the place is said to be subject 
to malaria. The fine snow-pyramid 
seen to the S., and sometimes pointed 
out as Monte Rosa (!), is the Balferin, 
the N. peak of the Saas Grat (§ 20, 
lite. P Visp was formerly the resi- 
dence of many of the native aristocracy 
of the Upper Valais, but owing to the 
division of property and changes in the 
political institutions, most of the old 
families have dwindled into insignifi- 
cance. Two curious churches deserve 
passing notice. One of these, original- 
ly reserved exclusively for persons of 
noble family, was partially destroyed by 
the earthquake of 1855, which injured 
all the buildings in the town. On the 
N. side of the Rhone, opposite Visp, is 
the opening of the Baltschieder Thai, 
an Alpine glen descending from the 
range of the Nesthorn, and said to pro- 
duce many rare minerals. 

About 3^- m. beyond Visp is Gamsen, 
marked by the masses of gravel borne 
down by the Gamsa torrent, which 
here issues from the Nanzer Thai, also 
called Gamsen Thai [This valley is 
rarely visited by strangers. It is con- 
nected with the valley of Saas by the 
Gamser Joch (Rte. D), and with the 
Simplon road by the much easier 
Bistenen Pass. The latter may be 
taken in the way from the Valley of 
Zermatt to the village of Simpeln. In 
li hr. the traveller may ascend from 
Stalden (rather longer from Visp) to 
Visperterminen (4,482'). An easy as- i 
cent nearly due E. leads to a depression, I 
or col, whereon lies a rather large tarn I 
on the N. side of an eminence Geb'ddem \ 
(7,671'), which commands a magnifi- ! 

b B 



cent view. Descending rapidly to SE., 
the chalets of the Bististaffel are 
reached in 3^ hrs. from Stalden. A 
second ascent leads to the low Bis- 
tenen Pass, and a path (ill traced) goes 
rather S. of E. to the Simplon road 
near the Old Hospice, while another 
to the 1. leads to the top of the Sim- 
plon Pass. By the former Simpeln is 
reached in 3 hrs. from the Bististaffel.] 

A mile beyond Gamsen is Glys, where 
the ascent of the Simplon originally 
commenced, but the universal practice 
is to make a slight detour by 

Brieg (Inns : Poste, much improved ; 
H. d'Angleterre, good ; others second- 
rate), a small, cheerful-looking town, 
with a conspicuous building, the chateau 
of the Stockalper family, and another 
large house which, up to 1847, was a 
college directed by the Jesuits. There 
is a pretty good restaurant adjoining the 
diligence office, convenient for those 
who travel that way. Pedestrians may 
save fully 8 m. in the ascent by fol- 
lowing the old mule-track instead of 
the road: the only difficulty arises 
from one bridge having been carried 
away, for which a pine-trunk has been 
substituted. The writer found \\\ hrs.' 
steady walking, with a knapsack, suffi- 
cient for the distance from Brieg to 
Domo d'Ossola, including a halt of 
f hr. at the Hospice. The old track 
keeps above the rt. bank of the Saltine, 
leaving Berisal several miles distant to 
the 1. 

The Pass of the Simplon is the 
lowest in the main range of the Alps 
between the Mont Genevre and the 
Maloya Pass connecting the head of 
the Lake of Como with the Valley of 
the Inn. Like those passes, this cor- 
responds rather to a dislocation than to 
a gap in the main chain. The N. and 
S. direction prevailing amongst the 
ridges and valleys of the Monte Rosa 
group here ceases, and the main range 
here resumes its characteristic direc- 
tion from SW. to NE. The pass is 
approached on the N. side through a 
short and steep glen traversed by the 
insignificant torreut of the Saltine, but 
2 



366 



PENNINE ALPS. § 21. SIMPLON DISTRICT. 



on the Italian side the road descends 
into the narrow ravine of the Yal 
Vedro running from W. to E. parallel 
to the adjoining valleys of Bugnanco 
and Antrona. 

In ascending from Brieg there is a 
very fine view of the Bernese Alps to 
the N. s but the great Aletsch Glacier, 
though so near, is almost hid by the 
slopes of the Rieder Alp. After 
mounting some distance by short zig- 
zags, the road makes a wide sweep to 
the 1., and then returns towards the 
gorge of the Saltine, but at a great 
height above the torrent. At the Se- 
cond Refuge the first great obstacle to 
the progress of the road is encountered. 
A torrent called the Ganther descends 
from the E. to join the Saltine, and has 
cut for itself a deep and narrow glen 
crossing the line that must be taken to 
reach the pass. The road here makes 
a second and still longer detour towards 
the head of the glen of the Ganther. 
after passing which it ascends to the 
post-station of Berisal (5,007'), where 
there is now a comfortable country inn. 
It is now necessary to return, though at 
a higher level, on the S. side of the 
Ganther, again approaching the gorge 
of the Saltine, so that the Fourth 
Refuge, scarcely 1 m. in a straight 
line from the second, is distant at 
least 6 m. by the road. The first 
tunnel, or gallery, is that of SchaUbet, 
and beyond it, to the 1., opens a view 
of a wild gorge bearing the same 
name, round which the road is carried, 
though by a less considerable circuit 
than that of Berisal. This part of the 
road is much exposed to avalanches in 
winter and spring. Passing under the 
Kalticasser Glacier, lying on the W. 
slope of the Monte Leone, the road is 
protected from the torrent and from 
avalanches by an artificial gallery, 
built in massive masonry, which allows 
the road to pass unharmed under ice, 
snow, or waterfall. Here the Monte 
Leone (11,696') (see next Rte.), and the 
Schonhorn (10,507') rise grandly to the 
E. and SE., and in approaching the sum- 
mit of the pass the traveller once again 



beholds the range of the Bernese Alps 
as far as the Jungfrau, with the nearly 
equally lofty chain of the Nesthorn 
(§ 25), whose peaks are confounded 
with the more distant mountains be- 
hind. Before reaching the Sixth Re- 
fuge the road passes through a long 
new gallery, completed in 1S52, erected 
to guard this part of the road from 
spring avalanches. Immediately be- 
yond the same Refuge is the summit 
of the pass, 6,595 ft. above the sea, 
marked by a wooden cross. The road 
then descends very gently for a few 
yards to the new Hospice, which was 
left unfinished by Napoleon, and only 
completed many years later by the monks 
of the Great St. Bernard, to whose 
care he committed it. The manage- 
ment is similar to that of the parent 
house (§ 18, Rte. A), but the cold here 
is much less severe, and the facility of 
access by the high-road makes the 
services of the worthy monks less 
indispensable than at their original 
station. It is estimated, however, that 
they annually give gratuitous food or 
lodging to about 12,000 poor travellers. 
Those who halt here, and can afford to 
do so, should, of course, not omit to 
put a suitable donation into the box 
kept for that purpose. For the passes 
hence to Saas see Rte. D. 

For at least 3 m. from the summit 
of the pass the road traverses an un- 
dulating plateau, sloping gently to 
the SE. On the right hand stands the 
Old Hospice, a tower built by one of 
the Stockalper family. The Seventh 
Refuge is now in ruins, not being 
required, and about 3 m. farther is 
Simpeln (Fr. Siinplon; Ital. Sempione). 
The road and the pass deservedly 
obtain the French name which is 
associated with their history, but as 
the village has a German population, 
and (although on the Italian side of 
the watershed) belongs to the Canton 
Valais, it must retain its original name. 
The village stands 4,850 ft. above the 
sea. The Post was formerly a dirty 
and disagreeable stopping-place, but is 
now completely changed, supplying 



ROUTE A. VAL DI VEDRO. 



367 



good rooms and good food at reason- 
able charges. TheH. Fletschhorn at the 
lower end of the village is now closed. 
The Rossboden Glacier, descending in a 
fine ice fall from the N. peak of the 
Fletschhorn, approaches near to the 
village, and well deserves a visit, •which 
■will occupy 3 or 4 hrs. The more con- 
siderable Laquin Glacier sends its tor- 
rent down to the valley near to Algaby. 

The stream which descends from the 
upper pan of the pass on the side of 
Italy is called Krummbach, but lower 
down it receives the Italian name 
Doveria. The pedestrian may make a 
short cut in descending from Simpeln 
to Algaby, where the road is carried 
through a tunnel 224 ft long, and soon 
after crosses to the 1. bank of the 
Doveria Here the traveller enters the 
Gorge of Gondo, one of the most remark- 
able scenes traversed by a carriage- 
road in the Alps. The valley is here 
a mere cleft between precipitous gneiss 
rocks of great height, and the utmost 
skill of the engineer has been taxed to 
find a passage for the road alongside of 
the stream, which, after every storm, 
becomes a furious torrent. Nor is this 
the only risk to be encountered. The 
?ame cause sometimes detaches blocks 
>f stone from the face or summit of the 
precipice, and passing carriages hare 
ere now been crushed by their fall. 
Some plants of the aipine region, and 
among them Saussurea discolor, may 
be seen on the rocks. After cross- 
ing the D)veria by a wooden bridge 
called Ponte Alto, and soon after re- 
turning to the 1. bank, the road 
reaches the entrance of the great 
Gallery of Gondo. This is a tunnel 
709 ft. in length, cut through a buttress 
of extremely hard rock, which all but 
closes the gorge. Nothing can be 
more striking than the scene on issuing 
from the E. end of the tunnel. The 
Fressivone torrent, issuing from a 
lateral cleft in the wall of the valley, 
falls in a roaring waterfall close to the 
mouth of the tunnel, and the road is 
carried across a bridge close under the 
fall. The next portion of the road has 



frequently suffered from the destructive 
effects of storms which, especially in 
1834 and 1839, carried away bridges 
and portions of the roadway. 

Gondo (Germ. Gunz), with several 
unattractive inns, and a picturesque 
Stockalper tower, seven stories high, 
originally built as a refuge for travel- 
lers, is the last village belonging to the 
V alais. A narrow cleft to the rt. is the 
opening of the valley of Zwischbergen 
(lite. E). Half a mile beyond the 
village a column marks the frontier of 
Italy. This happens to correspond to 
a considerable change in the character 
of the vegetation, which assumes a 
decided southern character when, 2^ in. 
farther, the traveller reaches 

Isella (Inn : Poste, good and clean, 
but small, one of the best on the 
road), the Italian custom-house station. 
The storms above alluded to pro- 
duced their utmost effect in the por- 
tion of the valley below Isella, called 
Val di Vedro, and for a space of 
several miles not only did the bridges 
disappear, but the road itself was 
completely swept away by the flood. 
About 2 m, farther the Cherasca 
torrent joins the Doveria. [For 
the passes leading to the Binnen Thai 
and Val Antigorio, see § 29.] The 
chestnut has become the prevailing tree 
before the road traverses the last gal- 
lery, where the prickly pears spreading 
over the rocks further prove the change 
ol ilimate. The Doveria is crossed for 
th . last time 8 m. below Isella by the 
fine bridge of 

Crevola (tolerable inn: Stella), and 
the traveller issues from the narrow 
gorge of the Val di Vedro into the 
broad stately Val d'Ossola, bright with 
numerous villages and white campa- 
niles, rich with the peculiar vegetation 
of Northern Italy, where mulberry- 
trees and trellised. vines dispute the 
occupation of the soil with maize and 
hemp, and the varied crops that are 
crowded together in every spare spot 
of ground. The sense of an utter 
change of scene is completed to the ear 
by the keen shrillness of the unseen 



368 



PENNINE ALPS. § 21. SIMPLON DISTRICT. 



cicale that fills the entire air. The 
Yal d'Ossola is traversed hy the Tosa 
or Toccia, a very considerable Alpine 
stream, which soon ends its short course 
from the Val Formazza (§ 29) in the 
Lago Maggiore. The torrent from the 
Val Eugnanco (Rte. F) has poured a 
vast mass of debris into the broad level 
bed of the Val dOssola a short distance 
above 

Domo d'Ossola (Inns : H. de la Ville, 
tolerably good : H. d'Espagne), a small 
town with nothing worthy of notice, 
unless it be the Italian aspect of the 
buildings and the inhabitants. The 
Hotel Albasini, just outside the town, is 
very well kept, and the charges reason- 
able. It is resorted to for the sake 
of baths, by persons who lodge en pen- 
sion during the summer season. Om- 
nibuses ply daily to Pallanza and 
Baveno. A more agreeable way for 
the pedestrian to the Lago Maggiore 
lies through the Val Vegezzo (§ 32), 
for the road to Arona, though carried 
through a beautiful country, is too hot 
to make walking pleasant. The charge 
for a char to Baveno or Pallanza is, or 
was, 15 fr. [The Val d'Ossola has 
suffered much of late years from inun- 
dations, the last and greatest being that 
of Oct. 1868, when the Lago Maggiore 
rose 18 ft. above its ordinary level.] 

At Villa, about 3^ m. below Domo, 
the Ovesca, issuing from the Val An- 
trona, joins the main stream, and the 
more important stream of the Anza is 
received into the Tosa a few miles lower 
down, close to the new bridge at Masone. 
Travellers bound from Domo to Val 
Anzasca (§ 20, Rte. F) find a road to 
the I., leading to Pie di Mulera, some 
distance before reaching the opening 
of the valley. From the road near the 
bridge the highest peaks of Monte 
Rosa are seen in clear weather above 
the opening of Val Anzasca. About a 
mile beyond the bridge of Masone is 

Vogoyna (Inn: Corona, fair). The 
Tosa is here navigable for large barges. 
The valley gradually widens as it ap- 
proaches the lake. At Cuzzago the 
road to Pallanza (omnibus daily from 



Domo) turns to the 1., keeping to the I. 
bank of the Tosa. The main road crosses 
to the rt. bank by a new stone bridge 
at Migiandone, and about 2 m. farther 
reaches the next post-station at 

Ornavasso (Inn: Croce Bianca), 
where extensive quarries have supplied 
most of the white marble used in con- 
structing the cathedral of Milan. About 
3 j m. farther is Gravelkma (Inn: Eu- 
ropa), where the high road crosses the 
Strona, which here bears down the 
drainage of the Lake of Orta (Rte. C). 
N. of the Tosa, but near at hand, is 
the Mont' Orfano, an isolated hill of 
pink granite, while the slopes of the 
Motterone. above the road, are' formed 
of white-grained granite extensively 
quarried. At Fariolo (Inn: Leone 
d Oro, fair) the bay of Pallanza. one of 
the most beautiful portions of the Lago 
Maggiore, comes fully into view ; and 
a little farther on the road reaches 
one of the most frequented haunts ol 
tourists. 

Baveno. Passing travellers usually 
lodge at the Hotel Bellevue, a large 
house by the road side. A much larger 
establishment — H. Beaurivage — kept 
by the same proprietor ( ?), stands in its 
own grounds by the lake, and is fre- 
quented by those who halt for some 
days. It is very well kept, first-rate in 
every respect. The view of the lake 
from Baveno is fine, though not superioi 
to that from other points on its shores, 
i The main source of attraction here is 
the neighbourhood of the Borromean 
Islands, which have acquired a reputa- 
tion even greater than their deserts. 
They may, however, be equally well 
visited from Stresa, or even from Pal- 
j lanza (§ 31). The islands are four 
I in number. Of these, the smallest 
! — Isola di S. Giovanni — is unimportant, 
i and the Isola dei Pescatori, nearest to 
Baveno, though picturesque from a 
distance, does not gain by a nearer 
acquaintance. The Isola Madre, half- 
way between Baveno and Pallanza, is a 
garden partly planted with orange and 
lemon trees on formal terraces, and in 
part laid out in the English style. It is 



ROUTE A. — BORROMEAN ISLANDS. 



3C9 



interesting from the variety of exotic 
plants that here flourish in the open air, 
though partially protected in winter. 
The agave attains a great size, and 
many Australian and Indian trees and 
shrubs seem to grow freely in sheltered 
spots. Fee to the gardener, 1 fr. 

The chief resort of strangers is the 
Isola Bella. The palace of the Bor- 
romeo family, commenced on a scale of 
regal grandeur, remains incomplete. 
The state rooms are exhibited to stran- 
gers, but there is not much worthy of 
notice, and the pictures are, almost 
without exception, of the later Lom- 
bard school. The collection includes 50 
landscapes by Tempesta, who here found 
hospitality and a secure retreat when 
pursued by the ministers of the law for 
the murder of his wife. The greater 
part of the island, originally bare rock, 
was about 2 centuries ago converted 
into a garden formed of 10 terraces, 
rising one above the other in successive 
stages to a height of about 130 ft. above 
the lake. At an enormous expense of 
labour and money, soil was carried from 
the shores of the lake, and arrange- 
ments contrived, not only for protecting 
many of the plants in winter, but for 
applying artificial heat through subter- 
ranean passages. The result has been 
so far successful, that many plants and 
trees, not seen elsewhere so far north, 
here grow luxuriantly, and the effect of 
the rich vegetation, combined with the 
beautiful views of the lake and the sur- 
rounding mountains, must Satisfy all 
but the most fastidious. Critics who 
complain of the want of simplicity and 
naturalness may fairly be answered that 
the island looks to be what it is — a crea- 
tion of art — and that on no other terms 
would it be possible, in such a position, 
to obtain the object in view. There is 
a good inn (Delfino) on the island, close 
to the palace. It is convenient for those 
going and returning by steamer, but is 
too small for the number of visitors, and 
often full. 

The charges for boats at Baveno are 



exorbitant. Going to Isola Bella and 
returning, 5 fr. ; for a short row, or 
going to the steamer, 2.50 fr. ; steam- 
boat passengers to or from the Delfino 
Hotel pass free of charge. 

About 2 m. S. of Baveno is Stresa 
(Inns : H. des lies Borromees, a large 
new house, very well kept ; Albergo 
Reale, of modest exterior, said to be 
comfortable and reasonable). For the 
excursion to the Monte Motterone see 
next Rte. The next village is Belgirate 
(Inn: Alb. del Porto Franco). From 
this place to Arona the shore of the 
lake is thickly studded with villas. 
Near the next village Lesa, was that of 
the poet Manzoni. Farther on is Meinu, 
and 3 m. beyond it 

Arona (Inns: Italia, best; Alb. 
Reale ; both good, but not cheap), a 
thriving town, the present terminus of 
the rly. to Novara, and the chief port 
for the lake steamers. These ply each 
way three times daily in summer, and 
most travellers arriving from Domo 
d'Ossola at Baveno, Stresa, or Pallanza, 
prefertocontinuetheir route by steamer. 
In approaching the town the traveller 
has passed below the colossal statue of 
San Carlo Borromeo, standing on a flat- 
topped hill, which forms a natural ter- 
race parallel to the shore of the lake, 
\ hr.'s walk from Arona. The pedestal 
is 46 ft. high, and the statue 66 ft. ; in 
all, 112 ft. Some zealous sight-seers 
climb up into the head of the statue, 
partly by ladders and partly inside the 
figure, and, after sitting down in the 
inside of the nose, scramble down 
again. 

From Arona 3 trains go daily to 
Alessandria, and after a short delay 
passengers may proceed thence to 
Genoa. Passengers proceeding to Turin 
or Milan are liable to delay at Navara. 
The shortest way to Milan is to go by 
steamer to Sesto Calende. The journey 
by railway thence to Milan takes only 
2 hrs. and 5 min. 

The Lago Maggiore is described in 
§ 32. 



870 



PENNINE ALPS. § 21. SIMPLON DISTRICT. 



Route B. 

DOtfO D'OSSOLA TO BRIEG, BY THE YAL 
CHERASCA. 

A glance at the map shows that, irre- 
spective of the -windings of the road- 
way, the Simplon road makes a great 
detour round the W. and S. sides of the 
Monte Leone, whereas the direct course 
from Brieg to Domo would lie by the 
IsE. side of that peak, and along the 
Yal Cherasca, which joins the Yal di 
Yedro helow Isella. 

No less than three passes lead from 
the head of the Y'al Cherasca to the 
road of the Simplon. offering an agree- 
able variety to the mountaineer. Those 
approaching from the lower part of the 
Yal di Yedro (see last Rte.) may follow 
a mule-track that mounts through Val 
Cherasca from Varzo (a village inn) ; 
hut it is better to start from the good 
inn at Isella. It is not necessary to 
descend thence to the opening of the 
Val Cherasca. A path mounts rather I 
steeply from Isella to Trasquera, a vil- | 
lage overlooking the junction of the | 
two valleys. Here lives a well-known 
chamois-hunter, named Franz, an ex- 
cellent cragsman, who is well ac- 
quainted with the rather difficult passes 
at the head of the valley. The Vat 
Cherasca, also called Val di Nenibro, 
lies between a ridge diverging from 
the Monte Leone and a rugged range 
whose highest summit is the Monte 
Cistella (9,439'). 

A short way above Trasquera the 
path enters the valley, at a consider- 
able height above the stream, and after 
passing some houses is carried nearly 
at a level above the rt. bank for fully 
2 hrs.. through very fine scenery. On 
reaching a group of chalets called 
Campo, a path mounting to the 1. leads 
to the Yal Vedro across the intervening 
range, while the true track ascends by 
the rt. bank of the main stream, till, in 

hrs. from Trasquera, or 4^ from 
Isella, it attains the pastures at the 
head of the valley, named Diveglia or 



Divei, with several groups of chalets. 
These are very finely situated in a 
broad basin fringed by larch forests, 
and enclosed by a semicircular range of 
high peaks, extending from the Monte 
Leone to the Pizzo di Boccareccio. 
These all exceed 10,000 ft. in height, 
and none of the four passes leading to 
the Valais falls much below 9,000 ft. 
That lying farthest to the rt., called 
Passo di Boccareccio, is noticed in § 29. 
This is followed by the bold peak of 
the Bortelhorn, or Punta di Rebbio 
(10,482'), and further to the 1. is the 
Passo di Rebbio, or Orebbio (about 
9.000' ?), leading to Berisal on the 
Simplon road. Another pass, called 
Passo di Aurona, a little farther S., is 
apparently a few feet lower than the 
last, and leads equally to Berisal. The 
way to the first-mentioned pass lies 
over a small glacier, and it appears de- 
cidedly the more difficult on the Italian 
side, but the descent towards Berisal 
(which is reached by either pass in 
about 5 hrs. from Diveglia) is far 
more difficult by the Passo di Aurona. 
More interesting than either of the 
above is the pass from Diveglia to the 
Hospice of the Simplon. This lies 
immediately on the N. side of the 
Monte Leone, ascending by the Au- 
rona Glacier, and descending on the 
Swiss side by the Kaltwasser Gletscher. 
The former glacier is much the more 
considerable of the two. At first sight 
it appears to present no difficulty, there 
being a clear space towards the middle 
of the ice-stream, which, save near the 
top, is quite free from crevasses. But 
the experienced mountaineer will not 
fail to notice several considerable piles 
of ice-debris lying on the steep southern 
bank, with large scattered blocks that 
extend more than half-way across the 
glaiier. These are the remains of ava- 
lanches that constantly fall during the 
summer from the upper shelf of the 
Monte Leone. They are — perhaps 
with reason — considered so dangerous 
that Franz, and the few hunters who 
sometimes pass this way, prefer to 
avoid the glacier, and pass along the 



ROUTE C. — MONTE LEONE. 



371 



steep face of the rocks that enclose it 
on the N. side. This requires some 
steadiness of head, and the footing is 
in some places rather insecure. The 
course followed by the writer was to 
return from the rocks to the Aurona 
Glacier near its head, where it flows 
from the same snow-field that on the 
opposite side feeds the Kaltwasser Gla- 
cier. Some of the giants of the Pen- 
nine chain, and especially the Weiss- 
horn, are seen to rise grandly towards 
the SW., as the traveller reaches the 
summit (9,35 1'), lying between the 
Wasenhorn (10,728'J and the Monte 
Leone. 

The descent from the upper level of 
the Kaltwasser Glacier is easily effected 
by the moraine on the rt. bank. Having 
reached the point where the glacier falls 
rapidly towards the road of the Simplon, 
the traveller may descend by the rocks 
on the rt. side of an ice- fall, but the 
shortest way to the Hospice lies across 
the glacier. About the centre there is 
a depression, or ice-valley, down which 
it is easy to reach the foot of the gla- 
cier somewhat on the I. side. Descend- 
ing, and bearing to the 1., the traveller 
reaches the Hospice in less than 5 hrs. 
from Diveglia. 

The hunters of Val Cherasca call 
the pass connecting the Aurona and 
Kaltwasser Glaciers by the name Terra 
Rossa, from the colour of the crumbling 
rocks, by which they are used to pass. 
As it seems, however, to have no well- 
recognised name, there seems to be no 
objection to the adoption of the name 
Kaltwasser Joch, proposed by Mr Ja- 
comb, in the 4th number of the 'Alpine 
Journal.' 

Among several rare plants on the 
slopes about the Aurona Glacier, the 
botanist will observe Campanula cenisia, 
and Saxifraga biflora on the moraine, 
and Saussurea discolor, on the rocks 
higher up. 

The ascent of the Monte Leone is an 
expedition of great interest, too rarely 
undertaken, considering its slight dif- 
ficulty and the admirable position for 
a panoramic view. The summit is 



a long ridge, whose highest point 
(11,696') is at the ENE. end, overlook- 
ing the Aurona Glacier, while the 
WSW. end, commonly regarded as 
the highest peak by those who see it 
from the Simplon road, attains but 
10,761 ft. The ridge may be reached 
from the upper plateau of the Kalt- 
wasser Glacier, but more easily from 
the S. side, by the Alpien Glacier and 
the arete descending from the summit, 
which forms its E. boundary. The 
best way is apparently by a col or de- 
pression in the ridge NE. of the village 
of Simpeln ; but the Alpien Glacier 
is also accessible from the chalets of 
Alpien, lying on a shelf of the moun- 
tain 2,000 ft. above the gorge of Gondo, 
and reached by a rough path which 
joins the high road about 1 m. below 
the bridge of Algaby (Rte. A). 

Zum Kremi, and Jordan, of Simpeln, 
are recommended as guides. In the 
second part of ' Berg- und Gletscher- 
Fahrten ' there is an account of the 
ascent by M. Weilenmann, effected 
without a guide, but not without con- 
siderable danger in crossing the cre- 
vasses on the ice-slope above the Kalt- 
wasser Gletscher. 



Route C. 

DOMO D'OSSOLA TO ARONA, BY OHTA. 

The Lake of Orta, described in § 20, 
Rte, K, is closely connected with the 
road of the Simplon, and may conve- 
niently be taken in the way to Arona, 
either by the carriage-traveller or the 
pedestrian. From Gravellona (Rte. A), 
nearly 20 m. from Domo, a good road 
runs along the 1. bank of the Strona to 
Omeyna (§ 20, Rte. M), a distance of 4 
m. Thence to Orta is an agreeable 
drive along the lake of about 7 m., 



372 



PENNINE ALPS. § 21. S1MPL0N DISTRICT. 



or a rather less distance by boat : charge, 
with one rower,. 2 fr. From Orta to 
Arona it was formerly necessary to 
make a long detour by Borgomanero, 
but a new carriage-road has been 
completed, hilly but commanding fine 
views. By this way the distance from 
Grav.lloca to Arona is not more 
than 23 m. 

A far more interesting way. enabling 
the traveller to enjoy the finest parts 
of both routes to Arona, with the 
addition of a first-rate view, is by the 
Monte Matter one. the summit of the 
range dividing the two lakes. It may 
be easily reached from Orta. Omegna, 
Baveno. or Stresa, and no one stopping 
at any of those places should omit the 
ascent. The mountain has been called 
the Italian Righi, a title which better 
belongs to the Monte Generoso(§ 39). 
The panorama is. indeed, very beautiful, 
and not unworthy to rank near to its 
Swiss rival ; but the mountain is in it- 
self far less interesting, the relief of the 
surface is less varied, the brilliant 
colouring of the Alpine pastures is not 
seen here, and a great part of the sur- 
face is occupied by meagre stunted 
heather, wherein grey and brown tints 
predominate. The traveller wishing to 
enjoy the view, and to visit both the 
lakes, will do best to turn aside from the 
Simplon road at Gravellona and sleep 
at Orta (§ 20, Rte. K). Thence the 
Motterone is easily reached in 3f hrs., 
passing the hamlets of Masino and" Che- 
gino. Those who avail themselves of 
donkeys, which are kept for the ascent, 
may allow \ hr. longer time. It is 
advisable to start very early, and so 
increase the chance of a clear view ; 
but should clouds come on. and there be 
no chance of perseverance being re- 
warded, on reaching a sign-post with the 
inscription, 1 Alia Cima del Motterone' 
the traveller instead of following the 
track to the summit may keep straight 
on over the shoulder of the mountain, 
and so save hr. in his morning's 
walk. " " 

In one respect the panorama from the 
summit (4.S17') is superior to that from 



' the Righi, as the peaks of Monte Rosa 
i and the Saas Grat are here nearer at 
I hand, and better seen than the Bernese 
I Oberland range is from the Swiss 
I mountain. These mighty summits are 
i followed by the "Weiss-mies and the 
| Monte Leone, succeeded by a crowd of 
lower summits chiefly belonging to the 
Canton of Tessin. Between !NE. and E. 
the more distant range of the Bernina 
j shows its snowy peaks, and still farther 
! off a glacier-clad mass is distinguished 
j which is often pointed out as the Orreler 
j Spitze, and sometimes as the Oetzthaler 
j Alps. This is the range of the Ada- 
; mello, between the Val Camonica and 
! the Val Rendena (§ 41), about 100 
m. distant from the observer. The 
vast plain of Lombardy and Piedmont 
is in clear weather bounded by the 
Apennine, and towards the W. by 
the Cotrian Alps, crowned by the 
peak of Monte Viso. The charac- 
teristic beauty of the view depends, 
however, on the two lakes which, 
between them, all but surround the 
mountain, and one advantage of making 
the ascent from Orta is in the additional 
charm of this first view of the Lago 
Maggiore, which remains in sight 
during the greater part of the descent. 
The lakes of Varese. Comabbio, Bian- 
drone, and Monate, though not promi- 
nent, are interesting objects in the pano- 
rama. The descent to Baveno is 
shorter and steeper than that to Stresa, 
but either may be easily reached in 
2 hrs. In fine weather a nerson well 
used to mountain walking will not ab- 
| solutely require a guide, but when the 
clouds lie low it is extremely difficult 
'for a stranger to find his way over the 
undulating ridges of the mountain, 
} Charge for a guide, 5 fr., going and 
returning the same way. 



ROUTE D. — TIIALI JOCH. 



373 



Route D. 

SIMPELN TO SAAS ASCENT OF THE 

FLETSCHHORN. 

The lofty chain lying Between the 
valley of Saas and the road of the 
bimplon is far from being completely 
explored, though better known than 
formerly, owing to the successful ex- 
peditions referred to in this and the 
following Rtes. 

The highes summit in the range is 
the Weissmies (13,225'), immediately E. 
of Saas. N of the Weissmies, and but 
a few feet lower, is the Fletschhorn, 
which when seen from the Bernese Alps, 
or the Italian valleys, shows as a single 
peak, but in fact includes two summits 
separated by a deep and impassable in- 
terval of rock and glacier. The higher 
of these, properly called Laquinliorn 
(13,176'), was first ascended in 1856 
by Mr. Ames and three English com- 
panions, with Herr Imseng, late cure of 
Saas, and four guides. An account of 
the expedition is given in the first series 
of ' Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers.' The 
other peak, standing a little NE. of 
the last, is the Rossbodenhorn (13,084'). 
This is the peak seen from the Simplon 
road, and called Fletschhorn at the 
village of Simpeln. It is said to have 
been attained several years ago by a 
Swiss traveller. 

The ascent of the Laquinhorn, as 
described by Mr. Ames, appears to be 
free from serious difficulty. A broken 
ridge of rock descending from the 
summit towards the valley of Saas 
divides two small glaciers which unite 
at its base some way above the Trift 
Alp. Crossing the glacier to the foot 
of the ridge the summit is reached 
by steady climbing for about 3^ hrs. 
The view is, of course, very grand, but, 
perhaps, not quite equal to that from 
the Weissmies (Rte. E). 

Up to the summer of 1863 little or 
nothing was known of the passes be- 
tween the Simplon Pass and the valley 
of Saas, though the intervening range 



has occasionally been traversed by 
native mountaineers. In 1863 three 
passes, and in 1864 a fourth pass, were 
effected by English travellers, who 
have favoured the Editor with notes. 

1. By the Gamser Jock. This is by 
far the easiest of the passes here de- 
scribed. A notice of it is given in the 
' Alpine Journal,' by Mr. A. W. Moore, 
who crossed it with Melchior Anderegg, 
and Joseph Dorsaz of Simpeln. Follow - 
ing the high road from the village till 
near the Old Hospice, they turned to 

I the I. at the Nieder Alp, and mounted 
I by a faint track which leads to the Rau 
I Glacier. Then followed a steep ascent, 
I ending in a precipitous gully, which 
ultimately landed them on a desolate 
i plain. In less than 3^ hrs. they reached 
the ridge overlooking the Nanzerthal, 
I the head of which was concealed by a 
projecting rock. On gaining a view of 
the Gamser Glacier; three cols are seen. 
One, on the opposite side of the glacier, 
lies N. of the Simmelihorn ; the second 
is SE. of that peak ; while the third is 
farther to the 1., above the ice-fall of the 
Gamser Glacier. The second of these 
is the direct way to Saas. Crossing 
the glacier diagonally, they reached, in 
1| nr. from the opposite ridge, the sum- 
mit of the Gamser Jack (about 9,300'). 
In 1840 the veteran G. Studer reached, 
in 1 hr. from this pass, also called 
Mattwaldgrat, the top of the Simmeli- 
horn or Mattwaldhorn. His panorama 
from hence has been engraved. A steep 
but not difficult descent over rocks took 
them down into a glen, the head of 
which is closed by the Mattwald Gla- 
cier ; then, following a stream, they 
reached in 1 hr. a chalet, whence there 
is a tolerably good paib leading to Saas 
along the slopes above the E. side of the 
valley. Excluding halts, 7| hrs. suffice 
for the expedition. 

2. By the Thali Joch. This pass 
was first accomplished by the Rev. 
J. R. King, with Joseph Dorsaz, of 
Simpeln, as guide, and J. Zenklusen as 
porter. In the notice of the pass sent 
to the Alpine Guide,' the name Col 
du Weissmies was adopted, but Mr. 



374: 



PENNINE ALPS. § 2 



1. SIMPLON DISTRICT. 



King has since -with justice preferred 
the name Thali Joch, more likely to be 
adopted by the German population at 
either side of the pass. 

Leaving the high-road about 1 m. 
below the village of Simpeln, the party 
followed the path above the 1. bank of 
the Laquin torrent to the first chalets, 
reached in 1 hr. from the village. The 
torrent was here crossed, and a steep 
ascent up the opposite hill-side led in 
1 hr. more to the last chalets. The as- 
cent was continued in the same direction 
till the Thalihorn, and an adjoining 
dome of snow conspicuous from Al- 
gaby, came into sight. After bearing 
somewhat to the rt. along the rocky 
ridge between the Laquin and Thali 
Glaciers, until the rocks disappeared 
under the neve, they kept a straight 
course across the glacier to the snow 
dome. Without any serious obstacle, 
and enjoying extremely grand views of 
the neighbouring peaks, they reached 
the summit of this dome, which over- 
looks the low country to the S., with 
a great part of the Lago Maggiore. 
This was attained in less than 5 hrs. 
from Simpeln. A short descent over 
snow leads to the Thali Joch, which is 
the pass between the above-mentioned 
snow dome and the Thalihorn. The 
way then lies over rocks down to a 
small glacier close under the latter 
peak. This was crossed to its SW. 
corner, and the party then descended 
nearly S. to meet the Zwischbergen 
Glacier, near the point where it is met 
by the Gemeinde Alp Glacier, 1^ hr. 
below the Zwischbergen Pass. 3 hrs. 
were consumed in this part of the de- 
scent in a fruitless attempt to force the 
way round some rocks at a higher level. 
Mr. King considers that half that time 
ought to suffice, and he allows 10| hrs. 
for this very fine expedition, which 
apparently presents no serious obstacle 
to practised mountaineers. 

3. By the Laquin Joch. The attempts 
which have been made with various suc- 
cess to effect a passage over the highest 
and steepest part of the Fletschhorn 
range have led to some slight confusion | 



| in regard to the nomenclature of the new- 
passes recently discovered. The writer 
would willingly defer to the authority of 
the Editor of the 'Alpine Journal,' him- 
self one of the explorers of this range, 
if there were not strong reasons against 
the adoption of the name proposed for 
the last-described pass. 

Although the range connecting the 
Weissmies with the Laquinhorn presents 
a formidable appearance at a distance, it 
does not seem that the pass effected by 
Messrs. Heathcote and Robertson offers 
very serious difficulties. Mounting from 
Saas by the Trift Alp, they followed a 
ridge of rock that- divides the two 
branches of the Trift Glacier. From tha 
upper end of this ridge the pass, which 
has been called Laquin Joch, is seen as 
a gap at the lowest point in a jagged 
range of rocks rising out of the snow. 
They crossed just to the 1. of this, and 
throughout the descent kept well to the 
1., over steep but not very difficult rocks, 
till they finally reached an ancient mo- 
raine on the rt. of the Laquin Glacier. 
This was crossed, and they followed the 
Laquinthal to its opening, little more 
than 1 m. from the village of Simpeln. 
Time about 10^ hrs.' walking. Height 
of the pass about 12,300 ft. (?). 

4 By the Fletsch Joch. This very 
difficult and even dangerous pass was 
accomplished in 18 03 by Messrs. F. 
W. Jacomb and G. Chater. Having 
slept at the Ober Staffel chalet, in the 
Laquinthal, they crossed the torrent to 
its 1. bank, ascended the steep slopes at 
the head of the valley, and after cross- 
ing a ridge and a huge moraine, reached 
the 1. bank of the Laquin Glacier in 
3 hrs. from the chalet. Here the diffi- 
culties of the pass commenced. The 
upper part of the glacier is a seemingly 
impracticable ice-fall, and is besides 
swept by falling blocks from the pre- 
cipices above the rt. bank. After 
mounting for 1 hr. along the glacier, 
the party took to the cliffs on the 1. 
bank. The remainder of the way was 
alternately up very steep rocks and 
couloirs of ice, not seldom swept by 
discharges of stones, and this part of 



ROUTE E. ASCENT 



OF THE WEISSMIES. 



375 



the ascent required 7 hrs. of perilous 
climbing. The pass lies between the 
Laquinhorn and the Rossbodenhorn, the 
two highest peaks of the Fletschhorn, 
and was found to be 12,103 ft. in 
heigbt. The descent to Saas may be 
effected in 4 hrs. without any difficulties, 
excepting those of an ordinary kind 
arising from concealed creva-ses. It is 
evident that this pass is too difficult 
and dangerous to be fitted for general 
adoption. 



Route E. 

HAAS TO ISELLA, BY THE ZWISCH- 
BERGEN PASS ASCENT OF THE 

WEISSMIES. 

On the S. side of the Weissmies. 
and between that mountain and the 
rugged range of the Portien Grat, is a 
depression in the main chain, giving a 
passage from Saas into Piedmont 
through the narrow valley of Zwisch- 
bergen, which joins the Val Vedro just 
above the village of Gondo. Though 
high and rather long, requiring 12 hrs. 
from Saas to Isella, this pass is free 
from difficulty, so that for a practised 
mountaineer, and in fine weather, a 
guide is not indispensable. As men- 
tioned in § 20, Rte. N, the Lthmbach 
torrent joins the Visp at Almagell, less 
than 1 hr. above Saas. Following the 
stream, the pass is clearly seen through- 
out the greater part of the ascent, 
which lies over grassy slopes. Towards 
the top are considerable patches of 
snow, and in 5 hrs. from Saas the 
traveller reaches the summit of the 
Zwischbergen Pass (10,742'). 'The 
view is superb, that to the N. alone 
being concealed by the intervening 
mass of the Weissmies. It comprises 
the most perfect view that I have seen 



of the chain of the Saas Grat, extending 
to Monte Rosa, a large section of the 
Lago Maggiore, and endless ranges of 
mountains eastward, far away into the 
Tyrol.'— [A. M.] 'The ridge of the 
pass is very sharp, and falls steeply on 
the NE. side to a glacier. This is 
easily reached, however, by some snow- 
slopes on its N. bank. Following 
this, until it is possible to take to the 
moraine near the foot of the glacier, on 
gaining the highest pastures a track 
will be found.' — [L. S.J The descent 
through the Zwischbergen valley is 
long, but it lies through fine scenery. 
At the hamlet of Zwischbergen gold 
was formerly obtained, by washing the 
sand and gravel brought down by the 
torrent, and it is said that particles are 
often seen, though the quantity is 
trifling. In 7 hrs.' steady walking 
from the pass the traveller may reach 
Isella (Rte. A). 

The first ascent of the Weissmies 
was made by the veteran mountaineer, 
Herr G. Studer. The summit was again 
reached in 1859 by the Rev. Leslie 
Stephen and Mr. Hinchliff. It appears 
for its height (13,225') to be easy of 
access, and admirably situated for a 
panoramic view. 

' The ascent begins directly behind 
Saas, and leads over grass up to near 
a point marked Trifthorn by Studer. 
Here it is necessary to leave the ridge 
and keep along the rocks on the cliffs 
facing the S. They are remarkably 
sound and firm rocks. The ridge is 
again struck at the point where it 
becomes capped with snow, and along 
this snowy ridge it is easy to reach the 
summit. A good many steps might 
occasionally have to be cut. The 
ascent requires about 8 hrs., and the 
descent, being shortened by glissades, 
4 hrs. — [L. S.] 



376 



PENNINE ALPS. § 21. SIM PL ON DISTRICT. 



SIMPELN TO DOMO D'oSSOLA, BY THE 
VAL BUGXAXCO. 



Route F. 



Passo di JIuscera (6,955'). Crossing 
the stream, and passing a chalet -where 
fresh milk and butter may he obtained, 
a mule-track mounts by easy zigzags 
to the pass, which is marked by a 
cross, here indicating the frontier of 



The traveller who has already de- I f aly, as Ine Zwischbergen Thai be- 



road. About 9| hrs.' moderate walk- Mounting for 10 min. W. of the pass, 
ing are required for this route. tne traveller may gain a very fine 

"Avoiding the short-cut which leads j vi( ?w of the neighbouring snowy alps 
from Simpeln to Algaby (Rte. A), the | from tb - e Portien Grat to the Alonte 
hiffh road is followed for about a mile, I Leone. The Passo di Muscera leads 
till a point is reached that overlooks a ; into the N. branch of the Val Bug- 
wooden bridge over the torrent from j nanco, which is separated from the Val 
the Laquin Glacier. Descending di- Vedro by a ridge of high and steep 
rect!v,the pedestrian crosses this bridge. : summits. The descent is at first verjr 
and immediatelv begins the rather steep gentle, but after about 1 hr., at a small 
ascent that leads to the Forcola, or j group of chalets, it is neeessary to de- 
Furggen Pass (5.8S3'). In the early ! scend steeply and cross to the rt. bank 
mornW he enjovs the pleasant shade ! of tn e torrent, then following a rough 
of larch trees, till close to the cross | path that ascends somewhat till it at- 
which marks the summit The views ' tains a small chapel standing on the 
of the Weissmies and Fletschhorn, and j shoulder of the mountain. A few 
the seemingly impassable range of rock paces from the chapel the _ traveller 
connecting the two summits, are very gains a first view of the main valley, 
g ne< lying about 3.000 ft. below him. The 

On the SE. side the descent lies bv chi ef village, called Bugnanco di Den- 
the 1. side of the stream leading from tro, is perched on a steep slope on the 
the Forcola down to the Zwischbergen I rt. side of the ravine below him. but 
Thai, but towards the bottom it is ne- I # bound for Donio he should keep t<> 
cessarv to cross to the rt. bank, passing j the 1- slope, and after a long descent 
near some chalets, in order to reach 1 by a very rough and fatiguing path he 
the bridge across the torrent that drains ! ^iU gain a bridge over the main tor- 
that wild vallev. This is reached in ' rent The way to Domo lies along the 
about 2^ hrs. from Simpeln. A track ! rt. bank, amid fine scenery, and m 
now mounts the steep slope, bearing I 2 hrs. more, after some intermediate 
to the 1., till, in about f hr., it ap- ascents and descents, lie will reach his 
proaches the stream descending from a destination. 

lateral glen called Posetta. The head The Swiss Federal map indicates a 
of this glen, not seen from below, lies ; pass, 7,851 ft. in height, leading from the 
towards the SW., and a faintly marked ! chalets of Pontimia. near the head of 
track, keeping to the 1. bank of the j the Zwischbergen Thai to Pizanco in 
stream, leads to a pass by which the | Val Bugnanco. The ascent is but 
traveller may reach Pizanco, at the : slight, and by that way it may be pos- 
head of the "main branch of the Val . sible lor an active mountaineer to reach 
Bugnanco. A course, shorter by at j Domo d'Ossola from Saas in a long 
least 1 hr., lies nearly due E. over the day's walk. 



scended from Simpeln to Domo d'Os- 
sola (Rte. A), through the gorge of 
Gondo. may take an unfrequented but 
not uninteresting way through the Val 
JBi/gtianco, not longer in point of dis- 
tance, but more laborious than the high 



longs to Switzerland. Though the 
height is more than 1.000 ft. greater 
than that of the Forcola, some stunted 
larches are seen close to the top, along 
with Campanula excisa, Senecio uni- 
florus, and other high alpine plants. 



ROUTE G. — VAL ANTRONA. 



377 



Route G. 

BAAS TO DOMO D'OSSOLA, BY THE VAL 
ANTRONA. 

The Val Antrona is a long and 
beautiful valley which joins the Val 
d'Ossola rather mote than 1 hr. below 
Domo. It is very sinuous, especially 
at the upper end, where it divides into 
two branches, which unite at the village 
of Antrona Piano. At least three 
passes lead from the Saas Thai into 
the Val Antrona. Further informa- 
tion respecting the first-named is de- 
sired. 

1. The northernmost of these passes, 
which may be called Almagell Jock, as 
it passes near the Almagellhom, is 
reached through the glen of the Lehm- 
bach by the path from Almagell 
noticed in Rte. D. It crosses the main 
chain to the S. of the Portien Grat, at 
the head of the Rotkblatt Glacier. On 
the E. side it leads into the upper end 
of the N. branch of the Val Antrona, 
which describes a long curve of horse- 
shoe form before joining the S. branch 
of the same valley at the village of 
Antrona Piano. From Cheggio, which 
is apparently about 2 m. N. of the 
last-named village, a track leads to the 
Val Bugnanco (last Rte.) over the 
ridge W. of the Monte Cardo, and 
probably affords the most direct way 
to Domo d'Ossola. 

2. The most frequented way from 
Saas to the Val Antrona is by the 
Furgge Thai, which joins the Saas 
Thai at Z'meigern, about ^ hr. above 
Almagell. Remains of a paved track 
show that at one time the Saas Pass 
(9,331'), or Col d' Antrona, must have 
been a frequented route. The way 
lies in part over the Furgge Glacier, 
but is free from difficulty. NE. of the 
col, and perhaps 1,000 ft. higher, there 
is a projecting point called Latelhom 
(10,525' ; Fed. Map). 

' This commands a most superb view 
over the entire range of the Alps from 
Monte Rosa to the Tyrol, with the 



subordinate ranges of Piedmont, Tessin, 
and Lombardy. This point is new ; 
it is probably not above 10,000 ft., but 
easy of access. Horses can go within 
\h hr., or less, of the top; and the 
remainder of the ascent, except just 
the horn itself, for some 200 ft., is easy. 
There are beds of snow, but no ice to 
cross. By a tolerable walker the ex- 
cursion from Saas and back may be 
made in 10 hrs., allowing 1 hr. on the 
top, and h hr. for refreshment.' — [M.] 

The descent on the Piedmontese 
side is very steep, but free from ice, 
till the scattered chalets of the Cingino 
Alp are reached. The lowest of these 
stand at the junction of the stream 
from the pass with the main branch of 
the Ovesca or Oyasca torrent. About 
\ hr. below the junction a path turns 
off to the rt, and mounts, first nearly 
due E., and then S., to the Passo di 
San Martino leading to Vanzone in 
Val Anzasca. Descending the main 
valley for 2 hrs. more, the traveller 
reaches the beautiful little lake of An- 
trona, formed by a great bergfall in 
the 17th century. About 2 m. lower 
down is Antrona Piano, the chief vil- 
lage, about 10 hrs. from Saas. Very 
tolerable quarters are found at the 
house of the Syndic, who receives 
strangers kindly. From hence, or 
from Rovesca, paths lead to Ponte 
Grande in Val Anzasca by the Passo di 
Lavazzera (5,863'), passing near a 
gold mine which is still worked. A 
paved path descends through the 
lower part of the valley to Villa in the 
Val d'Ossola (Rte. A). The scenery 
is very beautiful, worthy to be com- 
pared with that of Val Anzasca, save 
that the grand views of Monte Rosa 
are here wanting. 

3. A glacier pass, called Passo An- 
tigine (9,311'), lies at the head of the 
short wild glen of the Ofenthal, which 
opens ESE. a little above the Matt- 
mark See. For \ hr. beyond the Distel 
Alp a broad path leads up to the Ofen- 
thal, but beyond this is scarcely traced. 
The way lies by the rt. bank of the 
Horrent, and then over the lower part 



378 



PENNINE ALPS. § 21. SIMPLON DISTRICT. 



of the Ofentlial Glacier, which descends 
to NW. from the Spahnhorn. There 
is no difficulty in the ascent to the 
pass, which cannot be missed in clear 
weather, and is reached in 1\ hrs. from 
the Mattmark Inn. It commands an 
extensive "view eastward. The descent 
commences over a very steep snow- 
slope, and then lies down a rocky 



declivity broken at places into pre- 
cipitous faces. A guide is here almost 
requisite. In 1^ hr. from the summit 
the first chalet is reached, and f hr. 
farther the traveller attains those of 
the Cingino Alp, where he joins the 
track from the Saas Pass, already 
described. For the above particulars 
the Editor is indebted to Mr. F. Mills. 



INDICES. 



PAGE 

(INDEX TO THE PEAKS OK MOUNTAINS 381 



:NDEX TO ALPINE PASSES ,385 



ENERAL INDEX. ........ .389 



PART I. C C 



INDEX 

TP 

THE PEAKS OE MOUNTAINS. 



AM 

ABISSO, Rocca dell* (9,193'), 4 
Ailefroide, Pic d' (12,877'?), 83 
Albaron, Mont (12,014'), 145, 148 
Albergian (9,990'), 38 
Allaleinhorn (13,235'), 313, 359 
Almagellhorn, 377 
Alpette (6,040'), 100 
Alphubel (13,803'), 313 
Ambin, Mont d' (11,092'), 59 
Apparei, Grand (11,494'), [179] 
Arcines, Pic des (13,4 2'), 83 
Argentera, Rocca dell', 3, 7 
Argentiere, Aiguille d' (13,186'), 234 
Arolla, Pigned' (12,471'), 270, 281 
Arve, Aiguille d' (11,529'), 63, 69 
Arzinol, Pic d\ 292 
Assaly, Grand, 174 
Asinaro, Monte, 351 
Augstbordhorn (9,785'), 308 
Avril, Mont (10,961'), 271 
Ayer, Aiguille d\ 192 
Azy, Mont d', 98 



BAL, Cima di (9,354'), 19 
Balferin (12,402'), 310, 313, 361 
Balmenhorn (13,927'), 318 
Barrhorn (11,919'), 305 
Bassac, Mont (10,896'?), 177,180 
Belledonne (9,780'), 105 
Belleface, Roc de (8,140'), 172 
Belvedere (8,645'), 172 
Berard, Grand (9,997'), 12 
, Berenger, Aiguille de, 212 

Bertol, Dents de (12.412'), 277, 290, 293 
Bessans, Uja (11.782'), 145 
Besso, Lo (12,057'), 290 
Bianco, Corno (11,014'), 335, 345 
Bianco, Pizzo (about 11,000'), 314 340 
Bionnassay, Aiguihe de ( 13,324'), 204, 213 
Bisaune, 140 

Blaitiere, Aiguille de (11,591'), 200 
! Blanc de Cheillon. Mont (12,700'), 286 
; Blanc, Mont (15,781'), 183, 219 
I Blanc, Kocher (y,(,l(i'), 75 
I Blanc, Trosse (8,435'). 210 
| Blanche, Tete (12,304'), 278 
I Bceufs Rouges, Crete des (11,978'), 86 
I Bonhomme, Tete du (10,138'), 141, 204 



COC 

Bonnavaux. Dent de, 244 

Bonvoisin, Pic (11.503'), 88 

Bortelhorn (10,1&J), 370 

Borterhorn (9,745'), 304 

Bossons, Bee de (10,368'), 302 

Boucs, Trouma des (11,149'), 281 

Bougy, Signal de (2,730'), 255 

Bourreau, Chateau, 132 

Boussine, Tour de, 270 

Brame Farine (3,98i'), 102 

Breithorn (13,685'), 314, 324 

Breona. Couronne de (10,382'), 289, 293 

Bi event (8 33(/\ 201 

Brezon (6,031'), 189 

Broglia, Mont, 206 

Bruiieg-horn (12,618'), 305, 307, 308 

By, Tete de, 275 



CARMEL, Mont (9,057'), 210, 265 
Carrel, Pic, 161 
Casse, Grand (12,780'), 116, 129 
Castor (13,879'), 333 
Catogne, Mont (8,461'), 229 
Ceies >le, Pointe de, 169 
Cervin, Mont (14,705'), 325 
Cervin, Petit Mont (12,749'). 324 
Chaberion, Mom (10,258'), 40 
Chaa.beyron, Aiguille de ( 1 1,155'), 10, 15 
Chamechaude (6,847'), 109 
Chanrousse (7.372'), 104 
Cnardonnet (1 2,373'), 145, 148 
Chardonnet, Aiguille de (12,543'), 234 
Chartoron, Cimn di, 158, 166 
Charlanoz, Aiguille de, 201 
Charmoz, Aiguille de (11,2930, 200 
Charnier, Grand (8,412'), 76 
Cliarvin, Mont (7,920'), 136 
Chat, Dent du, 98 

Cheillon, Mont Blanr de (12,700'), 286, 293 
Cnenalertaz, Mont, 262 
Chetif, Mont, 208 

Cnevriere, Roche (10,765'), 128, 13i 
Chible Grande (9,633'), 63 
Ciamarella (12,081'), 145, 148 
Cistella, Monte (9,4>9'), 370 
Civrari, M >nt (7,261'1, 154 
Clapier, Mont ; 10,433'), 3 
Cocagna, La, 158, 166 



382 



INDEX TO THE 



COG 

Cogne, Corne de, or Grivola, 158 
Colon, Mont (12,264'), 290 
Colombier, Mont (4,733'), 97 
Colone. 239 

Combptta, Pointe de, 347 

Cornbin, Grand (14,164'). 271 

Combin de Corbassiere, 272, 273 

Corbassiere, Becoa de (8,891'). 269 

Cornier, Grand (13.0--2'), 293, 303 

Courtes, Tour des (12,1 19'), 232 

Cramom f9,059'\ 209 

Credo (5,328'), 185 

Croce Rossa ( 11.717'), 145 

Crolles, Dent de (6,778'), 100 

Cry, Haut de (9,698'). 363 

Cucumelle, Grand (*,86S'), 89 

Cugulion des trois Eveques, mountain of. 20 



DENT Blanche (14,318'), 293, 294 
D.able, Roc du (about 3,2,0'), 118 
Diablons. the (11,83'i'). 2j6 
Dole. La (5,519'), 188 
Dolent, Mont (12.566' ). 231, 234 
Dom, the (14,935'), 321, 360 
Dora Blanche (11,668'), 293 
Dorees, Aiguilles, [234] 
Dorere, Pointe de, 163 
Dormill .use (10.571'), 93 
Dru, Aiguille du (12,500'), 197 



EBIHORTST, the, 298 
Ecrins, Pointe des (13,462'), 83, 84 
Elva, Pelvo di (10.056'), 14 
ETiilius, Mont (11,677'), 162 
Knchastrave, Mont (9,747'), 1 
Encombres, Roc des (9,252'), 132 
Encula. Crete de V, 84 
End, Nord (15,132'). 318 
Enfer, Roc d' (7,435'). 251 
Epicoun, Bee d' (11,572'), 281 

Epine, Mont de 1', (about 4,000'), 110 
Etoile, Mont 1', 136, 137 
Evedies, Pic des Trois (10,236'), 42 
Ernard, Mont St., 100 



FALLET, Mont (10,138'), 266 
Faroma. Mont (10,062'), 279 
Favre, Mont (10.712'), 279 
Fer, Croix de, 226, 239 
Feuiliette, Croix de. 119 
Flegere. Croix de (5.925'), 201 
Fletschhorn (13,176'), 373 
Fieury, Mont, 139 
Follats, Les, 272 
Fond, Gran l, Aiguille du, 141 
Fort, Mont (10.925'), 269 
Four, Pointe du, 141 
Foura, Punta. 158 
Frene, Pic du .9.203'), 77 
Fretes, Chaine des, 190 
Fretes. Croix de, 123 
Frioiand, Mont, 35 
Fys, Rochers des, 192, 239 



GABELHORN, Ober (13.363';, 323 
, Unler ( 1 1,1 49'). 318 

G.Uibier, Roche du Grand (10,637 ), 42 
(..aloppaz, Mont, 115 



Garin, Pointe de (10,985'), !64 
Gasenriedhorn (14,219'), 3'"0 
Geanr, Aiguibe du C13.1-6'), 196, 216 
Gebudem (7,671 ), 365 
Gelas, Cima dei (10.433'), 3, 9, 10 
Gele, Mont (11,539'), 271 
Gemstei-i, 345 

Glacier, Aieuiile du (12,011'), 205 
Glevzin (9,275'), 76 

Gliere. Aiguille d* la (about 8,S00'), 201 - 

Goile. Le Grand (10,6:50'). 231 

Goleon, Aiguille de (11,250'), 69 

Gorner G at (10.290'). 314 

Goute, Dome du (14,110'), 219 

Goute. Aiguille <iu (12,707'), 219, 225 

Graffene'.re (14.164 ), 272 

Griiminont, the (7,17t/), 218 

Granier, Mont, 99, 1 no 

Grands Montets. Aiguille des, 203 

Grauhaupt, or Graues H^unt (10,702'). 344 

'irave, Pic du Mas de la (9.918'), 70, 71 

Grenairon. 243 

Grenier, Mont. 35 

Greppond, Aiguille de (12.044'), 200 
Grevnu, Mont (8,497'). 236 
Griffon, Pointp du. 239 
Grivola (13,028'), 158 
Guercia. Monte deila, 12 
Grand Sora (6,660'), 103 



HELENE, Sainte (1 1.«31'), [1791 
Herbetet. Pointe da 1', 169 
Parens, Dent d' (13.714'). 277, 278 
Hochth'aiigrat (10.791" >. 314, 315 
Hohf-s Licht (11,633'), 330 
Hornli (9,492'), 319 



TLLHORN («.939'),304 
-I Internet, Mont (7>0S'). 41 
Invergnuon, Bee d' (about 12.1(0' . 173 
Iseran, Mont (11,322'?), 121 



JALLOUVRE, 140 
Jaman, Dent de, 2^8 
Jszi, Cima de (12,527'), 315 
Jazie, Becc i de, 268 
Joderhorn, 356. 361 
Todri (10,800'), 92 
Joli, Mont (8,760'). 135 136 
Jorasses, Grandes (13,799'), 196, 231 
Jorat. Mont, 2~6 
Jovet, Mont (8,373'), 118, 204 



LANCE, Grande (9,246"), 101. 105 
Lancebranlette <"9,692'), 172 
Lans, Mont de (4,203';. 92 
Laquiiihom. (13,176'), 367 
Latelhorn, 377 

Livina. Punta di (10,«24' ?), 156 
Lechaud. Pointe de (9.718'), 172 
Leone, Monte (11,096'), 371 
Levanna (12,020' ?). 145 
Linleux. Pic dp (6, 1 81'), 249 
Loccie, Cimadeile, 314 
j . Eudwi^shohe, (14.1s?' 318 
1 Lusenev, Bee de (12.350' t, --79 
Lyskanim (14,859',;, 314, 318 



PEAKS OR 



MOUNTAINS. 



MAX 

MALLET, Mont (13,084'). 196 
Margeria, Mont, 1 ! 3 
Mary, Pointe Haute de (10,537'), 15 
Mas de la Grave, Pic du (9,917'), 70 
Massa, Pointe de, 131 
Matterhorn (14,705'), 319, 325 
Matto, Monte (10,230'), 3,7 
Mattwaldhorn (10,729'), 365 
Maudit, Mont, or Aiguille de Saussure, 220 
Mazzucone, Monte, 353 
Meidassa, Monte (10,991'), 35 
Meije, or Aiguille du Midi de la Grave (13,081'), 

83, 91 
Meiry, Mont, 140 
Melon, Roche (11,(121'), 53 
Mettelhorn (11,185'), 320 
Meunier, Mont (9,318'), 18 
Miage, Aiguille de, 212 
Midi, Aiguille du (12,608'), 200, 220 
Midi, Dent du (10,450'), 246 
Mirantin, Mont, 140 
Mischabelhomer, 313, 321, 360 
Moine, Aiguille du (11,109'), 196 
Mole (6.128'), 189 
Morning (13,855'), 320 
Monciair, Punta di, 166 
Montandavne, Becca di, 160 
Mont Forchu, Bee du (11,065), 180 
Montets, Aiguille des Grands, 203 
Montets, Les (5,037'), 228 
Moretan, Grand (8,888'), 76 
Moro, Pizzo del, 353 
Mort, Mont (9,403'), 262 
Mossetta, Pointe de (7,53<>'), 252 
Motte, Grande (about 11,500'), 126 
Motterone, Monte (4,817'), 372 
Moudhorn, 349, 350 
Muande, La, 43 

Mulets, Grands (10,007'), 220, 222 



"VTA YE, Rocher de, 258 

i-N Neige. Pic de ( 11,861'). 88 

Nei y, Mont, 347 

Nei zets, Roc des (9,029'), 89' 

Nivolet, Dent de (4,597'), 98, 113 

Noole, Mont (8,776'), 288 

Nona, Becca di (10,3>4'), 160, 161 



O CHE, Dent d' (8,010'), 248 
Oiseau, Bel, 228 
Olan, Pic d' (11,739'), [94] 
Omo, Cima dell', 15 
Ondezana, Pic d', 165 
Orches, Pointe des (13,107'), 22 
Ormelune (10,833'), 119 
Otemma, Pic d' (11,513'), 271 



PAIN de Sucre, 264 
Palavas, Mont, 35 
Paradis, Grand (about 13,300'), ascent of the, 

166, 167, 168 
Parassee, Dent (12,137'), 116, 128, 131 
Parmelan (6,007'), 139 
Parrot Spitze (14,577'), 313, 318 
Pela.Mont ( 10,500'), 19 
Pelouze, Pointe de (8,153'), 239 
Pelvoux, Mont (12,973'), 80, 82 
Periades, Les, or Aiguille de Tacul (11,013'), 
196 

Ferron, Gros, 228 



STB 

Peteret, Mont, 206 

Peyron, Clapier du (10,407'), 78 

Pierre, Tour du Grand St. (12,064'), 157 

Pierre a Voir (8,124'), 260, 268 

Pisse, Cima del, 342 

Pizzo Bianco (about 11,000'), 314, 340 

Pizzo, Cima del, 314 

Plan, Aiguille du (12,051'), 200 

Platei, Aiguille de, 192 

Pleureur, Mont (12,159'), 269 

Pollux (13,432'), 328 

Ponton, Tour de, 164 

Posettes, the, 228 

Pourri, Mont (1 2,491'), 116 

Prarion, the (6,857'), 203 



RATEAU (12,369'), 90 
Re, Cret du, 142 
Reculet, the, 189 
Riffelhorn (9,616'),. 314, 315 
Rioburent, Grand ( 1 1 ,142 ), 10, 16 
Rochenere, peak of, 132 
Rochebrune (10,906') 41 
Kosa, Monte (15,217'), 313, 316 
Rosa Blanche, Pointe de (10,984'), 269 
Rossa Viva, 169 

Rossbodenhorn (13,084'), 365, 373 
Rossere, Grande (10.904'), 264, 265 
Rothhorn, Ober (11,214'), 318 

Ui.ter (10,191'),318 

Rouge, Mont, 206 
Rouinette (12,727'). 286 
Roussa, Aiguille de la, 153 
Rousse, Pointe, 174 
Rousselette, 141 
Rousses, Grandes, 73 
Ruan, Mont, 243 
Ruitor (11.480'), 171 
Rympfischhorn (13,700'), 313, 322 



SAILLIERE, Tour (10,587'), 243 
Sainte Helene (11,831'), [179] 
Saleve, Grand (4,537'), 189 
Salles, Pointe de, 230, 239 
Sasseniere (10,692'), 289, 302 
Stssiere, Aiguille de la (12,343'), 120, 171 
Sausse, Aiguilles de la ( 10,896'), (10,840'), 63 
Sausse, Aiguilles de la, 63 
Saussure, Aiguille de, or Mont Maudit, 220 
Sauvage, Grand (11,395'), 74 
Saxe, Mont de la, 209 
Scaletta, Monte delta (9,508'), 12 
Schiavo, Monte dello, 2 
Schwarzhom (9,594'), (§ 19, Rte. K), 308 
Schwarzhorn (14,092'), (§ £0, Rte. A), 313, 318 
Seira, Rocca (5,006'), 9 
Semnoz, Mont (about 5.900'), 114 
Serpentine (12,110'), 270 
Serre, Grande, 169 
Signal Kuppe (14,904'), 318, 335 
Signal Sismonda (8,353'), 163 
Silvio, Monte, 325 
Simmelihorn (10,730'), 365 
Sismonda, Signal (3,353'), 163 
Somman, Mont, 251 
Steinthalhorn (10,463'), 306 
Stafielberg, 335 
Stella, Monte della, 7 
Stockhorn 11,595'), 314 
Strahlhorn (13,750'), 313 



584 



INDEX TO THE PEAKS OR MOUNTAINS. 



TAB 

TABOR, Mont (10,436' >, 44 
Tacul, Aiguille de, or Les Periades 
(11,013'). 1% 
Tacul, Mont Blanc du, 220 
Talefre, Aiguille de (12,287'), 199 
Tazliaferro, 349 
Taillat (4,558'), 102 
Taillefer (9.387'), 67 
Taret, Mont, ISO 
Taschhorn (14,758'), 322. 360 
Telchenhorn, 343 
Tenneverges, Poinfe de. 237 
Tersiva, Punta di (11,053'), 164, 347 
Thalihorn, 374 
Theodulhorn (11,391'), 324 
Tinibras, Mont (10,223'?), 3 
Tola, Bella (10,138'), 304 
Torches, Cane des (9,702'), 71 
Tondu, the. 2i2 
Tounot (9,921'), 305 
Tour Noire (12.60*0* 232 
Tour Ronde, La (12,600'), 216 
Tournairet, Mont (6,805'), 18 
Tournalin, Grand, 343 
Tournette (7,756'), 137 
Trelatete, Aiguille de (about 12,900'), 205 
Tribulation, Tete de la, 169 
Tricot, Aiguille de, 204, 213 
Trifthorn (12.261'), 299 
Triolet, Aiguille de (12,726'), 195, 232 



TLRICH SHORN (12,891'), 313, 360 



ZWI 

VALEZAN (9,446'), 172 
Vanoise, Aiguille de la, 128 
Vaudaane, 191 
Vaudru (8,714'), 237 
VeTan, Mont (12,353'). 266 
Veran, Aiguille de (8.975'), 191 
Vergy, Mont, 140 
, Verte, Aiguille (13,432'), 195, 19G, 218 

Vescovadi, Cima dei Quattro (9,747''. 1 
! Vincent Pvramide (13,859'), 313, 318 
; Visivi, Dents de (9,506'), 290. 293 

Viso, Monte (12,643'), ascent and tour of (§4, 

Rte. B), 27 
Viso Mout, 29 
Viso, Petit, 27 
Voirons, the, 250 
Vorassay, Mont, 213 
Vouasson, Pic de (11,476'), 286. 292 
Voudene, Grand, 67, 103 
Vuache, 185 



WASENHORN (10.728'). 371 
Weisshorn (14.804'), 320 
Weissmies (13,225'), 373 



ZA, Aiguille de la (12,0510, 277, 289 
Zarzedan. Pointe de, 277 
! Zehntenhorn (10,522'), 305, 307 
1 Zerbion. Mont (9,003'), 347 

Zumstein Spitze (15,004'), 313, 318 
Zwillinge (13,879' and 13,432'), 314 



INDEX 

TO 

ALPINE PASSES. 



ABO 

ABONDANCE, Col d' (4,629'), 252 
Abries, Col d', 38 
Adler Pass (12,461'), 359 
Agnel, Col de l\ 31 
Agnelin, Col d' (§8, Rte. C), 70, 72 
Agnello, Col dell', 33 
Aiguebellette, Col d' (2.995'), 110 
Aiguille Noire, Col de 1', 42 
Alagna, Bochetta d\ 349 
Albergian, Col (8,816'), 38 
Allalein Pass, or Tasch Joch (11,654'), 358 
Allee, Col de 1', 142 
Aimagell Joch, 377 
Alphubel Joch (12,474'), 357 
Ambin, Col d\ 60 
Anna, Col di Sta. (8,009'), 11 
Anne, Col de Ste., 31 
Anterne, Col d', (7,612' ?), 240 
Antigine, Passo (9,311'), 377 
Aravis, Col des (4,928'), 139 
Arberon, Col d' (4,987'), 238 
Arbole, Col d' (10,393'). 163 
Arcines, Col d' (7,769' ?), 65 
Argentiere, Col de 1' (6,545'), (§ 2, Rte. A), 12 
Argentiere, 5 Col d' (11,555'?), (§ 1G, Rte. L), 
233 

Arietta, Col dell', 157, 160 
Arnaz, Col d' (10,233' ?), 152 
Arolla, Col de la Reuse d', 283 
Arpignon, Col d', 103 
Arpisson, Col d' (about 9,300'), 162 
Arsine, Col d', 89 
Artereva, Col d', 265 
Arve, Col d', 71 

Arve, Col des Aiguilles d' (10,250'?), 68 

Arzinol, Pas d', 292 

Assieta, Col de 1', 37 

Augstbord Pass (9,515'), 306 

Aurona, Passo di, 370 

Aussois, Col d' (9,628'), 130, 131 

Autaret, Col de 1' (§ 2, Rte. D), 16 

Autaret, Col de 1' (10,170'?), (§ 13, Rte. E), 153 

Ayes, Col des, 41 



BAL, Col de (§ 9, Rte. K), 93 
Bal, Col di (§ 3, Rte. B), 19 
Balma d'Oropa, Col de la, 322, 351 
Balme, Col de (7,231'), 226, 227 
Barberine, Col de, 243,247 
Bardonney, Col de (about 9,680'), 156 
Barranca Pass (5,749'), 349, 353 
Barthelemi, St., Col de, 280 
Basmont, Col de 117 
Bassac, Col de, 180 



CHE 

Bathie, Col de la, 142 

Beaumont, Clot, [93] 

Bercia, Col della, 16 

Berenger, Col de (11,000'?), 213 

Bernard, Great St., Pass (8,131'), 262 

Bernard, Little St., Pass (about 7,^00'). 1 

Bertol, Col de (about 11,000'), 293 

Betliner Pass, 343 

Betta Furke (8,639'), 338 

Bicocca, Col della (7,»>11'), 14 

Bies Joch (11,645'), 307 

Bistenen Pass, 365 

Blanchet, Col (9,544'), 33 

Boaira, Col di, 4 

Bceuf, Pas du (9,154'), 304 

Bonhomme, Col du (8,195'), 203 

Bouquetins, Col des (11,414'), 291 

Bourbiere, Col d^, 77 

Bousson, Col de (7,006'), 41 

Bovinant, Col de, 109 

Braus, Colde (3,300'), 6 

Brenva, Col de la (14,111'), 226 

Breona, Col de (9,574'), 301 

Brouis, Col de, 6 

Brunegg Joch (11,099'), 307 

Buffa, Col de la, 139 

Bussons, Col, 142 



CAMPELLO, Col di (about 6,400'), 3.^3 
Carcoforo, Bocchetta di, 350 
Carro, Col de (about 10,000'), 149 
Cavale, Col de la (10,476'), 90 
Celar, Col du (10,092';, 88 
Cenis, Mont, Pass of, 50 
Cerese, Col delle (8,412'), 8 
Chaberton, Col de, 40 
Chacette, Col de la, 114 
Champery, Col de, 252 
Champey, Col de (5,046'), 229 
Champorcher, Col di, 160 
Champs, Col des, 19 
Chardon, Col de, 87 
Charmette, Col de la (3,940'), 109 
Chardonnet, Col de, 233 
Chasten, Col de, 347 
Chat, Col du Mont du (2,070'), 98 
Chatel, Col du (9,433'), 301 
Chaux, Col de la, 269 
Chaviere, Col de (9,144'), 127, 131 
Chazs£che, Col de (about 9,154'). 1 3 
Checruir, Col de, 208 
Cheillon, Col de (10,663'), 286 
Cherel, Col de, 115 
Chermontane, Col de (10,349'), 284 



386 



INDEX TO 



CHE 

Cheserv, Col de, 252 
Chevalieret, Col de (9,247'), 35 
Chevre, Pas de. 2*6 

Christophe. St.. Breche de (about 9,000'), 92 

Cialmetta, Col di (4,34c/), 154 

Clapier, Col du (8.107'), 54, 58 

Cleuson, Col de. 269 

Clou, Col du (9,305'), 179 

Coche, Col dela, 74 

Cochetta. Col de la, 112 

Cochette, Col de la, 109 

Cogne, Col de la Combe de (about 9,500'), J59 

Cogne, Fenetre de (about H.bGii'), 164 

Col, Haut du, 140 

Colorin. Col du (10,662'). 151 

Colon, Col de (10,269'), 290, 291 

Colma. Col di, 352 

Combal, Col de, 172 

Corisev, Col de, 351 

Cormet, Col du, 142 

Corneilla, Col de, 131 

Cornier, Grand, Col du, 302 

Couard, Col de, 73 

Courgnier, Col (10,33.V\ 280 

Coux, Col de (about 6,400'), 244, 252 

Cret, Col du, 269 

Crete Seche, Col de (9,475'), 282 

Creus, Bochetta del (about 6,000'), 351 

Cristillan, Col de (9,771'), 32 

Croce di Ferro, Col d°lla (8,271'), 154 

Crocetta, Col della (9,179'), 150 

Croix de Fer, Col de la (about 6,500'), 73 

Croix, Col de la (8.392'). 36, 75 

Crous. Col de (8,316'). 19 

Cula, Col de la (10,076'), 31 

Cunca, Col de, 344 



DENT BLANCHE, Col de la, or Col Du- 
rand (11.398'), 297 
Derochoir, Col du, 240 
Diablons, Col des, 306 
Dobbia, Col di Val (8.250'), 348 
Dolent Col (11,624'), 234 
Dormillouse, Col de, 20 
Durand, Col, or Col de la Dent Blanche. 297 
Dza, Colde, 2S1 



T? CHAUD, Col de 1' (8,058'), 241 
ill E'chelles, Col des (5,873') 39, 151 
E'crins,Col des, 84 
E'gua, Col d' (7,388'), 3^9 
E'maney, Col d', 247 
Enclaves. Col de, 205 
Encorabres, Col des (about 8,00C), 132 
Entrevernes, Cold', 114 
Escombailles, Col des, 105 
E'tablon, Col d' (about 7,000'), 269 
E tiaches, Cold' (9,301'), 59 
Evssalette, Col de 1' (8,271'), 20 



FAUCILLE. Col de la (4,374'), 188 
Feille, Col de, 113 
Felik Joch (about 13.400'), 332 
Fenetre, Col de (9,141'), (§ 18, Rte. D), 271 
Fenetre, Colde la (§ 5, Rte. B^, 37 
Fenetre, Col de la (.8,855'), (§ 18, Rte. B), 255 
Fenetre, Enclave de la, 141 
Ferrex. Col de (8,716'). 230, 231 
Ferrex, Petit (8,176') 230 



IiAjQ 

Finestre, Col delle (8,189'), 3, 10 
Fletsch Joch (12,103'), 374 
Fond, Col de la ]\lontee du, 49, 132 
Fond, Col du. 122 
Forclaz, Col de la (5,105'), 211 
Forclaz pass (4.997'). 227 
Forcletta, Pas de la (5,105'), 305 
Forcola (5,853'), 376 
Four, Haut du, 114 
Fours, Col des (§ 12. Rte. D), 139 
Fours, Col des (8.892'), (§ 16, Rte. B), 205 
Framosa, Col di, 4 
Frapier. Col, 38 
Freche, Col de la, 48, 103 
Frejus, Col de, 45 
Frene, Col de (§ 10, Rte. F), 108 
Frene, Col du (§ 10, Rte. I). 114 
Frene, Pas du, or Col des Pierres (about 8,200';. 
77 

Frudiere, Col de, 347 



GAILLETTA, Col de (10,049'), [179] 
Galambre, Col de (10,200'), 59 
Galese. Col de (9,836'), 165, 166 
Galibier, Col de (9,154'), 42 
Gamser Joch (about 9,300'), 373 
Garin, Coi de (9,o70')< 162 
Geant, Col du (11,030'), 210. 215 
Gelas, Passo dei, 9, 10 
Gilbert, Col de Mont, 103 
Girard. Col de, 147 
Glacier Blanc, Col du (10,811'), 88 
Glacier, Col du Grand, 174 
Glandon, Col du (6,500'), 73 
Goleon, Col de (11,250'), 68 
Goleze, Col de (about 5.600'), 244 
Grancrou, Col de (11,034'), 170 
Granges, Col des, 18 
Grenairon, Col de (about 8,000'), 243 
Gueula, Col de la (6,383'), 243 



HABERE, Col des Fourches d' (4,085'), 25 
Herbarietan, Col d', 48, 103 
Herbetet. Col de 1' (about 10,000'), 159 
Kerens, Col de (11.418'), 293, 294 
Homme, Col de 1' (7,144'), 74 



TNFERNET, Col de V (8.826'), 69, 70 
-*- Iseran, Col d' (9,085'), 1 19 
Izouard, Col d' (about 8,000'), 41 



JALLORQUES, Col de, 19 
Jambaz, Col de, 250 
Jean de Coux. St., Col de (2,040'), 107 
Jean de Sixt, Col de St., 139 
Joli, Col, 141 
Jon, Col de, 347 
Jouxplane, Col de, (6,684'), 251 
Julien. Col, 35 

Jung Joch (about 9,500'), 306 



J£ ALTWASSER Joch (9,351'), 371 



LAC, Col du (9,422'), 178 
Landar, Col de, 1 13 
Laquin Joch (about 12,100 ), 374 



ALPINE 



PASSES. 



liAR 

Larossor, Col de, 121 

Lautaret, Col du (6,740'). 65 

Lauzanier. Col de (8,H00'), 18 

Lauze, Col de la (11,509'), 91 

Lauzon, Col de (aboiu 9,500'), 159, 168 

Lavazzera, Passo di (5,863'), 159, 377 

Leisse, Col de la (9,127'), 126 

Leschaux, Col de (3,047'), 114 

Levornea, Col de (nearly 10,000'), 279 

Lex, Col de la (10,492'), 303 

Loccie, Col delle (about 12,000'), 341, 342 

Lombarda, Col della (",856'), 11 

Lona, Pasde (8,926'), 302 

Longet, Col de (8,767'), 32 

Loo, Colle di, 348 

Lore, Col de (10,049'), 161 

Louze, Col de la, 142 

Lunga, Colla (8,573'), 12 

Luseney, Col de, 279 

Lys Blanche, Col de la, 174 

Lys, Col du, 154 

Lys Joch, or Silber Pass (14,040'), 329, 330 



MADDALENA, Col della (6.545'), 12 
Madeleine, Col de la (6,637'), 134 
Maigna, Col de la, 292 
Maison Blanche, Col de la (11,212'), 273 
Mait, Col de la, 42 
Malaure, Col de, 35 
Manival, Col de, 100 
Marguerite, Col de Ste., 175 
Martignare, Col de, 70 
Martin, Col d'Alp (about 9,000'), 93 
Martin, Col de Ham, 93 
Martino, Passo di San, 377 
Matterjoch, 325 
Maurin, Col de (9,143'), 15 
Meja, Colle della, 348 
Menouve, Col de (9,059'), 263, 266, 267 
Menoux, Col de, [94] 
Merdaret, Col du (6,03f/), 75 
Merlet, Col de (7,527'), 76 
Mesoncles, Col de, 159 
Miage, Col de (11,076'), 213 
Mischabel Joch (about 12,650'), 357 
Moirv, Col de, 303 
Morning Pass (about 12,750'), 298 
Monei, Col de (11,316'), 170 
Monie, Col delle, 13, 15 
Mont, Col du (8,635'), 176, 177 
Mont Brftle, Col du (10,400' ?), 278 
Mont Corve, Col de, 168 
Montagnaia, Col de (9,630'), 279 
Monthieu, Col de, 239 
Moro, Pass of Monte (9,390'), 355 
Morta, Col di Frema (8,839'), 8 
Moud, Col de (7,407'), 349 
Muande, Col de la(§ 6, Rte. E),44 
Muande, Col de la (10,036'), (§ 9, Rte. E), 79 
Mulo, Col del (8,422'), 11, 15 
Muscera, Passo di (6,955'j, 376 
Muzelle, Col de la (about 8,200'), 79 



NANTES, Col de, 138, 139 
Nivolet, Col de la Croix dc (8,624'), 166 
Nouva, Col della (9,664'), 157 



OLLEN, Col d' (9,554'), 315 
Orcieres, Col d\ 94 
Orine, Col de I', 35 



SAB 

Ornon, Col d' (4,380'), 94 
Ortica, Col dell' (5,928'), 15 
Ortighera, Col dell', 6 



PACLET, Col du, 133 
Palet, Col du. 123 
Paradis, Col du, 169 
Paschietto, Ghicet di (7,710'?), 154 
Pauvres, Col des, 273 
Peire, Col de St., 19 
Pelouze, Col de, 59 
Perche, Col de la, 48, 103 
Perdu, Col (8,200') 41 
Perrant, Col, 72 
Piccola, Col di, 146 
Piera Scritta, Col della, 150 
Pierres, Col des, or Pas du Frene, 77 
Pilatte, Col de la (11,400?) 87 
Pinta, Col de (about 8,200'), 344 
Piscie, Col delle (10,374), 342 
Piz, Col du, 38 

Plain Palais, Col de (3.717'), 113 

Plananal, Col de (about 9,500'), 179 

Planards, Col des (9.3W), 266 

Planpinet, Col des E'chelles de (5,783'), 

Planton, Col de, 18 

Plantrin, Col de (about 9,700'), 125 

Piatiere, Col de la (about 6,800'), 133 

Ponsonniere, Col de la, 42 

Pontis, Col de, 20 

Pontonet, Col de (about 9,350'), 164 

Porco, Col del Color del (9,601'), 24 

Porte, Col delle, 9 

Porte, Col de la (4,436'), 109 

Fortette, Col delle, 8 

Portola, Col de (7,995'), 326, 344 

Pouriac, pass of (8,360'), 12, 18 

Praharno, Col de, 112 

Prelles, Col de, 89 

Premol, Col de, 104 

Pre Nouveau, Col du (7,717'), 71 

Pres, Col des, 113 



RANCIO, Col del, 160 
Ranzola, Col de (7,136'), 347 
Raus, Col de (6,572'), 6 
Rayes Noires, Col des (about 9,680'), 159 
Reale, Col di, 160 

Rebbio, Passo di (about 9,000' ?), 370 

Remy, St., Col de, 265 

Riedmatten, Col de (9,354'), 287, 292 

Ried Pass, 360 

Rima, Col di, 350 

Rioburent, Col de (8,267'), 13 

Rissuolo, Passo di, 345 

Ristolas, Col de, 33 

Rochetta, 353 

Rodoret, Col de, 39 

Rossa, Col della. 36 

Rosset, Col (9,770'), 167. 179 

Roue, Col de la (8,334' ?), 46 

Rouge, Col du Mont (10,958'), 286, 292 

Ruchen?, Col de la (about 4,600'), 108 

Ruina, Col della, 10 

Ruine, Col de la, 33 



SAAS Pass (9,331'), 377 
Sabbione, Col del (7,701'), 5, 10 
Sabot, Col du, 73 



383 



INDEX TO ALPINE PASSES. 



SAC 

Sache, Col de la, 1 24 

Sageroux, Col de, 245 

Sagna, Col della, 16 

Sagnette, Passo delle (9,754'), 28, 29 

Sais, Col de, 87 

Salena, Fenetre de ( 1 1 ,200'\ [234] ; Col de, [234] 
Salenton, Col de (8,160' ), 2-12 
Salzia Furke, 331 
Sapin, Col de, 265 

Sassiere, Col de la (10.850'), [179], ISO' 

Saulce, Col de la, 141 

Saume, Col de la, 43 

Sautron, Col, 13. 15 

Scaletta, Col della, 160 

Scaletta Pass (8,619'), 12 

Schaller Joch (12,336')* 301 

Schwarz Thor (12,777'), 328 

Sea, Col de (10,154'), 147 

Sea, Ghicet di (9.025'), 151 

Seigne, Col de la (8,301'), 205 ■ 

Sele, Col du (10,834'), 86, 87 

Serena, Col de la, 265 

Sesanfe, Col de, 246 

Sesia Joch (about 14,300'), 332 

Severen, Col de, 269, 292 

Seylieres, Col de (9,247'), 25, 35 

Siboulet, Col de, 15 

Silber Pass or Lvs Joch, 330 

Simplon, Pass of the (6,595'), 365 

Solera, Monte, Pass of, 154 

Sonadon, Col de (11,483' ?), 274, 275 

Sorebois, Col de (9,259'), 3U3 

Souffre, Pas de, 131 

Suber, Passo del, 345 



TACQUI, Col de. 174 
Tale Ire, Col de (11,430'), 217 
Tamie, Col de (4,354'), 137 
Tiisch Joch, or Allalein Pass, 352 
Telleccio, Colde, 157. 165 
Tempe, Col de la (about 11,000'), 81 
Tenda, Col di (6,158'), 5 
Tenneverges, Col de (8,134'), 243 
Tetret, Col du Grand, 168 
Thali Joch, 373, 374 
Theodule. Col de St. (10,899'), 323 
Thures, Col de, 4? 
Tondu, Mont, Col du (9,204'), 211 
Torion, Col de, 351 
Torrent, Col de (9.593'), 301 
Touilles, Col de, 57 
Tour, Coldu (11,213'), 235 
Tour Noire, Col de la, '234 
Tour Rond^, Col de la, 216 
Tourettes, Col des (8,465'), 93 



ZWI 

Toumanche. Co! (11,398"), 325 
Tourne, Col de, 124 

Traversette, Col de la (about 10,000'), 25 

Traversiera, Coldi, 16 

Trelajet, Col de, 154 

Trelatete, Col de, 213 

Trelore, Col de (about 7,380'), 168 

Tricot, Col de, 213 

Trift Joch, or Col df> Zinal ("11,614'), 298, 299 
Triolet, Col de (12,162'). 167 
Tronchet, Col (8,747'). 31 
Turbat, Col de (9,800'?), [94] 
Turlo Pass (9,088';, 346 



OMO STORTO, Passo dell*, 345 



VACORNERE, Col de (10,335'), 280j 
Valaisan, Pas du, 16'2 
Val-Estreche, Col de, 93 
Valhaussiere, Col de, 133 
Vallante, Col de (about 9,350'), 30 
Valfroide, Col de, 109 
Valgeret, Pas de, 124 
Valloire, Col de (about 8,200') 76 
Vallonetto, Col del (8,41-2'), 12 
Vallonpierre, Col de, 93 
Valmasca, Passo di (9,000'), 5 
Val Pellina, Col de la (11,687'), 276, 277 
Valsorey, Col de, 275 
Vanoise, Col de la, 128 
Varo, Col di, 16 
Vars, Col de (6,932'), 30 
Vaudet, Col <9,305'), 179 
Vaurze, Col de la, [94] 
Venose, Col de (5,292'), 79, 91, 92 
Veraisse, Croix de, 114 
Veran, Col de St., 33 
Vertosan, Col de, 173, 266 
Very, Col de, 141 

Vessonay, Col de (about 8,600'), 279 
Voza, Col de (5,938'), 203 



WEISS Thor, Old (about 11,800'), 337 
New (11,851'), 338 



ZARZEDAN, Col de, 278, 290 
Zinal, Col de, or Trift Joch, 298, 299 
Z'meiden Pass, 305 
Zora, Col de, 247 

Zwillinge Joch (about 13,000'), 329 
Zwischbergen Pass (10,742'), 375 



GENERAL INDEX, 



ABB 

ABBERG, Glacier, 307 
Abondance, Notre Dame <T (3,051'), 252 
Abri(?s, village of, 26 

Abries, Perouse to, by the Val Germanasca (§ 5, 

Kte. D), 37 
Abries to Cesanne (§ 6, Rte. C), 41 
Acceglio, village of, 13, 15 
Ael, Pont d', 160 

Agneaux, Glacier de la Plate des, 90 

Agn-1 torrent, 33 

Agnelin. Combe d', 71 

Aigle, 258 

Aiguebelle, 48 

Aiguebelle, Allevard to, 103 

Aiguebellette, Lake of, 110 

Aigueblanche, 117 

Aiguille, the name, 184 

Aiiefroide, village of, bl 

Aillon, Chartreuse d', 113 

Aillon, V allee d', 113 

Aillon le Jeune, 113 

Aillon le Vieux, 113 

Aimaville, 159 

Aime, town of, 118 

Aix les Bains, 98 

Aix les Bains to Chatelard (§ 10, Rte. H), 111 
by Cusy, 1 1 1 

by the Col de. Brabarno and St. OffeBge, 112 

Ala, valley of, 145 

Ala, commune of, 151 

Ala, pass from, to Viu or Lemie, 154 

Alagna, 335, 342 

Alban des Villards, St., village of, 73 

Albaretto, glen of, 14 

Albertville district (§ 12), 135 

Albertville, towns of, 117 

Albertville, Chatelard to (§ 10, Rte. K), 114 

Albertville, La Ch-imbre to, by the Col de la 
Madeleine (§ 11, Rte. I), 134 

Albertville to Sallanches (§ 12, Rte. A), 135 

Albertville to Annecy (§ 12, Rte. B), 136 

Albertville to St. Gervais, by the Valley of Beau- 
fort (§ 12, Rte. E), 140 

Albertville to Bourg St. Maurice, by Beaufort 
(§ 12, Rte. F), 141 

by the Col de la Saulce, 141 

by the Col de l'Allee, 142 

Alby, 1 1 1 

Aleve, 274 

Algaby, 367 

Allalein Gletscher, 355, 358 

Allamans, 244 

Allee Blanche, 205, 206 

Allee Blanche, Glacier de 1% 206 

Allemont, village of, 72 

Allevard, village of, 76, 102 

excursions from, 105 

Allevard, Bourg d'Oisans to (§ 8, Rte, F), 74 



AOS 

Allevard to La Chambre (§ 8, Rte. G), 76 
Allevard, Baths of, Chambery to the (§ 10, Rte 

D), 102 
Alleves, village of, 111 
Allinges, castle of, 250 
Alios, town of, 19 
Alios, Lac d', 19 
Allues, Combe des, 126, 127 
Alma, 14 

Almagell, village of, 355, 375 
Almese, hamlet of, 151 
Alpes, the Hautes, 93 
Allien Glacier, 371 
Alpignano, 52 

Alpine, mountains which may be so called in 

common parlance, 2 
Alps, tunnel through the, 46 
Alps, Cottian. 21 
Alps, Dauphine, 61 
Alps, South Savoy, 95 
Alps, Pennine, 76 
Amberieux, 97 
Ambrogio, Sant', 52 
Ambin, Combe d', 57 
Amphion, 248 
Andorno, 351 
Andorno, Val, 351 
Andre, St., 17 
Angrogna, Val, 37 
Anna, Val di Santa, 11 
Annecy, town of, 138 
Annecy le Vieux, 138 
Annecy, Chatelard to (§ 10, Rte. L), 114 

by the Col de Leschaux, 114 

by the Col d'Entrevernes, 115 

by the Col de Cherel, 1 15 

Annecy, Albertville to (§ 12, Rte. B1, 136 
Annecy to Bonneville (§' 12. Rte C)', 138 
Annecy to Sallanches or Cluses (§ 12, Rte. D) 

Annemasse, 189 
Anniviers, Val d', 295 
Annot, 18 
Annuit, 141 
Anterne, Lac d', 240 
Antey, village of, 326 
Anrrona Piano, village of, 377 
Antrona, Val, 377 
Anza, torrent of the, 339 
Anzasca, Val, 337 
Aosta, city of, 174 

Aosta, Turin to, by the Val Soana and Val de 

Cogne (§ 14, Rte. A), 155 
Aosta to Cogue, bv the Berca di Nona and Col 

d'Arbole (J 14 Rte. B). 160 
Aosta to Cogne, by the Mont Emilius and the 

Val de Grausori (§ 14, Rte. C), 163 
Aosta, Bourg St. Maurice to (§ 15, Rte. A), 171 



390 



GENERAL INDEX. 



AOS 

Aosta, Tijjnes to, by the Col de Gailletta and the 

Val de Rhemes (§ L5, Rte. E), [179] 
Aosta, Geneva to, by Martigny and the Great 

St. Bernard (§ 18, Rte. A), 254 
Aosta, St. Pierre to, by the Col.de Menouye (§ 18, 

Rte. D), 266 frV»-> - 

Aosta, Martigny to, by the Val de"~Bagnes and 

the Col de Fenetre (§ 18, Rte. E), 268 
Aosta to Zermatt, by the Val Pellina and the 

Col de la Val Pellina (§18, Rte. H), 276 
Aosta, Sion to, by the Val d'Herens and Col de 

Collon (§ 19, Rte. A), 288 
Aosta to Ponte Grande, by the lower passes 

(§ 20, Rte. I), 316 
Apennine, mountains which maybe so called, in 

contradistinction to alpine mountains, 2 
Apennines, Ligurian, limit between them and 

the Maritime Alps, 2 
Arbe Glacier, 298 
Ardon, 363 

Areche, hamlet of, 142 

Arene, Villard d', hamlet of, 65 

Argentera, village of (5,596'), 12 

Argentiere, 226 

Argentiere district (§ 2), 10 

Argentiere, Glacier d', 232 

Arith, village, 112 

Arly, valley of the, 135 

Arly river, 136 

Armencettes, Glacier d', 204 

Armoy.250, 251 

Arnaz, Val d', pass from La Balme to the head 

of the, 154 
Arnette, the, 70 
Arolla, the name, 288 
Arolla, Combe d', 285, 290 
Arolla, Reuse (or glacier) de 1', 284, 286, 290 
Arona, town of, 369 
Arona, Martigny to (§21, Rte. A), 362 
Arona, Domo d'Ossola to, by Orta (§ 21, Rte, 

C), 371 
Arpenaz, Nant d\ 238 
Arpitetta Alp, 296 
Arsine, Glacier d', 88, 89, 90 
Articol, 105 
Arvan, the, 70,71 
Arveiron river, source of the, 195 
Arvier, 173 
Arvieux (5,105'), 41 
Arvieux, valley of, 26 
Arvillard. 103 
Arziriol, Caverne d\ 292 
Anbonne, town of, 255 
Augusta Praetoria, 174 
Aulph, St. Jean d', 251 
Aurona Glacier, 370 
Aussois, village of (4,921'), 50, 131 
Autaret, Lac de 1', 153 
Avanchers, Combe des, 135 
Aventina Glacier, 329, 343 
Aventina, chalets of, 338 
Averole, 153 
Averole, hamlet of, 151 
Avrieux. village of, 131 
Ayas village of, 329, 344 
Ayas Glacier, 329 
Avas, Val d', 329 
Ayer, 296, 302 



B AGNES, Val de, 268 
Bagnes, Val d<% Sion to, by the Val d'He- 
remence (§19, Rte. C), 292 



BEL 

Bagnola, Val, 336 
Bains, La Motte les, [93] 
Balen, village of, 354 
Balme, 171 

Balme, La, village of, 110, 151 

Balme, La, pass from, to the head of the Val 

d'Arnaz, 153 
Balme, Glacier de la, 282 
Balmuccia, 336 
Balsille, 38 

Baltscheider Thai, 365 
Range, Grotte de. 111 
Bange, Pont de, 111 
Banio, village of, 341," 349 
Bar, Pre du, chalets of, 231 
Barberine, Cascade de la, 228 
Barcelonette, town of, 13, 18, 19 
Barcelonette, Cuneo to (§ 2, Rte. A), 11 
Barcelonette, Cuneo to, by Val Maira (§ 2, Rte. 
B), 13 

Barcelonette, Saluzzo to (§'2, Rte. D), 15 
Barcelonette, Nice to (§3, Rte. A), 17 
Barcelonette, Colmar to (§3, Rte. C), 19 
Barcelonette to Embrun (§ 3, Rte. D), 19 
Barcelonette to Guilestre (§4, Rte. C) : 30 
Barcelonette to Queyras, by St. Veran (§4, Rte. 

D),30 
Bard, 164 

Bard, village of, 327 

Bard, Cogne to, by the Fenetre de Cogne (§ It, 

Rte. D), 164 
Bardonneche, village of, 45 
Bardonneche, Bramans to, by Rochemolle (§7, 

Rte. E), 59 
Bardonuev, Glacier de, 156 
Biirge, 23 " 

Banna, chalets of, 292 

Barmaz, La, hamlet of, 204 

Barme, Chalets de, 246 

Barraux, Fort of, 100 

Barricades, defile of the, 12 

Barthelemi, St., village of, 20 

Barthelemi, St., torrent of, 20 

Barthelemi, St., village of, 279 

Barthelemi, St., to Val Pellina (§ 18, Rte. I), 273 

Birthelemi, St., Val de, 279 

Basses Alps (§ 3), 17 

Bathie, La, castle of, 117 

Baths of Allevard, 102 

of Lavey, 259 

of Morgin, 252 

of St. Gervais, 211 

of St. Vincent, 347 

of Valdieri, 6 

of Vinadio, 11 

of Uriage, 104 

Bauges, hamlet of, 59 
Baune, village of, 132 
Baveno, 368 

B 13'ard, Chateau de, ruins of, 101 
Beaufort, district of, 140 
Beaufort, Doron de, 140 
Beaufort, Maxime de, village of, 140 
Beaufort, valley of, 140 

Beaufort, St. Maxime de, to Moutiers Tarentaise 

(§ 12, Rte. G), 142 
Beauges Mountains, 111 

Beauvoiiin, Pont de, Chambery to, by Aigue- 

bellette (§10, Rte. G), 109 
Beauvoisin, Pont de, village of, 110 
Belgirate, village of, 369 
Bella, Isola, 369 
Bellaval, Val de, 141 



GENERAL 

BEL 

Bellavaux, 251 ; Val de, 251 
Bellavaux, Benedictine uriory of, 114 
Bellavaux, Combe de, 114 
Bellecombe, village of, 134 
Bellecombe, Notre Dame de, 141 
Bellegarde, 185 

Courm iyeur route to, 225 

Bellentre, village of, 118 
Belleville, Vallee de, 132 
Bellino, Val di, 16 
Bellons, hamlet of, 18 
Belvedere, 339 
Bens, torrent, 103 

Berard, Val de, 228 ; Cascade de, 228 

Berard, Pierre a (7,498'), 241 

Berarde, La, hamlet of (5,702'), 79 

Berarde, La, Bourg d'Oisans to (§ 9, Rte. A), 78 

Berarde, La, to Vallouise by Col des E'crins 

(§9, Rte. C), 83 
Berarde, La, to Vallouise, by the Col de la 

Tempe (§9, Rte. D), 85 
Berarde, Li, to Vallouise, by the Col du Selle 

(§ 9, Rte. E), 86 
Berarde, La, to Vallouise, by the Val Godemar 

(§ 9, Rte. F), 87 
Beresio, 12 
Berisal, 366 

Bernard, St., district (§ 18), 252 
Bernard, Great St., Hospice of the, 262 
Bernard, Great St., Hospice of the, to Cour- 

maveur (§ 18, Rte. B), 264 
Bernin, 102 
Bertol, Glacipr de, 295 
Bessans, village of, 54, 123 
Bessans, Susa to (§ 7, Rte. B), 53 
Besse, village of, 71 
Bessee, La, village of (3,492'), 80 
Betta Furke, 343 
Bex, 258 
Bianca Sea, 35 
Biaysse torrent, 93 
Bider glacier, 360 
Biella, town of, 351 
Bies glacier, 311, 321 
Bietschthal, 364 
Biona, 276 
Bionnassay, 204 
Bionnassay, Glacier of, 204 
Bionnay. 204 
Biot, village of, 251 
Blanc, Lac (§ 8, Rte. A), (8,360'), 67 
Blanc, Lie (§ 8, lite. E), (7,519'), 75 
Blanc, Mom, ascent of", 218 

the Chamouni route, 222 

the St. Gervais route, 224 

Blanc, Mont, Glacier du, 214 
Blanc glacier, 84 
Bobbio (2,838'), 35 
Bocaresse, Glacier de 270 
Boege, town of (2,294'), 250 
Bois, Glacier de, 192, 195 
Bonnant river, 191, 204, 210 
Bonnavaux, hamlet of, 246 
Bonne, village of, 249 
Bonne river, 93 
Bonnet, chalets of, 178 

Bonneval, village of, 122, 135, 141, 147, 148, 149 
Bonneval to Ceresole (§ 13, Rte. B), 148 
BonnevillB, city of, 189, 237 
Bonneville, An'necy to (§ 12, Rte. C), 138 
Bonneville to Thonon (§ 17, Rte. K), 249 

bv Bonne and Machilly, 249 

by B /ege, 250 



INDEX. 391 
CAI 

Bonneville by St. Jeoire and Megevette, 250 

Bons, village of, 250 

Bonzo, 146 

Borca, 340, 346 

Bordeau, vill ige of, 98 

Borgeat, Glacier d^, 192 

Borgne river, 288 

Borgomanero, 351, 352 

Bornand, Grand, commune of, 139 

Borne river, 139 

Borroi^ean Islands, 368 

Borterthal, 304 

Bosses, village of, 265 

Bosses, Val de, 264 

Bossons, Glacier des, 192, 200, 220 

Boulinetta, valley of, 18 

Bourg, town of, 97 

Bourget, Lake of, 97 

Bouveret, 249 

Boveire, Glacier de, 274 

Bovernier, village of, 261 

Bozel, village of, 124, 127 

Bramand, Combe de, 73 

Bra-nans to Susa, by the Col du Clapier (§7, 

Rte. C), 54. 
Bramans to Exilles (§ 7, Rte. D), 59 
Bramans to Bardonneche, by Rochemolle (§ 7, 

Rte. E), 59 
Bramois, 288 
Branche, 230 

Branchier, St., village of, 261 
Brandes. plateau of, 66 
Breda river, 1 2 
Brenev, Glacier de, 270, 286 
Brenthomme, village of, 250 
Brenva, Glacier de la, 208 
Breole, La, 20 
Bret, hamler of, 248 
Breuil (6,566'), 281 , 324 

Breuil, Prarayen to, by the Col de Ja Vacor- 

nere (§18, Rte. I), 280 
Brevieres, village of, 120 
Brevon river, 251 

Briancon, town and fortress of, 40 

Briancon, Susa to, by the Mont Genevre (§ 6, 

Rte. A), 39 
Bri incon, Queyras to (§ 6, Rte. B), 41 
Briancon to ■ t. Michel (§ 6, Rte. D), 42 
Briangon to Modane (§ 6, Rte. E ), 43 
Briancon to Greno'de (§ 8, Rte. A), 64 
Briancon, Chateau de, 117 
Bricolla, chalets of, 293 
Brides les Bains 126, 133 
Bridoire torrent, 43 ; village, 110 
Brieg, town of, H65 

Brieg, Domo d Ossola to, by the Val Cherasca 

(§ 21, Kte. B), 370 
Briga, village of, 5 
Brissogne, 163 

Brou, church of, at Bourg, 97 
Brunissard, 41 
Bru-isone, village of, 329 
Bnccioletto, village of, 349 
Bugion river, 134 
Bugnanco, Val, 376 
Busserailles Gouffre des, 326 
Boissiere, La, 100 
Bussignv, '256 
By, Chalets de, 275 



CAILLE, La, bridge of, 138 
Cairos, Val de, 6 



392 



GENERAL INDEX. 



CAX, 

Calasca, 341, 353 

Camasco, 353 

< 'am pea, Val, 156 

Campeilo. village of, 353 

Campiglia. hamlet or (about 4,200'), 15S 

Caraglio, 15 

Carcoforo, 349 

Castel Delfino (4,209'), 16 

Castel Delfino to Guilestre, by Col de Lonset 

and Colde Cristillan (§ 4, Rte. E), 32 
Castel Delfino to Quevras (§ 4, Rte. F), 33 
Castello, Ponte. hamlet of, 27 
Castelmasrno, villaae of, 15 
Castiglione (1,7*0'), 341, 353 
Castiglione, Vallon di, 11, 18 
Cavales, Glacier du Clos de la, 88 
Cavallo, Pie de, village of, 351 
Ceillac, 33 

Celliers, Vallon des, 134 

Celliers, village of, 135 

Cenis district (§ 7), 47 

Cenis, Petit Mont, 54 

Cenise torrent, 51 

Centron, village of, 113 

Ceppo Morelli, hamlet of, 340 

Ceresole, Scalare di, 165 

Ceresole, villaee of, 148. 165 

Ceresole, Bonneval to (§13, Rte. B), 148 

Ceresole to Lanzo and Turin, by the Col della 

Crocetta (§ 13. Rte. C), 150 
Ceresole to Villeneuve, in Val d'Aosta (§ 14, 

Rte. F), 166 
Ceresole, Cogne to (§ 14, Rte. G), 169 
Cergues, St., 1S8 
Cerveyrette torrent, 39, 41 
Cervi^res, village of, 41 
Cervo river, 351 
Cesanne, village of (4 419'). 40 
Cesanne, Pignerol to (§5, Rte. B), 36 
Cesanne, Perouse to. by Rodoret (§5, Rte. F), 39 
Cesanne, Abries to (§ 6. Rte. C). 41 
Cesanne, Mndane to (§ 6, Rte. F), 45 
Ceutron. village of, 118 
Cevins, La Roche, 117 
Chables. village of, 267 

Chables to St. Pierre, bv the Col de la M uson 

Blanche (§ H, Rte. F), 271 
Chagne torrent, 30 
Chaille, La, defile of, l r 7 
Chaise, valley of the. 137 
Challant, Val, 327,329 
Chambave, village of, 347 
Chamberv district (§ 10), 96 
Chambery, citv of, 99 
Chamberv to Turin (§ 7, Rte. A), 47 
Chamberv, Paris to (§ 10, Rte. A), 97 
Chamberv, Grenoble to, by the right bank of the 

Isere (§" 10. Rte. B),99 
Chamberv, Grenoble to. bv Mnntmelian and the 

left bank of the Isere (§10, Rte. C), 101 
Chambery to the baths of Allevard (§ 10, Rte. 

D), 102 

Chamberv to Uriage (§ 10, Rte. E), 104 

Chamberv to Grenoble, by the Grande Char- 
treuse (§ 10, Rte. F),K6 

Chambery to Pont de Be auvoisin, bv Aiguebei- 
lette (§'10, Rte. G), 109 

Chambery to the Grande Chartreuse, by St. 
Laurent du Pont, 106 

Chambery to the Grande Chartreuse, by the 
Col oe la Ruchere, 108 

Chambery to the Grande Chartreuse, by St. 
Pierre d'Entremont, 108 



CHA 

i Chambery, Chatelard to (§ 10, Rte. I), 112 

by the Col de Plain Palais, 112 

[ by the Valley of Aillon and Thoiry, 113 

: Chambery, by the Chartreuse d'Aillon and tha 

Col de Landar. 113 

! by St. Pierre d'Abignv, 113 

i Chambery to Bourg St. Maurice (§ 11. Rte. A.)., 

116 

Chambre, La, village of (1,577'), 48 
Chambre,La, Bourgd'Oisans to (§ 8, Rte. E),73 
Chambre, La, Allevaid to (§ 8, Rte. F), 76 
Chambre, La, to Moutiers Tarentaiseor Albert- 

ville, by the Col de la Madeleine 11, Rte. I), 

134 

Chamois, village of (6,004'), 344 
Chamouni, village of, 193 
Chamouni, valley of, 193 

Chamouni, Paris to, by Geneva (§ 16, Rte. A), 

185 

Chamouni to Courmaveur, by the Col du Bon- 
homme (§ 16, Rte. B), 203 

Chamouni to Courmayeur, bv the Glacier de 
Miage (§ 16, Rte. E), 213 

Chamouni to Courmayeur, by the Col du Geant 
(§ 16, Rte. F), 215 

Chamouni route to Mont Blanc, 222 

Chamouni to Martigny (§ 16, Rte. H), 226 

by the Col de Balme, 226 

by the Tete Noire and Trient, 227 

by the Tete Noire and Salvent, 228 

Chamouni to Orsieres, by the Col de Champey 
(§ 16, Rte. I), 229 

Chamouni to Orsieres, by the Glacier d'Argen- 
tiere (§ 16, Rte. L), 231 

Chamouni to Orsieres, by the Glacier du Tour 
(§ 16, Rte. M), 235 
| Chamouni, Sixt to. by Servoz C§ 17, Rte. C), 239 

j by the Col d'Anterne, 240 

; by the Col du Derochoir, 240 

! Chamouni, Sixt to (§ 17, Rte. D), 240 

I Chamousset, 48 

| Chamousset, Allevard to. 103 

Champagny, village of, 124 
] Champel, 204 

Champerv, 244 
! Champerv, Samoens to (§ 17, Rte. F), 244 
j Champerv to Martigny (§ 17, Rte. H), 246 
. Champery, Sixt to (§ 17, Rte. G), 245 

bv the Col de Sageroux, 245 

by the Golette d'Oulaz, 246j 

Champery, Thor.on to (§ 17, Rte. M), 252 

Champey, Lac de, 229 

Champoleon, Val, 93 

Champolien, 344 

Champorcher, Val, 164 

Champsec, 2K9 

Chananes, Val de, 172 

Chapareillan, village of, 100 

Chapeau, the, 197 

Chapelle, La, village of, 88, [94] 

Chapelle in Val Godemar, La, [94] 

Chapelle in Val Godemar, La, La Mure to (§ 9, 
Rte.M), [93] 

Chapis, hamlet of, 166 

Chapiu (4,914'), 205 

Charbonniers, La Combe des, 35 

Chardon, Glacier de, 85, 87, 94 

Channel, Notre Dame de, chapel of, 44 

Chartreuse, Grande, monastery of, 96, 106 

principal ways for reaching the Char- 
treuse from Chamberv, 106 — 108 

Chartreuse, Grande, to Grenoble, by Voiron or 
Voreppe, 109 



GENERAL INDEX. 393 



CHA 

Chartreuse, Grande, to Grenoble, by the Col tie 

la Cochette, 109 
Chartreuse, Grande, to Grenoble, by Sappey, 10S 
Charvensod, village of, 161 
Chat, Mont du, 98 
Chateauroux, village of, 93 
Chatelard, village of. 111 

Chatelard, Aix les Bains to (§ 10, Rte. H), 111 
Aix to, by Cusy, 1 1 1 

Aix to, by the Col de Prabarno and St. 

Offenge, 112 
Chatelard to Chamberv (§ 10, Rte. I), H2 

by the Col de Plain Palais, 11? 

by the Valley of Aillon and Thoiry, 1 13 

by the Chartreuse d' Aillon and the Col de 

Landar, 113 

by St. Pierre d'Albigny, 113 

Chatelard to Albertville (§ 10, Rte. K), 114 
Chatelard to Annecy (§ 10, Rte. L), 114 

by the Col de Cherel, 115 

by the Col d'Entrevernes, 114 

by the Col de Leschaux, 1 14 

Chatillon, village of, 237, 238 
Chatillon, village of, 326 
Chavtere, village of, 130 
Chazeleo, village of, 71 
Chazeley, 69 
Chede, village of, 192 
Cheggio, 371 

Cheillon, Glacier de, 286, 292 
Cheraines, Les, village of, 111 
Cherasca torrent. 367 
Cherasca, Val, 370 

Chermontane, Chalets de (7,316'), 271 

Chermontane, St. Pierre to, by the Col de So- 
nadon (§ 18, Rte. G), 274 

Chermontane to Prarayen, by the Glacier 
d'Otemma (§ 18, Rte. L), 281 

by the Col de Crete Sdche, 282 

by the Mont Gele, 282 

by the Col de la Reuse de l'Arolla, 282 

Chermontane to Evolena, by the Col de Cher- 
montane (§ 18, Rte. M), 284 

Chermontane to Evolena. or Heremence, bv the 
Col du Mont Rouge (§ 18, Rte. N), 286 

Chevaline, village of, 115 

Chiaffredo, San, church of, 23 

Chialambertetto, hamlet of. 151 

Chialamberto, 146 

Chianale, village of, 32 

Chianale, Pome, village of, 17 

Chianale, Val di, 16 

Chillon, castle of, 258 

Chinaillon, hamlet of, 140 

Chisone, or Clusone, valley of, 36 

Chiusa, La, 4 

Chouex, 245 

Christophe, St., village of, 79 

Christophe, St., to La Chapelle, in Val Gode- 

mar (§ 9, Rte. N), [94] 
Ciamosseretto, Val di, 168 
Cijorenove, Glacier de, 285 
Cimes Blanches, 343 
Claire, St., bridge of, 138 
Clairee torrent, 39 
Claix, 68 

Clanzo, village of (2,293'), 18 

Clappey, the debris so called, 158 

Clarens, 257 

Clarets, Les, [94] 

Claux, village of, 81 

Clavans, hamleof, 71 

Clefs, Les, 139 



OEA 

Clochatel, valley of, 85 

Clochatel, Vallon de, 87 

Clot, hamlet of, 88 

Cluses, 238 

Cluses, town of, 190 

Cluses, Annecy to (§ 12, Rte. D), 139 

Clusone, or Chisone, valley of, 36 

Coazzolo, 146 

Cochette, glaciers of, 73 

Coeur, Grand, hamlet of, 117 

Coeur, Petit, hamlet of, 117 

Cogne, Val de, 155 

Cogne, village of (5,000'), 157 

Cogne, Aosta to, by the Becca di Nona and Coi 

d'Arbole (§ 14, Rte. B), 160 
Cogne, Aosta to, by the Mont Emilius and the 

Val de Grausson (§ 14, Rte. C), 163 
Cogne to Bard, by the Feoetre de Cogne (§ 14, 

Rte. D), 164 
Cogne to Ceresole (§ 14, Rte. G), 169 
Coise, village of, 4S 
Col, Lac du (7,154'), 75 
Colmar, 19 

Colmar, Nice to (§ 3, Rte. B), 18 
Colmar to Barcelonette (§3, Rte. C), 19 
Cologny, 247 

Colomban des Villards, St., village of, 73 
Colonaz, village of, 238 
Comba, Bella, 153 
Combal, Lac de (5,774'), 206 
Combe, Haute, abbey of, 99 
Combloux, 136 

Comboe, pastures and chalets of (about 7,000'), 
161 

Condamine, glacier of, 86 

Condove, 52 

Conflans, town of, 117 

Contamines (3,865'), 189, 204 

Contamines, Sallanches to, by St. Gervais (§ 16, 

Rte. C), 210 
Contamines, Courmayeur to, by Col du Mont 

Tondu, or Col de Trelatete (§16 Rte. D), 211 
Coppet, 255 

Corbassidre, Chalets de, 272 
Corbassidre, Glacier de, 272 
Cordonera, hamlet of, 156, 160 
Corridor, the, of Mont Bbnc, 222 
Corve, Glacier de Mont, 169 
Cosilla, 351 

Cote, Montagne de la. 220 

Cottaves, hamlet of, 109 

Cottian Alps, 21 

Courmayeur, village of, 207 

Courmayeur, Chamouni to. bv the Col du Bon- 

homme (§ 16, Rte. B), 203 ' 
Courmayeur, Sallanches to, by St. Gervais (§ 16, 

Rte. C), 210 

Courmayeur to Contamines, by the Col du 
Mont Tondu, or the Col de Trelatete (§ 16, 
Rte. D), 211 

Courmayeur, Chamouni to, by the Glacier de 

Mia-e"(§ 16, Rte. E), 213 
Courmayeur, Chamouni to, by the Col de Geant 

(§ 16, Rte. F), 215 
Courmayeur route to Mont Blanc, 225 
Courmaveur, Hospice of the Great St. Bernard 

to (§ !8, Rte. B). 264 
Courmaveur, Orsieres to, by the Col de Ferrex 

(§ 16, 'Rte. I), 230 
Courmayeur, St. Pierre to, bv the Col des Pla- 

nards '(§ 18, Rte. C), 260 
Couvercle, rocks of the, 199 
Cracalery. Lac de, 123 



394 



GENERAL INDEX. 



CRE 

Cremenz, village of, 302 

Cret, village of, 139 

Crete Seche, Glacier de, 282 • 

Crevacuore, 351 

Crevola, 367 

Crissolo, harnlet of, 23 

Crozet. Lac da, 105 

Culoz, 97 

Cuneo, town of, 4 

Cuneo to the Baths of Valdieri (§ 1, Rte. B). 6 
Cuneo to Nice, by Eutracque and Col delle 

Finistre (§1. Rte. D), 10 
Cuneo to Barcelonette (§ 2, Rte. A), 11 
Cuneo to Barcelonette. by Yal Maira (§ 2, Rte. 

B), 13 

Cuneo to Prazzo. by Val Grana (§ 2, Rte. C), 15 
Cuorgne, town of, 155 
Cusy, village of, 111 



DALMAZZO, Borgo S., village of, 4 
Dalmazzo. S.. Abbey of, 5 
Dalmazzo il Selvatico. San. hamlet of, 18 
Dames, Plan des (6,523'). 204 
Damiano, San ('i,477'), 14 
Dard, Cascade du,200 

Dauphin, Chateau, or Castel Delnno (4,209'), 16 

Dauphin. Mont, town of, 26 

Dauphin, Mont, Saluzzo to (§ 4, Rte. A), 23 

Dauphin. Mont. Pignerol to (§ 5, Rte. A), 34 

Dauphin. Le, hamlet of, 66 

Dauphine Alps, 61 

Delfino, Castel, or Chateau Dauphin, 16 
Demonte, 11 
Desert, village of, 113 
Deserte, Glacier rie la Casse, 90 
Didier, St., village of, 173 
Dingv, 139 

Dioza. torrent of the. 192, 242 

Dirt-bands of the Arolla Glacier, 234 

Distel Alp (7,125'), 355 

Diveglia, valley of. 370 

Divonne, hydropathic establishment, 255 

Dixence river, 293 

Dome, Glacier du, 214 

Domeucy, 210 

Domene, 101 

Domenon, Lac de. 105 

Dorao d'Ossola. town of, 368 

Domo d'Ossola to Brieg, by the Yal Cherasca 

(§ 21, Rte. B), 370 
Domo d'Ossola to Arona, by Orta(§21, Rte. C), 

371 

Domo d'Ossola, Simpeln to, by the Yal Bu- 

gnanco (§ 21. Rte. F), 376 
Domo d"Ossola, S.ias to, by the Yal Antrona 

(§ 21, Rte. G), 377 
Donnaz, 327 
Dora Riparia, river, 39 
Dorinet torrent, 140 
Donnillouse, hamlet of, 93, 94 
Doron river 127 
Doussard, 137 
Doussard, village of, 115 
Douvaine, 248 

Doveria, or Krumbach, river, 3^7 
Dromadaire, Bosse du, 219 
Dronero, town of, 13 
Duingt, castle and village of, 137 
Durance river, 39 
Durand, Glacier du Mont, 271 
Durand, Glacier de, 275, 296 ; or Glacier de 
Zinal, 297 



FER 

EAU NOIRE, the, 22S 
E'chauda, 89 
E'chelle, Pierre de 1', 222 
E'chelles. Les, village of, 107 
E'cole, viliage of, 1 13 
E'cot, hamlet of (6,775'), 149 
Einfisch Thai, 295 
Eison, 302 

E'ivettes, glacier of, 148 
Eiva, village of, 14 
Embours Glacier. 335 
Embours Thai. 335 

Embrun, Yal'ouise to, by the VaOeys of the 

Hautes Alpes (§ 9, Rte. K), 93 
Embrun, Barcelonette to (§ 3, Rte. D), 19 
Enchaira, Vallon de I', 79 
Encombres, Yal des, 132 
Entracque, Gesso d', 10 
Entracque, village of, 10 
Entraigues, hamlet of (§8, Rte. C), 70 
Entraigues, village of (§ 9, Rte. B),'88, 94 
Entraigues, Yal d", 81 
Entraunes. village of, !9 
Entre-deux-Eaux, cnalets of, 129 
Entremont, 139 
Entremont, Yal d'. 201 
Entrevaux, vilb.ge'of, 18 
Entrevernes, village of, 114 
Entreves, Yal d', 207 
E'pierre, 48 

E'pierre. Allerard to, 103 

E'pinol, hamlet of, 159 

Eringerthal, 286 

Escofier, Pont, 78 

Esseillon, L'. fortress of, 50 

Estelette, Glacier de 1', 206 

E'troubL-s, 264 

Evanson river, S29 

E'vian, town of, 248 

E'vionnaz, village of, 2-^9 

Evolena, village of (4,521'), 289 

Evolena. Chermontane to, bv the Col de Cher- 

montane (§ IS, Rte. M), 284 
Evolena. Chermontane to. by the Col du Mont 

Rouge (§ 1?, Rr P . X). 986 
Evolena district (§ 19), 287 

Evolena to Praravm, bv the Col des Bouqnetins 

(§ 19, Rte. B),'291 ' 
Evolena to Zermatt, by the Col d'Herens (5 19, 

Rte. D),2S3 
Evolena to Yissoie, by the Yal de Torrent (§ 19, 

Rte. G), 301 

Evolena to Zinal, by the Col de Sorebois (5 19, 

Rte. H), 302 
Exilles, fort of, 40 

Exilles, Bramans to (§ 7, Rte. D), 59 



FARIOLO, 368 
Faucigny, castle of, 189 
Faverges, town of, 137 
Fee, valley of, 354 
Fenestrelle, village of, 37 

fort of, 37 

Fenestrelle, Val de, 33 
Fen»stre'ile. or Perouse, Yal de, 37 
Fenis, Yal de, '64 
Fenis, castle of, 346 
Fer-a-Cheval, - -37 
Fernex, Cnateau de, 188 
F.-rpei le. Glacier de, 292 
Pert and torrent, 70 
Ferrera, 353 



GENERAL INDEX. 



395 



FEB 

Ferrex, Val, 230 
Ferrex, Chalets de, 230 
Ferriere, La, village of, 76 
Fier, valley of the, 138 
Filar Glacier, 339 
Filliere, river, 138 

Findelen Glacier, 314 ; Sennhiitten, 318 

Finestre, Val delle, 10 

Finestre, La Madonna delle, sanctuary, 10 

Finhaut, village of, 229 

Fionnay, hamlet, 269 

Fiorenza, Fiano di, 24 

Flaine, Lac de, 238 

Flegere, the, 201 

Fletschhorn Glacier, 367 

Flon torrent, 110 

Flons torrent, 136 

Flumet, town of (3,018'), 136 

Foax, La, vllage of, 19 

Fobello, 353 

Foi, La Thuile de Sainte, 119 
Foi, Sainte (3,20'J'), 119 

Foi, Sainte, Ivrogne to, by the Val Grisanche 

(§ 15, Kte. C), 177 
Foi, Sainte, La Thuile to (§ 15, Rte. B), 174 
Foliaz, La, 230 

Fonds, Chalets des, 241 ; Vallee des, 241 

Font Couverte, village of, 71 

Fontainemoire, village of, 332, 351 

Fontan, village of, 6 

Forciolline, Vallon delle, 27, 29 

Fornet, 178 

Foron, village of, 146 

Foron, valley of the, 251 

Forzo, Val di, 156 

Fougillarde, 33 

Fournel torrent, 93 

Freaux, Les, lead mines of, 65 

Freddo, Vallon di Rio, 8, 11 

Freissinieres, village of (3,911'), 93 

Freissinieres, Val, 93 

Freney, 66 

Fressinone torrent, 367 
Frongillarde, 33 
Fulaz river, 250 
Furgge Glacier, 319. 377 
Furgge Thai, 355, 377 



GABY, village of, 332 
Gampel, 364 
Gamsa Glacier, 365 
Gamser Glacier, 373 
Gamsen, 365 

Gamsen Thai, or Nanzer Thai, 3G5 
Ganther torrent, 366 
Garbach torrent, 324 
Garstelet Glacier, 
Gavet, Combe de, «7 
Gavet, hamlet of, €7 
Geant, Glacier du, 195, 216 
Gelon, valley of the, 103 
Geneva, city of, 186 
Geneva, Lake of (about 1,230'), 254. 
Geneva to Sixt, by Tann.ngea (§ 17, Rte. A), 
[235] 

by St. Jeoire, 235 

by Bonneville and Chatillon, 237 

Geneva to Sixt, by Cluses or St. Martin (? 17 
Rte. B), 238 

by Cluses, 238 

by St. Martin, 238 

PART I. 



GRA 

Geneva by Passy and La Portette, 239 

to St. Maurice, by Thonon (§ 17, Rte. I), 

247 

Geneva to Aosta, by Martigny and the Great St 

Bernard (§ 18, Rte. A), 254 
GenSvre district (§ 6), 39 
Genevre, Bourg Mont, village of (6,102'), 40 
Genix d'Aoste, St., 110 
Germain, St., 172 
Germanasca, Val, 38 
Germano, S., village of, 36 
Gervais, St. (2,680'), 210, 211 
baths of (2,067'), 211 

Gervais, St., Alnertville to, by the valley of 

Beaufort (§ 12, Rte. E), 140 
Gervais, Sc , route to Mont Blanc, 224 
Gesso river, 3 
Getroz, Glacier de, 2C9, 286 
Gets, Les, village of, 251 
Giacomo d'Ayas, San, hamlet of, 324 
Giandola, 6 
Giaveno, 36 

Gidres, village of, 101, 104 
Giffre torrent, 236 
Gignod, 264 

Gingolph, St., village of, 248 

Gioux, or Valsavaranche, village of, 167 

Giovanni, San, village of, 34 

Giovanni, Col di San, village of, 154 

Giovanni, Isola di S., 368 

Girandola, 6 

Girba, Vallone di, 16 

Gironde torrent, 89 

Girottaz, Lac de la, 141 

Gitta, hamlet of (5.512'), 1-11 

Gitta, Valine de la, HO, 141 

(liaise, waterfall of the, 1 17/ 

Glapigny, village of, ;14 

Gletsclur Alp, 354 

GliSre torrent, 127, 128 

Glion, 257 

Glys, 359 

Goiile a Vassu, 267 

Goitreux, Viilard, village of, 127 

Goleze, Chalets de, 244 

Goncelin, village of, 101 

liondo, village of, 367 

Condo, Gorge of, 367 

Gordalasca torrent, 9 

Corner Glacier, 314, 319 

Gornerhorn Gletscher, 317 

Gottardo, San, village, 353 

Gozzano, 336, 351 

Graben Glacier, 322 

Grachen, village, 310 

Graglia, sanctuary of, 351 

Grana, Val, 15 

Grancrou, Glacier de, 170 

Granges Neuves, chalets of (4,843*), 269, 272 

Grauson, Val de, 163 

Grave en Oisans, La, 65 

Grave en Oisans, La, to St. Jean de Maurienne 

($ 8, Rte. B), 68 

by the Col de l'lnfernet, 69 

■ by the Col de Martignare, 70 

Grave en Oisans, La, Vallouise to (§ 9. Ute. G 

88 

Grave en Oisans, La, to the Valley of the Vent on 
(§ 9. Rte. I), 89 

by the Col de la Cavale, 90 

by the Col de la Lauze, 91 

by the Breche de St. Christophe, 92 

by the Col de Venose, 92 



3%: GENERAL 
OfiA. 

Gra?eiIona, 368 
Grenier, Bee de, 69 
Grenoble, city of, 68 
Grenoble, Briancon to (§ 8, Rte. A), 64 
Grenoble, Botirg d'Oisans to, by La Mure (§ 9, 
Rte. L), 94 

G renoble to Chambery. by the right bank of the 

Isere (§ 10. Rte. B), 99 
Grenoble to Chambery, by Montmelian and the 

left bank of the I*§re (§ 10, Rte. C), 101 
Grenoble, Allevard to, 103 

Grenoble, Chambery to, by the Grand Char- 
treuse (§ 10, Rte. F), 106 

Grenoble, Grande Chartreuse to, by the Col de 
la Cochette, 109 

Grenoble, Grande Chartreuse to, by Sappey, 
109 

Grenoble, Grande Chartreuse to, by Voiron or 

Vorej.pe, 109 
Grenz Glet^cher, 318 
Gressan, 160 

Gressonay la Trinite, village of, 332 

Gressonay St. Jean, 332 

^resy, village of, 117 

Gresy sur Aix, village of, 111 

Griaz, Glacier de, 192 

Grisanche, Val, 171, 177 

Gri-anche, Val to Thuile (§15, Rte. D), ISO 

Groscavallo, valley of, 145 

Groscavallo, village of (3.0r9'), 146 

Groscavallo, Madonna del Fomo di, sanctuary 

of, 147 
Gruben, hamlet of, 305 
Griiben to St. Niklaus (§ 19, Rte. K), 31)6 
Guiers Mort river. 107 
Guiers Vif river, 107 
Guilestre, village of, 26 
Guilestre, Bnrcelonette to (§ 4, Rte. C). 30 
Guilestre. Cartel Delfino to, by Col de Longet 

and Col de Cristillari (§ 4, Rte. E), il 
Guilestre to Vallouise (§ 9. Rte. Bj, 80 
Guillanmes, village of (2,697'), 19 
Guisanne torrent, 39 
Guisepoe, Rima San, village of, 350 
Gyr torrent, 81 



HABERE Lullin, village of, 250 
Habere Poche, village of, 250 
Hannig Alp, 310 
Hauderes, hamlet of, 289 
Helgne, Ste., [179] 
Herbrigen (4,226'), 311 
Heremence, village of, 292 

Heremence, Chermontane to, by the Col du 

Mont Rouge (§ 18, Rte. N), 286 
Heremence, Val d', 292 
Herens, Val d\ 288 
Hermance river, 248 
Hermillon, village of, 133 
Hery, village of, 136 
Hiere river, 107 
Hochbalm Glacier, 360 
Hochwang Glacier. 298 
Hohberg Glacier,. 322 

Hospice of the Little St. Bernard (7,123'), 172 
Hospice of the Great St. Bernard, 262 
Hospice of the Great St. Bernard to Cour- 

mayeur (§ 18, Rte. B), 264 
Hospice of the Simplon, 367 
Hugon, Chartreuse de St., 103 
Combe de St., 103 



INDEX, 

LAJf 

IGNOS, Cascacte d', 290 
liliez. Val d\ 244 
[lliez, Val d', village of, 245 
Illgraben, 3"4 
lllsee lake, 304 
Indren Glacier, 312 
[nfernet, Val del, 9 
Ingria, 156 
Introd, [180] 
Isella, 367 

Isella, Saas to, by the Zwischbergen Pass (§ 21, 

Rte. E), 375 
Isere river, 99. 101 
Ismier, St., village of, K0 
Isola (2,986'), 18 
Isola Bella, 369 
lssime, village of. 332, 351 
Ivrea, town of (768'), 327, 350 
Ivrea, Zermatt to, by the Val Toumanche- 

(§ 20, Rte. B), 323 
Ivrea to Orta, by Biella (§ 20, Rte. K), 350 
Ivrogne, village of, 173 

Ivrogne to Sainte Foi, by the Val Grisanche 
(§ 15, Rte C), 177 



JAILLON, or Giaglone, hamlet of, 52 
Jardin, the, 198, 199 
Jean d'Arves, St., village of, 71 
Jean d'Arvev, St., 113 
Jean d'Aulph, St., vilhige of, 251 
Jean, St.. de Belleville, village of. 134 
Jean de Maurienne, St., town of (1,906'). 48 
Jean de Maurienne, St., La Grave en Oisans to 
(§ 8, Rte. C), 69 

by the Col de l'lnfernet, 69 

by the Col de Martisnare. 70 

Jean de Maurienne, St., Bouig d'Oisans to (§ 8, 
Rte. D), 70 

Jean de Maurienne, St., to Moutiers Taren- 
taise, by the Col de la Platiere (§11, Rte. H), 
133 

Jean de Sixt, St., village of, 139 
Jeoire, St., village (1,886'), [235] 250 
Jorio, St., 137 
Jovengau, 160 
Jung, 306 

Jura mountains, 188 



KALTWASSER Glacier, 366, 371 
Kien Glacier, 311, 322 
Krumbach, or Doveria, river, 367 



L ACHAT, Mont, 203 
Laffrey, village of (above 3,00c/), [93] 
Lancettes, Glacier des, 212 
Lancey, 101 
Landry, 124 
Langin, village of, 250 
Lans, Glacier de, 66 
Lanslebourg, 50 

Lanslebourg, Bourg St. Maurice to, by the Col 
d'lseran (§11, Rte. B), 119 

Lanslebourg, Moutiers Tarentaiseto,by the Col 
de la Vanoise (§11, Rte. E), 126 

Lanslebourg, Turin to. by Lanzo and Grosca- 
vallo (§ 13, Rf. A), 145 



GENERAL INDEX. 



397 



Lanslebourg, Lanzo to, by Ala and the Col du 

Collarin, (§13, Rte. D), 150 
Lanslebourg, Lanzo to, by Via (§13, Rte. E), 152 
Lans-le-Villard, 123 
Lantosea, 9 
Lanzo, town of, 145 

Lanzo, Ceresole to, by the Col della Crocetta 

(§ 13, Rte. C), 150 
Lanzo to Lanslebourg, by Ala and the Col du 

Collarin (§ 13, Rte. D), 150 
Lanzo to Lanslebourg, by Viu (§13, Rte. E), 

152 

Laquin Glacier, 3G1 

L'Arche, village of (5,568'), 12 

Larossor, valley of, 129 

Laurent du Pont, St., village of, 107 

Laurent, St., de la Cote, village of, 132 

Lausanne, town of, 256 

cite and cathedral of, 256 

Lausqueour, Glacier de, 169 
Lauvitel, Lac and Vallon de. 78 
Lauzanier, Lac de (7,562'), 18 
Lauzet, Le, 20 
Laval, 73 

Laval, plain of, 121 
Lavaldens, village of, 93 
Lavanchy, hamlet of, 197 
Lavey, Baths of, 259 
Lavez Thai, 331 
Lechaud, Glacier de, 195 
Leger, St., 103 
Lehmbach torrent, 355, 375 
Leisse river, 129 
Lembach river, 355 
Lemie, village of (3,100'), 152 
Lemie, pass from Ala to, 155 
Lenaret, Glacier de, 292 
Lenta river, 23 
Lepin, village of, 110 
Lesa, village of, 369 
Leschaux, village of, 114 
Leuk, 364 

Levanna district (§ 13), 145 
Levenzo, village of, 9, 17 
Liapey, chalets of, 292 
Liddes, 261 
Lignare torrent, 94 
Lillianes, village of, 332, 351 
Limone, village of, 4 
Lirerouge, glacier of, 286 
Liver, hamlet of, 67 
Livionaz, Chalet de (7,600'), 168 
Locana, Val, 155 
Locana, town of, 1 65 
Lombard Glacier, 69 
Longeborgne, hermitage of, 288 
Longefoy, village of, 119 
Lore, Val de, 163 
LoubiSres, Villard, [94] 
Loup, Plan du, 129 
Lourtier, village of (3,657'), 269 
Luc, St. (5,453'), 304 
Luce, Haut, 141 
Luce, Haut, valley of, HO 
Lullin, 250 
Lully, village of, 250 
Lumbin, post station of, 100 
Luserna, La Torre di, 23 
Luserna, Val di, 33 
Luserne, La Tour de, 34 

Luserne, La Tour de, to Perouse (§ 5, Rte. C), 
Lys, Cour de (6,571'), 331 

D 



Lvs Glacier, 331 

Lys, Val de, Lys Thai, or Vallese, 331 



MAC HILLY, village of, 250 
Macon, 97 
Macot, Mines of, 118 
Macugnaga, village of (4,369'), 339 
Macugnaga, Val Tournanche to, by the middle 

passes (§ 20, Rte. H), 344 
Macugnaga, Visp to, by the Monte Moro ($ 20, 

Rte. N), 354 
Madame, Combe de, 75 
Maddalena, Lago della, 12 
Madre, Isola, 368 
Magland, Vallee de, 190 
Maira, village of, 18 
Maira, Val, 13 
Maison, La Grande, 72 
Maj asset, hamlet of, 15, 31 
Majoria, in Sion, 363 
Malanaggio, 36 
Malaval, La Combe de, 66 
Malciaussia, chalets of (5,896'), 153 

pass from, to Susa, 154 

Malsanne, valley of the, 94 
Manigod, La Combe de, 139 
Marcel, St., village of, 118 
Marcel, St., Val de, 347 
Marche, 292 

Marches, Les, village of, 101 
Marcieux, 110 

Marguerite, Ste., chalets of, 175 
Maria, Mosso Sta., 351 
Marigny, 236, 237 

Maritime Alps, 1. Limit between them and the 

Ligurian Apennine, 2 
Marlens, village of, 137 
Marmora, Valle della, 14, 15 
Martigny, town of, 227, 260 
Martigny, Chamouni to (§ 16, Rte. H), 226 

by the Col de Balme, 226 

by the Tete Noire and Trient, 227 

by the Tete Noire and Salvent, 228 

Martigny, Sixt to, by Salvent (§17, Rte. E), 

242 

Martigny, Champery to (§ 17, Rte. H), 246 
Martigny le Bourg, 260 

Martignv to Aosta, by the Val de Bagnes and 

the Col de Fenetre (§ 18, Rte. E), 268 
Martigny to Arona (§ 21, Rte. A), 362 
Martin, St., 238 
Martin, St., village of, 190 
Martin, St., d'outre Arc, 43 
Martin, St., de Belleville, village of, 132 
Martin, Pont St., 327 
Martiniana, 23 

Martino di Lantosea, San, village of, (3,209'), 9 

Martino, La Balma di Rio, 23 

Masone, 368 

Masucco, 351 

Massel, village of, 38 

Massel, Val de, 38 

Massongex, 249 

Massongy, 248 

Mastalone, Val, 352 

Mattmark See, 355 

Maurice, St., 249 

Maurice, St., town of, 259 

Maurice, Bourg St. (2,792'), 118 

Chambery to (§ 1 [, Rte. A), 116 

to Lanlesbourg, by the Col d'Iseran (§ 11, 

Rte. B), 119 

D 2 



GENERAL INDEX. 



MAU 

Maurice, Tignes to, by the Col du Palet (§11, 
Rte. C), 123 

Albertville to, by Beaufort (§ 12, Rte. F), 

141 

by the Col de la Saulce, 141 

by the Col de l'Allee, 142 

— - to Aosta (§ IS, Rte. A), 171 
Maurice, St., Geneva to, by Thonon (§ 17, Rte. 
I), 247 

Maurin, commune of (above 6,000'), 15, 31 

Manvoisin, Pont de, 269 

Maxime, St., de Beaufort. See Beaufort 

Megdve, 136 

Megevette, 250 

Meillerie, 218 

Meina, village of, 369 

Meiris torrent, 6 

Meira, 27 

Melezel torrent, 43 

Melezet, valley of the, 31 

Melezet river, 33 

Menoge river, 189 

Menoge stream, 250 

Menthon, 138 

Meolans, village of, 20 

Mer de Glace, 195 

Meribe, Chalets de, 292 

Meyronne, 12 

Mezzenile (2.201'), 150 

Mezzenile, pass from, to Viu, 154 

Miage, Glacier de, 206, 212 

Miage, Chalets de, 213 

Michel, St. (2,316'?), 49 

Michel, St., Briancon to (§ 6, Rte. D), 42 

Michel, St., to Moutiers Tarentaise (§ 11, Rte. 

G), 132 
Mieussy, 236 

Mine, Glacier de Mont, 291, 293 
Miniera, Valle della, torrent of, 5 
Miouvel torrent, 26 
Mirabouc, fort of, 35 
Mission, 296 

Mizoen, village (3,957'), 70 

Modane, village of (3,494'), 49 

Modane, Briancon to (§ 6, Rte. E), 43 

Modane to Cesanne (§ 6. Rte. F), 45 

Modane, Pralognnn to, by the Col de Chaviere, 

or the Col d'Aussois (§11, Rte. F), 130 
Moede, Chalets de, 242 
Moiry, Glacier de, or Gl. de Torrent, 303 
Molaret, post house of, 52 
Molieres, Vallon de, 8 
Molines, Val de, 26 
Molines, village of, 31 
Mollia, 336 

Motning, Glacier de, 296, 299 
Mompantero. village of, 52 
Monastero, 146 
Mondovi, 2 

Mondrone (4,205'), 151 

Monei, Glacier de, 170 

Monestier, village of, 65 

Monestier, VallouUe to (§ 9, Rte. H), 89 

Monetier, village of, 189 

Mongrande, 350 

Monta, La, 25 

Monta, hamlet of, 290 

Montaldo, castle of, 327 

Montandayne, Glacier de, 169 

Montandrey, villaee of, 133 

Montanvers, the, 196 

Mont Blanc district (§ 16), 183 

Mont de Lans, village of (4,203"), 92 



NIK 

Montbonnot, village of. 100 
Monterosso (2,785'), 15 
Montgellafrey, village of, 134 
Monthey, 249 

Monthey, Samoensto (§ 17, Rte. F), 244 

Monthey, Thonon to (§ 17, Rte. M), 252 

Montmelian, 47, 102 

Montreux, village of, 257 

Montriond, village of (3,051'), 251 

Montriond, Lac de (3,445'), 252 

Moret torrent, 134 

Moretel, village of, 103 

Morgen, the, 340 

Morillon, village of, 238 

Morges, town of, 255 

Morges, village of, 266 

Morgex, village of. 173 

Morgin, Baths of, 252 

Morgin, Vallee de, 252 

Moro, Monte, 340, 348 

Morte, La, [93] 

Morte, La, hamlet of, 67 

Morte, Eau, river of, 137 

Morzine,251, 252 

Mosso, Sta. Maria, 345 

Motet, 205 

Moulin Vieux, hamlet of, [93] 

Moutiers Tarentaise, town of, 117 

Moutiers Tarentaise, Tignes to, by the Col du 

Palet (§11, Rte. C), 123 
Moutiers Tarentaise, St. Michel to (§11, Rte. 

G),132 

Moutiers Tarentaise, St. Jean de Maurienne 
to, by the Col de la Platiere (§ 11, Rte. H>, 
133 

Moutiers Tarentaise, La Chambre to, bv the 
Col de la Madeleine (§11, Rte. I), 134 

Moutiers Tarentaise, St. Maxime de Beaufort to 
(§12, Rte. G), 142 

Mouxy, village of, 98 

Mulera, Cima de, hamlet of, 341 

Mulera, Piede, 341 

Mure, La (2,860'), 93, [94] 

Mure, La, to La Chapelle in Val. Godemar (§9, 
Rte. M), [93] 

Myans, Abimes de, 99 



NANT BOTJRRANT, 204 
Nant-Bride, hamlets of, 237 
Nant Brun, valley of, 133 
Nant Noir, torrent of, 192 
Nantillon, Glacier de, 200 
Nants, Deux, hamlet of, 134 
Nanzer Thai, or Gamsen Thai, 365 
Narreyroux, hamlet of, 91 
Navalaise, villaae of, 110 
Naves, village of, 142 
Navisanche river, 295 
Nendaz, Val de, 269 
Netsch Thai, 331 
Neuva. Glacier de la, 233 
Nevache, Val de, 43 
Nice, city of, 6 

Nice, Turin to (§ 1, Rte. A), 3 

Nice, Baths of Valdieri to (§ 1, Rte. C), 8 

Nice, Cuneo to, by Entracque and Col delle Fs- 

nestre (§ 1, Rte.-D), 10 
Nice to Barcelonette (§ 3, Rte. A), 17 
Nice to Colmar (§ 3, Rte. B), 18 
Nicolaithal, 310 
Niklaus, St., village of, 306, 310 
Niklaus, St., Griiben to, (§ 19, Rte. K), 306 



GENERAL 

NIK 

Niklaus, St., Saas to, by the Ried Pass (§ 20, 

Rte. P),360 
Niouc, village of, 295 
Nivolet, Chalet de, 167 
Noasca, village of, 165 
Noaschetta torrent, 165 ; Glacier, 169 
Noir, Glacier, 85 
Norn torrent, 139 
Norandine river, 136 
Notre Dame, 48 
Novalaise, village of, 1 10 
Novalese, village of, 51 
Novalese, 53 

Noyer, village of (2,713'), 113 
Noyer, valley of the, 113 
Novara, 337 
Novel, 249 
Noversch, 332 
Nus, village of, 347 
Nyon, town of, 255 



OFFENGE-DESSOUS, St., village of, 112 
Offenge-Dessus, St., village uf, 112 
Oisans, Pays d', 62 
Oisans district (§8), 63 
Oisans, Bourg d', town of, 66 
Oisans, Bourg d', to St. Jean de Maurienne (§ 8, 
Rte. D), 70 

Oisans, Bourg d', to La Chambre (§ 8, Rte. E), 
72 

Oisans, Bourg d\ to Allevard (§ 8, Rte. E), 74 
Oisans, Bourg d', to La Berarde (§9, Rte. A), 
78 

Oisans, Bourg d', to Grenoble, by La Mure (§ 9, 

Rte. L), 94 
Olle, Combe d\ 72 
Olloccia, Val, 349 
Ollomont, 271 ; Val d\ 271, 276 
Oltro, Val d', 345 
Omegna, 347, 353 
Oncino, 23 

Onde, glacier stream, 81 
Onion, village of, 250 
Orcieres, village of (4,330'), 93 
Orelle, village of, 49 
Orelle, village of, 132 
Oren, Combe d', 276, 291 
Ormelune river, 119 
Ornavasso, 368 
Ornon, 67 

Ornon, commune of, 94 
Orny, Glacier d', 235 
Oropa, sanctuary of, 351 

Orsieres, Chamouni to, by the Col de Champey 

(§ 16, Rte. I), 229 
Orsieres to Courmayeur, by the Col de Ferrex 

(§ 16, Rte. K), 230 
Orsidres, Chamouni to, by the Glacier d'Argen- 

tieres (§ 16, Rte. L), 231 
Orsieres, Chamouni to, by the Glacier du Tour 

(§ 16, Rte. M), 235 
Orsieres, village of (2,894'), 261 
Orta, Lake of. 351 
Orta, town of, 351 

Orta, Ivrea to, by Biella (§ 20, Rte. K), 350 
Orta to Ponte Grande, by the Val Mastalone 

(§ 20, Rte. L), 352 
Orta to Ponte Grande, by the Val Strona (§ 20, 

Rte. M), 353 
Ossola, Val d', 367 

Ossola, Domo d'. See Domo d'Ossola 
Otemma, Glacier d'. 281 



INDEX. 399 
PIG 

Ouches, Les, village of, 193 

Ouchy, 256 

Ouille, Lac de 1', 129 

Oulaz, Golette d',246 

Oulx, village of (3,514'), 40 

Ours, St., church of, at Aosta, 174 

Oursidre, Cascade de 1', 104 

Ovesca torrent, 377 

Oyace, village of, 276 

Oyen, St., 264 

Oz, village of, 73 



PAESANA, town of. 23' 
Palon, hamlet of (3,609'),93 
Palus, hamlet of, 94 
Panerace, Villar St., 100 
Paradis district (§ 14), 155 
Paris to Chambe>y (§ 10, Rte. A). 97 
Paris to Chamouni, by Geneva (§ 16, Rte. A), 
185 

Passy, village of, 191, 239 
Paul, St., village of, 30, 31 
Pedriolo, chalets of, 339 
Pelerins, Glacier des, 200 
Pelerins, Cascade des, 200 
Pella, 352 
Pellina, Val, 276 

Pellina, Val, St. Barthelemi to the (§ 18, Rte. 
I), 279 

Pelvoux, Mont, ascent of, 80 
Pelvoux district (§ 9), 77 
Pendant, Glacier de la, 232 
Pennine Alps, 181 

Perouse, or Fenestrelle, Val de, 36 
Perouse, town of (2,037'), 36 
Perouse, La Tour de Luserne to (§ 5, Rte. C), 
37 

Perouse to Abries, by the Val Germanasca (§ 5, 

Rte. D), 38 
Perouse to Pragelas (§ 5. Rte. E), 39 
Perouse to Cesanne, by Rodoret (§ 5, Rte. F), 39 
Perrier, or Perrero, village of, 38 
Pescatori, Isola dei, 368 
Pesey, village of, 124 

mines of (6,024'), 124 

Pesio, Certosa di, 4 
Pestarena, village of, 340 
Pfyn, 364 

Pianche, hamlet of, 11 
Piantonetto, Val, 165 
Piasco, 16 

Pidce, Glacier de, 285 
Pierre, St., 173 

Pierre d'Albigny, St., town of, 48, 1 13 
Pierre, Glacier de la Bonne, 83 
Pierre d'Allevard, St., ruins of, 103 
Pierre d'Entremont, St., village of, 108 
Pierre de Belleville, St., 103 
Pierre de Chartreuse, St., village of, 109 
Pierre Castel, fort of, 1 10 
Pierre, St., village of, 261 

Pierre, St., to Courmayeur, by the Col dej 

01anards(§ 18, Rte. C), 266 
Pierre, St., to Aosta, by the Col de Menouve 

(§ 18, Rte. D), 266 
Pierre, St., Chabh-s to, by the Col de la Maison 

Blanche (§ 18, Rte. F), 271 
Pierre, St., to Chermontane, by the Col de 

Sonadon (§ 18, Rte. G\274 
Pietra Porzio, village of (3,855'), 12 
Pignerol, or Pinerolo, town of, 34 
Pignerolto Mont Dauphin (§ 5, Rte. A), 34 



400 GENERAL 
PIG 

Pignerol to Cesanne (§ 5, Rte. B), 26 
Pilatte, Glacier de la, 86 
Pile Alp, 335, 342 
Pinsot, 76 
Piode, 331 

Pissevache waterfall, 260 
Pisson, Cascade du, 75 
Pizanco, 376 
Plan, Lac du, 200 
Planaval, village of, 178 
Planay, village of, 127 
Planay. hamlet of, 54 
Planereuse, glacier of, 230 
Planpinet, 43 
Planpraz (6,959'), 201 
Plateau, Gr;ind (12.900'), 220 
Plateau, Grand, of Mont Blanc, 223 
Platei, Desert de, 191, 239 
Plete 326 

Po, valley of the, 23 
Pogetto Teniers, village of, 18 
Poleset, chalets of (6,014'), 131 
Pons, St., village of, 20 
Pont, hamlet of, 167 
Pont St. Martin, 329 

Pout St. Martin, Zermatt to, by the Lys Joch, 
or Zwillinge Joch, and the Val de Lys (§ 20, 
Rte. D), 327 

Pontcharra, village of, 101, 102 

Ponte, village of (1,589'), 155 

Ponte to Tignes, by the Col de Galese (§ 14, Rte. 
E), 165 

Ponte Grande, village of, 311, 349 

Ponte Grandp, Aosta to, by the lower passes, 

(§ 20, Rte. I), 346 
Ponte Grande, Orta to, by the Val Mastalone 

(§ 20, Rte. L). 352 
Ponte Grande, Orta to, bv the Val Strona (§ 20, 

Rte. M), 353 
Pontecellamot, valley of, 140, 142 
Pormenaz, Lac de, 242 
Portette, La, 238 
Portien Grat, 375 
Poucet, Le, 157 
Pourieres, hamlet of, 36 
Poyaz, hamlet, 228 
Pra, 35 

Pra del Tor, defile of, 37 
Pragelas, Val, 36 

Pragelas, Perouse to (§ 5, Rte. E), 38 

Pralis, village of, 38 

Pralognan, village of (4,700'), 127 

Pralognan to Modane, by the Col de Chaviere, 

or the Col d'Aussois (§ 11, Rte. F), 130 
Pralong (3,199'), 140 
Pralong, Mayens de, 292 
Pramain, hamlet of, 124 
Pramol, hamlet of, 36, 37 
Prangins, Park, 255 
Prapic, 93 

Prarayen, chalets of, 276 

Prarayen to Val Tournanche, or Breuil, by the 
Col de Vacornere (§ 18, Rte. K), 280 

Prarayen, Chermontane to, by the Glacier 
d'Otemma (§ 18, Rte. L), 281 

by the Col de Crete Seche, 282 

by the Mont Gele. 282 

by the Col de la Reuse de l'Arolla, 283 

Prarayen, Evolena to, by the Col des Bouquetins 
(§ 19, Rte. B), '^91 

Praz-le-Fort, hamlet of, 230 

Prazzo, village of, 14 

Prazzo, Cuneoto, by Val Grana(§ 2, Rte. C), 15 



INDEX. 

EOC 

Preit, Val del, 14 
Prt-quartero, 340 

Prienre, Le, or village of Chamouni, 193 
Proz, Cantine de (5,912'), 262 
Proz, Glacier de, 267 
Pucelle, Saut de la, 66 
Pyrimont, 185 



f\UARAZZA, Val. 346, 350 
V£ Quarazzola, Val. 350 
Quarna, village of, 353 
Queige, village of, 140 
Queyras, Chateau de, 26 

Queyras, Barcelonette to, by St. Veran(§4, Rte. 
D), 30 

Queyras, Castel Delfino to (§ 4, Rte. F), 33 
Queyras to Briangon (§ 6, Rte. B), 41 



RANDA, village of, 311 
Raron, 364 
Rassa, 351 

Val de, 351 

Re, Piano del, 24. 29 

Recluse torrent, 171 

Reine, Sainte, village of, 114 

Relinges, 238 

Remy, St., village of. 261 

Remy, St., Allevard to,. 103 

Reposoir, Vallee du, 140 

Chartreuse du, 140 

Reschy, 308 
Revel (§3, Rte. D), 20 
Revel (§ 10, Rte. E), 105 
Rhemes, Val de, 170. [179] 

Rhemes, Notre Dame de, village of (5,8 r 0'), [180] 

Rhemes. St. George de, village of, [180] 

Rhone, Pe<te du, 185 

Riddes, 363 

Kimplas, 18 

Ribons torrent, 54 

Riche torrent, 236 

Riche, valley of the, 250 

Ried Gletscher, 311 

Rif torrent, 42 

Riffel, the. 314 

Rimasco, 349 

Ri.nella, village of, 353 

Rimplas (3,366'), 18 

Rioubregond, 108 

Rioburent river (11.142'), 31 

Riouperoux, hamlet of, 67 

Ripa valley, 39 

Ripaille, monastery of, 248 

Ritort, chalet of, 130 

Riva, village of, 335 

Rivier, 74 

Rivier, hamlet of (4,200'), 72, 73 
Riviere torrent, 41 
Riviere, La, torrent of, 127 
Riviere, La, valley of, 127 
Robert, Lac, 105 
Robillante, 4 

Rocca, Ponte della, at Lanzo, 146 
Roccahigliera, village of, 9 
Roccavione, 4 

Roche, La, village of (§ 9, Rte. K), 93 
Roche, La, village of (§ 12, Rte. C), 138 
Rochemolle, 59 



GENERAL INDEX. 



401 



BOG 

RochemolSe, Val Ion de., 591 
Rochette, La, iOS 
Rodoret, village of. 39 
Rodoret, Val, 38, 39 
Roget, Cascade de, 240 
Roisan, 276 

Roisonne, valley of the, [93] 
Roja torrent, 3 
Rolle, town of, 255 
Romagnano, 337, 351 
Romanche, valley of the, 63 
Ronco (3,090'), 156 

tour of Monte Rosa, by the high glacier 

passes (§ 20, Rte. G),341 
Roselein, hamlet of, 142 
Rossboden Glacier, 365, 367 
Rothblatt Glacier, 377 
Roubiel torrent, 26 
Rouges, Rochers, 223 
Rousses, Grandes, 73 
Roussa, Lago della, 153 
Rubiana, 154 

Rubiana, pass from ViCl to, 154 
Ruine, Grande, 90 
Ruine, La, chalets of, 25 
Ruitor district (§ 15), 170 
Ruitor, Glacier du, 171 
Rympfischwang, the, 323 



SAAS, 354 
Saas Grat, 351 
Saas to Zennatt, by the Saas Grat (§ 20, Rte. 
O), 357 

Saas to St. Niklaus, by the Ried Pass (§ 20, Rte. 
P), 360 

Saas to Simpeln (§ 21, Rte. D), 373 

by the Gamser Joch, 373 

by the Thali Joch, 373 

by the Laquin Joch, 374 

by the Fletsch Joch. 374 

Saas to Isella, by the Zwischbergen Pass (§ 21, 
Rte. E), 375 

Saas to Domo d'Ossola, by the Val Antrona 

(§21, Rte. G), 377 
Sabbione torrent, 10 
Sables, hamlet of, 73 
Sacro Monte, sanctuary of, 336 
Salanle, 247 
Salanfe, chalets of, 247 
Salassi, the, 173 
Salena, Fenetre de, [234] 
Salabertrand, or Salbertrand, 40 
Sallanches, town of (1,793'), 190 
Sallanches, Albertville to (§ 12, Rte. A). 135 
Sallanches, Annecy to (§ 12, Rte. D), 139 
Sallanches to Contamines and Courmayeur, by 

St. Gervais (§ 1G, Rte. C), 210 
Salle, La, village of, 173 
Saltine torrent, 365 
Saluzzo, town of, 23 

Saluzzo to Barcelonette— Val Vraita (§ 2, Rte. 
D), 15 

Saluzzo to Mont Dauphin (§ 4, Rte. A), 23 

Salvagny, village of, 'J40, 241 

Salvatore, San (1,709), 18 

Sal vent, 242, 247 

Sal van, village of, 229 

Samoens, 26, 236 

hamoens to Champery and Monthey (§ 17, Rte. 

F), 244 



Samoens, Thonon to (§ 17, Rte. L), 25* 
Sampeyre, village of (3,025'), 16 
Sanfront, town of, 23 
Sangone torrent, 36 
Saorgio, 6 

Sapenidre, or Selsenidre, torrent, 82 
Sappey, village of, 109 
Saraval, 139 

Sassiere, Lac de la, 120, 178 
Sauvage, torrent of, 74 
Savigliano station, 3 
Savines, village of, 20 
Savines, Grands, 57 
Savines. Lac des, 57 
Savoy Alps, South, 95 
Saxon, mineral waters of, 363 
Saxonnex, 190 
Scarena, 6 

Scez, village of (2,953'), 1 19 

Schallenberg Glacier, 320 

Schalbet, 36K 

Schonbuhl Glacier, 298 

Schwarz See, 319 

Schwarzberg Glacier, 338 

Schw'arze Glacier, 328 

Scionzier, 190 

Scopa, village of, 336 

Scopello, 336 

Sea, Glacier de. 148 

Sechilienne, village of, 67 

Secco, Rio, torrent, 9 

Secco, Val di Rio, 17 

Sele, Glacier du, 86 

Selle, Glacier de la, 92 

Selseniere, or Sapenidre, torrent, 82 

Sermenta, Val, 336, 348 

Serpiano. Val, 353 

Serrant, Pont, 172 

Serre, 178 

Servoz, (2,626'), 192, 239 
Sesanfe, Chalets de, (6,398'), 245 
Sesia Glacier, 334 
Sesia, Borgo, 337 
SestriSres, village of, 37 
Sestrieres. Val di, 18 
Settimo Vittone, 327 
Sevrier, 137 
Seyssel. 185 
Sierre, town of, 364 

Sierre to Zermatt, by the Val d'Annivier* and 

the Trift Joch (§ 19, Rte. E), 295 
Sierroz stream, 1 1 1 
Silvenol, hamlet of, 159 
Simpeln, village of, 366 
Simpeln , Saas to (§ 21. Rte. D), 373 

by the Gamser Joch, 373 

by the Laquin Joch, 374 

by the Thali Joch, 373 

: — by the Fletsch, 374 

Simpeln to Domo d'Ossola, by the Val Bu- 

gnanco (§ 21, Rte. F), 376 
Simplon district (§21), 361 
Sion, city of (1,732'), 363 

Sion to Aosta, by the Val d'Herens and Col de 

Collon (§ 19. Rte. A), 288 
Sion, to the Val de Bagnes, by the Val d'He- 

remence (§ 19, Rte. C), 292 
Sixt district (§ 17), [235] 
Sixt (2,513'), 236 

Sixt, Geneva to, bv Tanninges (§ 17, Rte. A), 
[235] 

by St. Jeoire, 235 

by Bonneville and Ciiatillon, 237 



402 



GENERAL INDEX. 



SIX 

Sixt, Geneva to, by Cluses or St. Martin (§ 17, 
Rte. B), 238 

by Cluses, 238 

by St. Martin, 238 

by Passy and La Portette, 239 

Sixt to Chamouni,by Servoz (§ 17, Rte. C), 239 

— by the Col d'Anterne, 240 

by the Col du Derochoir, 240 

Sixt to Chamouni (§ 17, Rte. D), 240 

Sixt to Martigny, by Salvent (§ 17, Rte. E), 242 
Sixt to Champery (§ 17, Rte. G), 245 

by the Col de Sageroux, 245 

by the Golette d'Oulaz, 246 

Soana, Val, 156 
Somier, 140 

Sonadon, Glacier de, 275 
Sonnant, hamlet of, 104 
Sonnant, gorge of the, 104 
Sorlin d'Arves, St., commune of, 7 
Sospello, 6 

Soureillan (7,312'), 82 

Stalden, village of, 310 

Stefano, San, village of (3,848), 18 

Stock Gletscher, 294 

Stockje, the, 293 

Stresa, 369 

Strona, Val, ?53 

Stroppo (3,057'), 14 

Stura river, 3 

Stura di Ala, 145 

Stura di Demonte river, 11 

di Arnaz, 152 

— di Groscavallo, 145 

di Lanzo, 145 

di Usseglio, 152 

di Via, 145 

Suen, 288 

Susa, city of, 52 

Susa to Briancon, by the Mont Genevre (§ 6, 

Rte. A), 39 
Susa to Bessans (§ 7, Rte. B), 53 
Susa, Bramans to, by the Col du Clapier (§ 7, 

Rte C), 54 
Susa, pass from Malciaussia to, 154 
Susten, 364 



TACONNAY, Glacier de, 192, 220 
Tacul, the, 195 
Tacul, Lac du, 199 
Talefre, Glacier de, 195 
Talloires. village of, 138 
Tamie, Abbey of the, 137 
Tanninges, 236 
Tanvey, 249 

Tarentaise district (§ 11), 115 
Tasch, village of, 31 i 
Tasch Glacier, 311, 369 
Tauretunum, 248 
Tavernettes, Les, 51 
Telleccio, Val, 165 
Temple, Glacier de la, 85 
Tencin, 75, 101 

Tenda district, 2 ; village of. 5 
Termignon, village of, 50, 130 
Territet, 257 
Tesso, Val di, 146 
Tete Noire, 227, 228 
Tetret, Glacier du Grand, 168 
Theodule Glacier, 324 
Theys, 75 

Thibaud de Coux, St., village of, 1C7 
Thiervoz, Grand, 75 



TBI 

Thoiry, village of, 113 

Thones, village of, 139 

Thonon, town of, 247, 248 

Thonon, Bonneville to (§ 17, Rte. K), 249 

by Bonne and Machilly, 249 

by Bo'ege, 250 

by St. Jeoire and Megevette, 250 

Thonon to Samoens (§ 11, Rte. L), 251 
Thonon to Champery, or to Monthey (§ 17, Rte. 
M), 252 

by the Col d'Abondance, 252 

by the Col de Chesery, 252 

by the Col de Champery, 252 

by the Col de Coux, 252 

Thorens. valley of, 138 

Thuile, La, village of, 113, 172 

Thuile, La, toSainte Foi (§ 15, Rte. B), 174 

Thuile tot rent, 172 

Thuiles, village of, 20 

Thumel, hamlet of, [180] 

Thures valley, 39 

Thuy, 139 

Tiefenmatten Gletscher, 294 
Tier torrent, 110 
Tignes, village of, (5,415), 120 
Tignes, Val de, 120 
Tignes, Lac de, 123 

Tignes to Moutiers Tarentaise, or Bonrg St. 
Maurice, by the Col du Palet (§ 11, Rte. C), 
123 

Tignes to Lanslebourg, by the Col de la Leisse 

(§ 11, Rte. D), 126 
Tignes, Ponte to, by the Col de Galgse (§ 14, 

Rte. E), 165 
Tignes, Val Grisanche to (§ 15, Rte. D), 180 
Tignes to Aosta, by the Col de Gailletta and 

the Val de Rhemes (§ 15, Rte. E), [179] 
Tignes to Lanslebourg, by the Col de la Va- | 

noise (§11, Rte. E), 126 
Tinea, Valley of the, 17 
Tines, village of, 197 
Torembec, Chalets de, 270, 273 
Tornetti, village of, 154 
Torre, Val della, 154 
Torrent, Val de, or Torrentthal, 301 
Torrent, Glacier de, or Gl. de Moiry, 303 
Torrentthal, or Val de Torrent, 301 
Tour, Aiguille du, 235 
Tour, Le, hamlet of, 226 
Tour, Glacier du, 235 
Tourbillon, in Sion, 363 
Tourette, village of. 17 

Tournanche, Val, Prarayen to, by the Col de 

Vacorn6.e(§ 18, Rte. K), 280 
Tournanche, Val (5,057'), 323 
Tournanche, Val, village of, 326 
Tournanche, Val, to Macugna, bv the middle 

passes (§ 20, Rte. H), 344 
Tournon, village of, 137 
Tournoux, 13 

Tourtemagne, or Turtman, 364 
Touvet, Le, village of, 100 
Trajo, Glacier de, 159 
Trasquera, village of, 370 
Treicol, Val de, 141 
Trelagrande, Glacier de, 212 
Trelaporte, 198 
Trelechant, hamlet of, 228 
Trevignin, village of, 112 
Tribulation, Plan de la, 169 
Trient, village of, 227 
Trient, Glacier du, 235 
Trift Gletscher, 299 



GENERAL INDEX, 



403 



TRI 

Trift Joch, or Col de Zinal, 299 
Trinquent, village of, 229 
Triolet, Glacier du, 231 
Trois Torrents, 245 
Trubzuc, Glacier of, 230 
Tunnel through the Alps, 46 
Turin to Nice (§ 1 , Rte. A), 3 
Turin, Chambery to (§ 7, Rte. A), 47 
Turin, city of, 52 

Turin to Lanslebourg, by Lanzo and Grosca- 

vallo (§ 13, Rte. A), 145 
Turin, Ceresole to, by the Col della Crocetta 

(§ 13, Rte. C), 150 
Turin to Aosta, by the Val Soana and Val de 

Cogne (§ 14, Rte. A), 155 
Turtman-Thal, the, 303 
Turtraan, 305 

Turtman, Vissoie to, by the Pas de Boeuf and 

the Turtman-Thal (§ 19, Rte. I), 303 
Turtman Glacier, 305 
Turtman, or Tourtemagne, 364 
Tzeudet, Glacier de, 267 



UBAYE river, 13, 19 
Ubaye, valley of the, 17,19 
Ubayette river, 13 
Ugine, town of (1,755'), 136 
Uriage (1,358'), 104 

baths and cercle of, 104 

Uriage, Chambery to (§ 10, Rte. E), 104 
Useigne, 288 

Usseglio, commune of (4,215'), 152 



VACHERESSE, La (2,730'), 252 
Vailly, 250 
Vaire torrent, 19 
Valais, Port, 249, 258 
Valbonnais, 94 
Valdiblora, 18 
Valdieri (2,493'), 6 
baths of, 6, 7 

Valdieri, Baths of, Cuneo to the (§ 1, Rte. B), 6 
Valieri, Baths of, to Nice (§ 1, Rte. C), 8 
Valeiglia, Combe de, 157 
Valeiglia, Glacier de, 165 
Valentine, the, 251 
Valeria, castle of, 363 
Valetroite, hamlet of, 43 
Valetta, 8 

Valetta, La, village of, [93]' 
Valjouffrey, village of, [93] 
Vallanta, Val di, 27,29 
Vallasco, 7 

Vallese, or Val de Lys, 331 
Valletta, 8 

Valloire, Combe de, 75 
Valloires, village of, 42 
V a lionet, 71 

Vallouise. La Ville de (3,937'?), 81 
Vallouise, Guilestre to (§9, Rte. B), SO 
Vallouise, La Berarde to, by Col des E'crins (§ 9, 
Rte. C), 83 

Vallouise, La Berarde to, by the Col dela Tempe 

(§ 9, Rte. D), 85 
Vadouise, La Berarde to, by the Col du Selle 

(§ 9, Rte. E), 86 
Vallouise, La Berarde to, by the Val Godemar 

(§ 9, Rte. F), 87 
Vallouise to La Grave en Oisans (§ 9, Rte.G), 88 
Vallouise to Monestier (§ 9, Rte. H), 89 



Vnllouise to Embrun, by the Valleys or the 

Hautes Alpes (§9, Rte. K), 93 
Valmeinier, village of (4,838'), 45 
Valmeinier, river, 45 
Valontey, 157 
Valorcine, village of, 228 
Valpellina, 276 

Valpellina, St. Barthelemi to the (§ 18, Rte. H\ 
279 

Valpra, hamlet of, 160 

Valsavaranche, or Gioux,~village of (4,950'), 167 
Valsenestre, [93] 
Valsenestre, Breche de, [93] 
Valserine river, 186 
Valsorey, Glacier de, 267, 275 
Valtournanche, village of, 281, 344 
Valtournanche to Macugna, by the middle 

passes (§20, Rte. H), 344 
Vanoise, Glacier de la, 128 
Vanzone, village of, 340 
Var, Valley of the, 17, 18 
Varallo, 336, 352 

Varallo, Zermalt to, by the Sesia Joch and the 

Val Sesia (§ 20, Rte. E), 333 
Varzo, 370 

Vaujany, commune of (4,211'), 73 
Vaulnaveys, 104 
Vedro, Val di, 367 
Vena us, 52 

Veneon, Valley of the, 78 

Veneon, Vallev of the, La Grave en Oisans to 

the (§9, Rte I.) 89 
Veneria, La, 154 
Veni, Val de, 206 
Venoni, Rocherde (6,106'), 151 
Venose, village of (3,363'), 79 
Venose, La Grave en Oisans to (§ 9, Rte. 1), 

89 

by the Col de la Cavale, 90 

by the Col de la Lauze, 91 

by the Breche de St. Christophe, 92 

Venose, by the Col de Venose, 92 

Veran, St., village of (6,591'), 31 

Verdon river, 19 ; valley of the, 19 

Vermenagna torrent, 3, 4 

Vernay, Le, 50 

Vernayaz, village of, 229, 260 

Vernaz, La, village of, 251 

Vernaz, village of, 252 

Verra Glacier, 329 

Verrex, village of (1,280'), 327, 329 

Verrex, Zermatt to, bv the Schwarz Thor and 

the Val d'Ayas (§ 20, Rte. C), 328 
Versan torrent, 18 
Versoie river, 141 
Versoye, Val de, 172 
Verzuolo, village of (1,394'), 16 
Vesubia torrent, 3 
Vevev, town of, 256 
Vex, village of, 291 
Veyton torrent, 76 
Vieze river, 244 

Vignerons, Abbaie des. at Vevey, 257 
Villa, 371 

Villar, hamlet of, 35 
Villaratnbert, 71 
Villaret, hamlet of, 36 
Villaroger, village of, 125 
Ville Vieiile, 26, 31 
Villeneuve, 'i58 

Villeneuve, in Val d'Aosta, 168, 173, [180] 
Villeneuve, in Val d'Aosta, Ceresole to (§ 14, 
Rte. F), 166 



PART I. 



404 GENERAL 
VIL 

Vilettp. 118 

Villy, Chalets de, 242 

Vimine, 110 

Vinadio, baths of, 11 

Vincent, St., village of, 20 

Vincent, Puy St., village of, 93 

Vincent, St., 326 

Vincent, Sr., baths of, 347 

Vincenthiitte, 341 

Viollins, Les, 94 

Vionnaz, villaee of, 249 

Viso district {§ 4), 22 

Visp, Gorner, 310 

Visp, Saaser, 310 

Visp, village of (2,362'), 365 

Visp to Zermatt (§ 20, Rte. A), 310 

Visp to Macugnaga, by the Monte Moro (§ 20, 

Rte. N), 354 
Visperterminen, 365 
Vissoie, village of, 296, 302 
Vissoie, Evolena to, by the Val de Torrent 

(§ 19, Rte. G). 301 
Vissoie to Turtman, bv the Pas de Bceuf and 

the Turtman-Thal (§ 19, Rte. I), 303 
Viil, village of (2,567'), 152 
Viit, valley of, 145, 153 

passes leading from the, 154 

Vizille, 67 
Vogogna, 341, 368 

Vogogna, Zermatt to, by the Weiss Thor and 

the Val Anzasca (§20, Rte. F), 337 
Voiron, 109 

Vonzo, village of (4,031'), 146 
Voreppe, 109 
Vougy 190 
Vouv'ry, 249 

Vuihez, Glacier de, 284, 290 
Vraita, Val, 2, 16 



WALDENSIAN district (§5), 33 
Wandfluh ridge, 294 
Weingarten Gletscher, 357 



INDEX. 
"VTENNE, town of, 110 



ZAEDEZAN, Glacier de, 277 
Zeleze, Croix de, 2+6 
Zermatt, village of, 294, 311 
Zermatt, Aosta to, bv the Val Pellina and the 

Col de la Val Pellina (§ 18, Rte. H), 276 
Zermatt, Evolena to, by the Cold'Herens (§ 19, 

Rte. D), 293 
Zermatt, Sierre to, by the Val d'Anniviers and 

the Trift Joch (§ 19, Rte. E), 295 
Zermatt, Zinal to, bv the Col Durand or Col 

de la Dent Blanche'(§ 19, Kte. F), 297 
Zermatt, Visp to (§ 20. Rte. A), 310 

excursions from Zermatt, 310 

Zermatt to Ivrea, by the Val Tournanche (5 20, 

Rte. B),323 
Zermatt to Verrex, by the Schwarz Thor and 

the Val d'Avas (5 20, Rte. C). 328 
Zermatt to Pont St. Martin, by the Lys Joch, 
or Zwillinge Joch, and the Val de Lys (§ 20, 
Rte. D), 329 
Zermatt to Varallo, bv the Sesia Joch and the 

Val Sesia (§20, Rte.'E), 333 
Zermatt to Vogogna, bv the Weiss Thor and 

the Val Anzasca (§ 20^ Rte. F), 337 
Zermatt, Saas to, by the Saas Grat (§ 20, Rte. 

O), 357 
Zessetta, Glacier de, 270 
Zinal. 296 

Zinal, Glacier de, or Glacier de Durand, 296, 

297 

Zinal to Zermatt, bv the Col Durand or Col de 
la Dent Blanche (§ 19, Rte. F), 297 

Zinal, Evolena to, by the Col de Sorebois (§ 19, 
Rte. H),303 

Z'meiden, mayens of (6,010'), 305 

Z'meigeren. pastures of, 355 

Zmutt Glacier, 294 

Zmutt. hamlet of (6,365'), 294,320 

Zwillinge Glacier, 333 

Zwischbergen, village of, 375 



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'Mr. Ball is specially the moun- 
taineer's guide. He abbreviates the accounts 
of various ardent climbers, and in a column or 
two contrives to convey considerable informa- 
tion to those who may meditate any of the 
grandes courses, as the guides call them. This, 
we think, is the prominent characteristic of 
the present Alpine Guide. In it we have the 
pith of the series of volumes of the Alpine Club 
men known as Peaks and Passes, or, if not the 
entire pith, sections of the pith in particular 
parts. The compiler sometimes adds notes of 
his own excursions, and being well acquainted 
with what has been written, and what has 
been effected by Alpine volunteers, he succeeds 
in bringing together, compactly, more direc- 
tions and suggestions respecting arduous ex- 
cursions than have yet appeared in any one 
volume of the kind. . . . It is no slight gain 
to have the results of different ascents and 
passages over passes and glaciers compen- 
diously summarised, and rightly distributed in 
their proper places.' Athjw^sum. 



London : LONGMANS and CO. Paternoster Row. 



BALL'S ALPINE GUIDES. 

LATEST EDITIONS, THOROUGHLY EE VISED. 



The Alpine Ghlide. By John Ball, M.E.I. A. late 

President of the Alpine Club. Post 8vo. with Maps and other 
Illustrations, in Three Volumes, as follows: — 

The Ghiide to the Eastern Alps, price 10s. M. 

The Guide to the Western Alps, including Mont Blanc. 

Monte Eosa, Zermatt, &e. price 6 s. Qd. 

&uide to the Central Alps, including all the Oberland 

District, price 7s. 6d. 

Introduction on Alpine Travelling in general, and on 

the Geology of the Alps, price Is. Either of the Three 
Volumes or Parts of the Alpine Guide may be had with 
this Introduction prefixed, price Is. extra. 

To be had also, for the convenience of Travellers visiting particular Districts, 
in Ten Sections, as follows, each complete in itself, with 
General and- Special Maps : — ■ 

The BERNESE OBERLAND, price 2s. 6d. 

MONT BLANC and MONTE EOSA, price 2s. 6d. 

BAUPHINE and PIEDMONT, from Nice to the Little St. Bernard, 
price 2s. 6d. 

NOETH SWITZERLAND, including the Righi, Zurich, and Lucerne, 
price 2s. 6d. 

The ST. GOTHAED PASS and the ITALIAN LAKES, price 
2s. 6d. 

EAST SWITZEELAND, including the Engadine and the Lombard 
Valleys, price 2s. 6d. 

NOETH TYEOL, the Bavarian and Salzburg Alps, price 2s. 6d. 
CENTRAL TYEOL, including the Gross Glockner, price 2s. 6d. 
SOUTH TYEOL and VENETIAN or DOLOMITE ALPS, price 
2s. 6d. 

The STYEIAN, CARNIC, and JULIAN ALPS, price 2s. 6d. 



London: LONGMANS and CO. Paternoster Row. 



